KuzeyDoğa (Northeastern Nature Society) is a Turkish conservation non-governmental organization operating primarily in the far eastern section of the country, with a focal area ranging from the shores of the Black Sea to Mount Ağrı (Ararat). The society was founded in January 2008 by biology professor Çağan Şekercioğlu, and is headquartered in the major regional city of Kars. The society receives funding from private donations, the government of Turkey, the United Nations and various international conservation groups, most notably the Whitley Fund for Nature and the Christensen Fund. The society is primarily concerned with documenting and studying the migratory bird life in the region. The Society has partnerships with several Turkish and international organizations and universities. Its projects are often covered in the mainstream Turkish media.
Focal endeavors
Inventorying and protecting the biodiversity of this key, but apparently globally ignored region of the world is at the core of the society. The society accomplishes their goals through various focal endeavors:
Bird monitoring and conservation is at the core interest of the society. To date, KuzeyDoga researchers have documented more than 320 bird species in this region, more than 70% of all the bird species ever recorded across the entire country to date. The society has operated two bird ringing (bird banding) stations in the past, including the Aras River, in Iğdır and Lake Kuyucuk stations in Kars. In addition to capturing, banding and counting birds during the spring (March–June) and fall (August–October) migrations, society technicians have also placed geolocators and satellite transmitters on various bird species ranging from small song birds to larger vultures.
Landscape protection efforts are closely related to the society's interest in birds. The most notable achievement here is the creation/designation of 416 ha of Lake Kuyucuk (Turkish: Kuyucuk Gölü) as the Kuyucuk Lake Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 2009. This shallow lake harbors many migratory birds of at least 229 species and has been used for many centuries by at least three surrounding villages.
Wildlife corridors work focuses primarily on large carnivorous vertebrates and centers in and around the forested regions of the Sarıkamış-Allahuekber Mountains National Park.
Large carnivore Ecology efforts are focused on European brown bears, gray wolves and Caucasian lynx. To date, the society has collared more than 16 bears and 11 wolves, primarily in collaboration with Josip Kusak of Zagreb University in Croatia. Animals are briefly and humanely anesthetized, fitted with temporary GPS/GSM collars and released unharmed. These tracking collars, combined with information from wildlife cameras sprinkled across the region, allow society researchers to describe the movements and home ranges of these key members of the ecosystem over the course of many months. This is the primary information, which feeds into their wildlife corridor proposals.
Ecological restoration projects are most closely tied to wetland protection and bird migration. The first efforts predate the formal founding of the society, starting in 2003 with Kars-Iğdır Biodiversity Project initiated by Şekercioğlu. To date, they include wetland restoration projects at Kafkas University and Lake Kuyucuk, in collaboration with Sean Anderson of California State University, Channel Islands.
Public education is central to most of the work of the society and includes both local and national efforts within Turkey and international outreach. Perhaps the most successful projects here at the annual Bird Day at Lake Kuyucuk and continual school-aged field trips to introduce local children to the wonderful birds and other wildlife living around them. Education efforts are expansive and include botanical and invertebrate illustration classes for both locals and international artists.
Ecotourism is a continual effort. The society has both started and helped to expand the small, but growing bird ecotourism in the eastern section of Turkey. Nature tours are a way to both signal the value of functioning ecosystems to local villagers and local populations as well as provide direct monies to local peoples via birding guides, letting rooms to visitors, providing meals, and so forth.