Karadeniz Technical University (KTU) supports sustainable land use and the conservation of natural areas through a range of tree-planting activities carried out both within the educational and research programs of the Faculty of Forestry and across the wider university. Forestry students actively participate in practical applications—such as sapling planting, erosion control, soil remediation, and species suitability—through coursework and field studies, thereby gaining hands-on experience while contributing to the region’s ecological balance.
In addition, university-wide tree-planting campaigns aim to green the campus and surrounding areas, rehabilitate erosion-prone sites, and increase carbon sequestration. These activities are open to students, academic and administrative staff, and local residents—strengthening public awareness and delivering tangible, lasting contributions to sustainable land management.
Within the scope of the nationwide “Breath for the Future” campaign, the event titled “Sapling Today, Breath Tomorrow” was held at the Akçaabat Şinik Organized Industrial Zone on 11/11/2024 at 11:00. Participants included Trabzon Governor Aziz YILDIRIM, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry Prof. Dr. Ömer KARA, Head of the Department of Forest Engineering Prof. Dr. Turgay DİNDAROĞLU, Trabzon Regional Director of Forestry Emin YILMAZ, regional forestry personnel, faculty members, and students. (News link)
The World Environment Day (June 5) events provided an important opportunity to raise environmental awareness and embrace sustainability principles. At a program organized by our university at the Prof. Dr. Osman Turan Culture and Congress Center—to promote environmental awareness and encourage sustainable waste management—students from various disciplines transformed technological waste into works of art. Led by the KTU Zero Waste Coordination Unit with the participation of the Trabzon Provincial Directorate of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, the KTU Environmental Problems Research and Application Center, and student clubs, the “E-Waste to Art” workshop brought together 24 students in 8 groups who created creative pieces from faulty or out-of-use electronic devices.
Items such as broken or unused mobile phones, computers and components, household electronics, and adapters were repurposed into eco-friendly artworks through students’ creativity. The pieces were evaluated by the organizing committee, and awards and participation certificates were presented to the ranked students at a ceremony held in the KTU Senate Hall. (News link)
Another environmental step led by the Zero Waste Coordination Unit was the launch of the Compost Waste Production Unit on KTU’s Kanuni Campus, with university administrators and students attending the opening ceremony. The importance of environmental protection and sustainability principles was emphasized during the event.
Using modern technology, the unit will produce compost by recycling organic waste—particularly solid food waste—thus contributing to the production of organic fertilizer. Committed to leaving a clean environment for future generations, our university continues to take a leading role in sustainability. (News link)
On June 5, World Environment Day, a tree planting event was held in cooperation with our department and the Chamber of Landscape Architects, Trabzon Branch, in the backyard of the Department of Landscape Architecture. (News link)
