Erdogan says number of Gardens of Nation parks in Türkiye to reach 500

The course to increase Türkiye’s forested zones and expand green areas in the country's cities remains unchanged, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

He made the remarks, addressing the participants of the opening ceremony of nine park complexes "Gardens of the Nation" in the regions of Türkiye via videoconference on June 8, Anadolu reports.

The opening ceremony of the zones in the provinces of Adıyaman, Giresun, Düzce, Bursa, Bolu, Afyonkarahisar, Adana, Sivas and Erzincan was timed to coincide with Türkiye’s Environment Week.

According to the Turkish leader, the authorities plan to bring the number of "Gardens of the Nation" to 500, which will eventually "change the look" of localities in each of the country's 81 provinces.

"The number of ‘Gardens of the Nation’ park complexes in Türkiye’s will reach 500, of which 189 have already been handed over to the country's citizens, while the construction of 137 is ongoing. The environment: the sky, the sea and the land are our heritage. We must treat ecology with care and actively teach the society the love of nature", the president underlined.

The head of state noted that the devastating earthquakes in February made the people more aware of the importance of having "public areas" in the country's cities.

Erdogan outlined the main challenges of earthquake-resistant construction.

"Let's take more decisive steps in rebuilding cities. Let's not be led by those who seek profit or who are guided by a perverted ideological perception," the president assured.

The head of the state appealed to the population: "If your house does not meet the requirements of seismic resistance or is in the zone of mudflows and landslides, then, without wasting time, take the necessary measures, and minimize the possible damage".