An arboretum is generally a type of botanical garden where various tree and plant species are cultivated for scientific purposes, conservation, research, display, and education.
These areas possess large and diverse plant collections, offering visitors the opportunity to receive education about nature, observe plant diversity, and gain awareness about the conservation of natural life. Arboretums differ from botanical gardens by specifically focusing on trees and forest plants. Therefore, they often host training and research activities on topics related to the conservation, sustainability, and management of tree and forest ecosystems. They are frequently operated by institutions such as university campuses, research centers, or public parks. Additionally, they provide visitors with information on subjects like plant biology, ecology, and environmental protection. Arboretums also serve as an important resource for landscape design and botanical research.
Atatürk Arboretum is an important institution established in Istanbul, Turkey, for the purpose of conserving, researching, and educating about forest ecosystems. Located within the Belgrad Forest in Istanbul's Sarıyer district, this arboretum was established in 1949. It was named "Atatürk Arboretum" during the celebrations for Atatürk's 100th birthday. Aiming to protect and research Turkey's forest wealth and biological diversity, this institution has over time become one of the country's most important botanical research centers. Atatürk Arboretum also plays a significant role in landscape architecture, nature education, and environmental protection issues. Covering a large area of 296 hectares, the arboretum hosts a rich collection harboring thousands of plant species. This collection includes plants from different climate regions of Turkey and various geographies of the world. The arboretum also conducts research on topics such as plant cultivation techniques, seed science, and plant breeding to contribute to botanical science. Furthermore, the fact that Atatürk Arboretum is open to visitors and the events it organizes to create awareness about environmental consciousness and love for nature are of great importance. While discovering the beauties of nature, visitors also become conscious about the protection and sustainability of natural life.
The purpose of this training is to strengthen societal resilience by increasing citizens' awareness of forest ecosystem services. The project emphasizes the importance of information sharing for the sustainability of forest ecosystems. Target groups include students, teachers, farmers, farmer unions, opinion leaders, and local non-governmental organizations. The target audience for the training is students aged 4-14 and teachers. The activity aims to emphasize that forests are not limited to just trees and to explain the values offered by forest ecosystems. Atatürk Arboretum, located in Belgrad Forest in Sarıyer, Istanbul, is the sample area selected for this training. Atatürk Arboretum is an important educational area with goals such as the conservation of endemic plant species, creating environmental awareness, and protecting biological diversity. Thus, the training provided at the arboretum contributes to the development of love for nature and environmental consciousness. The ecosystem services training organized at Atatürk Arboretum aims to strengthen societal resilience by increasing citizens' awareness of forest ecosystem services, explaining that forests are not just communities of trees but offer more value, and detailing the ecosystem services provided by forest ecosystems. The target audience for the training is students aged 4-14 and teachers. Atatürk Arboretum, located in Belgrad Forest in Istanbul's Sarıyer district, was chosen as the sample area for this training. This area, approximately 296 hectares in size, hosts around 2000 plant species. Atatürk Arboretum, possessing great importance in terms of Turkey's natural beauty, its contributions to scientific research, the conservation of endemic plant species, and creating environmental awareness, is also essentially an important laboratory for biodiversity and ecosystem education, which is the main reason for choosing it as a sample area.
The training aims to teach students the services provided by nature and forests, allowing participants to make scientific discoveries through practical experiences. Such activities form the foundation for students to undertake important roles in the future as nature-friendly leaders, scientists, and environmental advocates for the conservation and sustainability of nature. The total duration of the training was planned to be approximately 30 minutes, and four activities were carried out with various short explanations during the training process. Booklets for students were prepared to be distributed to teachers during or after the training. The booklets contain information and games. You can access the booklets below.
The training consists of 4 games. These are, in order;
Activity 1: Which Animal Lives in This Forest?
Activity 2: Bat and Moth Game
Activity 3: Creating a Food Web
Activity 4: Ecosystem Services
Training Participants The training has been conducted in 2 periods so far, spring and autumn. In the spring period, training was given to a total of 40 teachers and 767 students. In the autumn period, training was given to a total of 21 teachers and 439 students. At the end of the training, teachers receive a certificate of participation on behalf of their students. Currently, trainings cannot be continued due to weather conditions.
The ecosystem services training program organized at Atatürk Arboretum left highly positive impacts on the participants. Students stated that the activities were both fun and educational, particularly noting that the games supported their learning processes. Activities like the "Bat and Moth" game were among the students' favorite activities, and teachers shared plans to implement these games in the school environment as well. The game attracted great interest due to its similarity to blind man's bluff, a popular activity among children. The intense interest in the activities was also demonstrated by the high number of students wanting to volunteer. Kindergarten and first-grade primary school groups showed particular interest in these trainings. This situation proved that the training program is an effective tool for building nature awareness in young age groups. The results obtained reveal the success of the training programs carried out at Atatürk Arboretum and participant satisfaction. The program instilled a love for nature and increased environmental protection awareness. Participant feedback indicates that nature observation and practical applications further enriched the training.
During the spring term, in May and June, a total of 28 training sessions were organized, reaching 767 students. In the 20 sessions held in May, 525 students received training, and in the 8 sessions held in June, 242 students received training. 40 teachers participated in the trainings. In these activities covering various age groups, the intense interest of kindergarten and first-grade primary school groups was noteworthy. In the trainings, interactive games like "Bat and Moth" and nature observation activities were highly appreciated by the students, who benefited from these activities by both having fun and learning.
During the autumn term, with a total of 15 training sessions organized in October and November, 439 students were reached. In the 9 sessions held in October, 259 students (139 girls, 120 boys) participated, and in the 6 sessions held in November, 180 students (94 girls, 86 boys) participated. 21 teachers accompanied the trainings. These programs involving primary school and kindergarten groups aimed to instill a love for nature and increase environmental awareness in children. Games played during the training, nature observations, and interactive applications made the learning process more enjoyable by ensuring active participation from the students.
