Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in his speech at the November 11th National Afforestation Day Program, stated that they see forests not just as trees, but as a source of breath and life.
Expressing that they are taking the necessary steps in line with Türkiye's 2053 net-zero emission target and its green development revolution vision, Erdoğan said, "In the last 23 years, we have planted 7.5 billion saplings and seeds. We have increased our forest assets to 23.4 million hectares, and today, 30% of our country is covered with forests."
President Erdoğan drew attention to Türkiye's position among countries that have increased their forest assets, according to a report published by the United Nations.
Erdoğan said, "According to the report published by the United Nations, Türkiye ranked 6th among the countries that increased their forest area the most in 2020. According to the same report, we rose to 4th place in the world in 2025. Additionally, we have moved up one place to 3rd in the rankings of countries with the highest annual afforestation area. These proud figures are the clearest indicator of our nation's effort, our state's determination, and the hard work of our Forestry Organization. I extend my heartfelt thanks to our Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, our General Directorate of Forestry, our non-governmental organizations, and our volunteers who contributed to this success."
President Erdoğan continued as follows: The risk of forest fires is increasing every year due to the impact of climate change. Against these fires, our General Directorate of Forestry, the heroic members of our organization, our forest fire volunteers, and the institutions, organizations, and citizens whose hearts beat for the green homeland have fought with all their might. In the sky, our unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters, and airplanes, and on the ground, our water tenders, heavy machinery, and our forest heroes—all worked day and night to protect the green homeland.
