Yalova: Trkiye's pioneering living tree museum, the Ataturk Arboretum, located in the Termal district of northwestern Yalova province, hosts over 1,500 trees spanning 66 species sourced from various parts of the world. This arboretum is meticulously maintained by on-site teams.
According to Anadolu Agency, the arboretum was established on the order of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk on August 19, 1929, and sprawls over an expanse of 1.08 million square meters (11.6 million square feet). The renowned French architect Henri Prost designed it, with chief gardener Pandelli Roketas managing the landscaping.
Ataturk's vision and passion for nature have allowed the arboretum to endure as a tranquil green space for nearly a century. The facility is under the management of the Health Ministry's Thermal Springs Administration and continues to attract visitors with its enduring beauty and spirit from when it first opened.
Located in a historically significant region that has served as a center for healing since the Byzantine, Ottoman, and Republican periods, the arboretum features species such as Atlas cedar, Japanese maple, windmill palm, yew, and paulownia. On-site greenhouses also facilitate the cultivation of saplings.
Mehmed Burhan Topsogut, director of the ministry's Thermal Springs Administration, told Anadolu that the arboretum, situated within a conservation forest, offers a unique natural experience. Historical records indicate that the area was initially Mediterranean scrubland, with tree planting beginning after Ataturk's 1929 visit.
Ataturk sent letters to foreign ambassadors requesting saplings, and in response, ambassadors provided trees native to their countries. Using these saplings, Ataturk ordered the establishment of Trkiye's first arboretum. The trees planted are now nearly a century old.
The arboretum serves as a practical learning site for forestry students, showcasing tree species from across the globe, from the US to China and Argentina to Albania. Topsogut also mentioned that the arboretum offers a chance to observe rare species found in Trkiye.
Vasfiye Balci, the landscape architect overseeing the care and propagation of rare species in the arboretum's greenhouses, was initially amazed by the diversity of trees when she first visited as a student. Now working at the arboretum, Balci highlighted that each of the 66 species is pruned and maintained at specific times.
She noted that Ataturk's favorite hydrangeas originated from Termal and spread throughout Trkiye. Additionally, the arboretum houses a 'western plane' tree nearly 320 years old and an eastern plane within the Cinar Cafe that is almost 270 years old. Balci emphasized the use of natural methods wherever possible for the care of the arboretum's species.