Merhaba Dostum
Welcome to my new environmental blog on saving Kaş Kalkan; saving, that is to say, its amazing coastline and its mountain villages from the relentless slaughter of the bulldozers. These machines are ripping up olive groves and vines to put up yet more illegally built, (usually) concrete “luxury villas”. The villas are being built for rent to city people from all over Turkey looking for A 21st Century Post Pandemic Socially Distanced Holiday (catchy eh?).
I learned from a reliable source that there are more than 8,000 such unlicensed structures in the Kaş area now, although there are (funnily enough!) no official figures.
Some of you know that I write another blog ‘An Englishman Abroad (here)’. This is a gently satirical take on expatriate life in Kalkan, which I hope expresses my love of life here, my appreciation of the country’s history and culture and affection for Turkish people and their ways. An affection that is of course mixed occasionally with the bafflement or indeed sheer, jaw dropping WTF amazement which all foreigners at times feel about their host communities.
But of late a darkness has crept in to my writing. I feel a little like Withnail as he stands in the rain, sunk in despair at the end of the classic film. He quotes from Hamlet
“I have of late, but wherefore I know not, lost all my mirth and indeed it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame the earth seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent canopy the air, look you, this mighty o’rehanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire; why, it appeareth nothing to me but a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours. What a piece of work is a man..”
So I started writing more contentious pieces about what is happening here. I started thinking about the looming environmental disaster as the water dries up.
“Lack of water is the biggest problem facing the Mediterannean and Aegean tourist area”
– Professor Dr Mehmet Somuncu, Ankara University.
.. and the land management issues, and the loss of habitat as agriculture land disappears or gets polluted by the waste from an unregulated welter of insensitive tourism.
So I have opened this new blog to draw attention to what we have here in this magnificent jewel, the District of Kaş, and what we have to lose and what we can do about it.
I said on Facebook that I felt like a skinny adolescent stepping into the ring with a 21 stone bruiser. Or as somebody suggested‘The Mouse That Roared’. LoL!
I like that. I will adopt it. I am a Reluctant Environmentalist, the Mouse that Roared.
In my sights are the Water and Power companies that have given new accounts to illegally built villas without the checks and documentation that their websites claim are required. What have they got to say?
I hope that I can get an audience with the Mayor, Mutlu ULUTAŞ Bey who is in charge of the planning function and the District Governor Şaban YAZICI Bey, who controls the Jandarma and is in charge of law and order. Both charming men whom I have met and warmed too. But, of course, they know what is happening. I want to ask what plans they have to put a stop to the illegal destruction of our environment.
It is not a new problem. The previous mayor said that he would stop the relentless exploitation but did not. It is not just in this region that there is a problem either. Illegal building goes on in many other places in Turkey. But it is very serious here and the stakes are high. The Kaş District contains so many sites of historical, scientific and natural importance. We cannot stand by and see a stampede for short term profit destroy the wonders around us.
I am not alone. I talk to a small circle of Turkish people who want these issues raised but who cannot show themselves as they do not have the protection of the expatriate bubble. Together we are developing a strategy and tactics to try and force the agenda.
Perhaps I will be knocking at an open door? Perhaps those in power will welcome my visit and explain how the matter will be effectively and quickly dealt with?
But my previous meetings and complaints have not been encouraging.
You can help me by registering on this site. Enter your email and you will get a confirmation mail sent to your inbox which you must respond to.
You can help by sending your best pictures to me of what you love about life here. I will use some on my page headed ‘The Kaş Area’ which you will find on the menu at the top. I have put a slide show there. It needs work.
You can help by commenting and making your voice heard.
Let’s act now to stop unlicensed destrcution and build a vision for a sustainable future, valuing this amazing area and lifestyle.
Coming soon: What is an Imar Barışı (Planning Amnesty) and why is the prospect of another one already causing huge harm?
– The Mouse That Roared
I’m not an englishman abroad but a german who fell in love with Kalkan. In Germany I’m a communal politician (green party) and I can agine what’s going on. It’s not only the landscape, but in nearer future the problems of the infrastructure will come to all of us: waste, water, power, traffic. Especially the waste water problem with the pollution of earth, soil and water will show the community massive problems. How will the mayor cope with that? He has to invest a lot!
Regards, Klaus
I have just obtained Turkish residency & I’m excited about my future living in this beautiful country. I am not anti development & things always change, but I am very concerned with the uncontrolled illegal building, both in Kalkan & the surrounding rural areas.
This uncontrolled building, uses up valuable natural resources, destroys nature & causes pollution.
I pray that the local authorities enforce the law, force the illegal builders to demolish their illegal builds & restore the land to its natural state.
Please don’t let ruthless developers destroy the beauty that I fell in love with.
I agree with everything.
It has to stop
Well done.
Go mouse, go!!!
I so hope you get listened to and more importantly heard in such a way that something changes for the good
Aye, there’s the rub as Shakespeare put it
Very sad to hear. I’m not against new homes, we bought ours in Kalkan because we loved the area so totally understand others wanting to do the same. But the laws were made for a reason, to protect the land, and it’s such a shame they are not being enforced.
In the 20+ Years I have been visiting Kalkan there has been noticeable changes in sea life and the state of the sea bed in Kalkan bay which now, sadly is just brown slime covered rocks in most part. You don’t have to be a marine scientist to know why this is happening extensively around all these beautiful but now unfortunately overdeveloped areas. I wish you every success with your endeavours to attempt the stopping of all illegal build in the area.
Keep up the good work!
Builders get away with far too much, and it’s sad that it’s not policed properly. I dread to think of the consequences if there is ever a major earthquake or landslide in the area.
It’s evident your concerns are well-researched, genuine, justified and upheld by many who have legally invested in the Kas region. It is not just the blatant disregard for the environment. Every new dwelling puts a strain on an already fragile utility infrastructure resulting in water shortages and power outages. Whilst electricity and water companies are happy to provide services to these illegal villas, albeit through fines and inflated rates, legal homes are deprived. If a build is illegal, it should not be permitted these facilities. It’s all too easy for the utility companies to still take revenues when no punitive measures are enforced. That and building restrictions are the only effective method of preserving the environment along with controlled sympathetic development. How long will it be before these predominantly Turkish-owned rental villa property developers realise that few guests will put up with erratic electricity and no water and those handsome rental revenues will dry up. It ain’t rocket science…
Those private investors from Europe who have chosen to make valuable investment in the region are well-used to complying with building regulations so trying to fix a culture that is more concerned with profit than preservation is a tough issue. Demonstrated by two houses located nearby that allegedly were built last year without permission, but understood now to be in new ownership that have been the focus of almost 12-hour shifts, 7 days a week with cement lorries and building supply trucks thundering up a small rural road. Residents have to wait up to ten minutes before they can pass and the weight of the lorries causes continuing destruction of the road. The property owner disregards the fact that building works should have ceased, no doubt in a race to get the villas ready for the rental season.
Additionally, the blatant disregard for littering across the region is not only a blot on the landscape, but again undermines the natural beauty of the area. A few random recycling bins scattered about do little to address the problem. Developers should be forced to take their commercial waste to a controlled tip and pay for the privilege. It would discourage the indecent waste we see scattered along roads and the countryside.
Thanks for your detailed response. I am working with others (all local Turks) to try and move the agenda on to more sustainable ground. Your support and commentary is really helpful
I hope the campaign gathers pace because the developers are responding to the ever increasing expectations of customers. You see it regularly … people are effectively asking for mini 5 star hotels to accommodate big parties of people. It’s an environmental disaster for this region.