Atatürk University held the Biodiversity Application and Research Center's 'Workshop on Conservation of Biodiversity.'

As a result of the New Generation University Design and Transformation Project, in order to protect plant biodiversity, contribute to its sustainability, promote protected species, raise individual awareness of protecting and owning the environment, open the materials for studies by national and international scientists, and contribute to regional and country tourism. The newly established Biodiversity Application and Research Center (BUAM) had its debut event.

The event, hosted by BUAM, located behind the Faculty of Architecture and Design and established in a very convenient area, with the partnership of Erzurum Provincial Gendarmerie Command and General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks (DKMP), aimed to gain information about the region's living ecosystem and to protect special species. Its purpose was to raise awareness

"Preserving our values is critical to passing them down to future generations."

Okan Gün, DKMP 13th Regional Director, who took the floor for the first time within the scope of the program, stated that important studies have been carried out in this field in our country, where biodiversity is quite high, and that protecting our values plays a critical role in transferring them to future generations. Gün stated that they had arranged numerous events in this context to increase awareness and bring attention to this region, and that they were glad to collaborate with Atatürk University in this context and to conduct an awareness program specifically for the gendarmerie teams in the field.

"Excessive Population Growth Has Caused Biodiversity Loss"

Prof. Dr. Levent Gültekin, Center Director, stated that in recent years, unsustainable population expansion has resulted in a rise in human requirements and, as a result, a loss of biological variety. Noting that this devastation has reached noticeable proportions, Prof. Dr. Gültekin stated, "For this, numerous conservation methods have been devised on a worldwide scale, and agreements for the protection of biodiversity, to which our nation is a party, have been signed." The United Nations and the world's main relevant organizations are cooperating to safeguard the future of this profession. We, at Atatürk University, seek to safeguard hundreds of thousands of living specimens and tens of thousands of living species that we host, pass them on to future generations, and contribute to the academic field through scientific research."

Prof. Dr. Ömer Çomaklı, Rector of Atatürk University, began his speech by thanking the university for hosting such an important event that is so closely linked to the provinces of the region, particularly Erzurum. He stated that significant efforts had been made as a university.

"Protecting Biodiversity Is One of the World's Most Important Agenda Items"

Rector Çomaklı stated that the main wheels of the country's economy, medicine, pharmacy, agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, fisheries, and tourism, are all dependent on biodiversity as the primary raw material source, and that our country's position as a bridge between Europe and Asia is beneficial in hosting species rich in biodiversity. One of the most pressing issues on the global agenda is the preservation of biodiversity. We have begun a series of initiatives to bring together our country's strategic aims in this respect, international agreements to which it is a party, the UN SDG structure, and the scientific expertise of Atatürk University. In accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals and the importance of biodiversity conservation, we are doing extensive research to construct the "Biodiversity Science Museum." This project, which is wholly funded by Atatürk University, will develop a new research infrastructure that will serve the area and our country by combining the research center and the scientific museum.

"Our Colleagues Will Share All Kinds of Living Species They Discover with Atatürk University's Related Units"

Brigadier General Metin Düz, Regional Commander of the Erzurum Gendarmerie, stated that they invited the relevant personnel of Erzurum and all provinces affiliated with the regional command to the 'Workshop on Conservation of Biodiversity,' and that they would put the knowledge and experience they gained here into practice in their own provinces.

"Although we are just at the beginning of the road, we are improving ourselves and increasing our awareness level with such activities," said Brigadier General Düz, emphasizing that the teams working in the field will show the same sensitivity to the smuggling of historical artifacts in the fight against biosmuggling. We asked executives from seven provinces and 62 police stations to attend. From Erzincan to Artvin, we have friends here. They all came from their own police stations, and we got together with our friends to tell, teach, and give advice to our coworkers as they went to their own zones. In the same way, any living species found in the field would be shared with the right institutions and academics at Atatürk University. "With these views and thoughts, I believe that this workshop is critical for both discussing such a serious subject and developing inter-institutional communication, and I appreciate everyone who contributed."

The workshop continued with a variety of presentations.