As someone who has called this beautiful corner of the Aegean home for two decades, it breaks my heart to report on the looming ecological disaster threatening our majestic Latmos (Beşparmak) Mountains, where a controversial Wind Power Plant (RES) project by EnerjiSA and transmission line works by TEİAŞ threaten to fell nearly 12,000 trees despite previous court victories.
The Latmos Mountains, a region deeply cherished by Akbük residents and Aegean nature lovers alike, are currently caught in a suffocating grip of corporate ambition and bureaucratic maneuvering. The Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change has restarted the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process for the Falp Wind Power Plant (RES) project. This comes despite the Muğla 1st Administrative Court previously cancelling the project following a lawsuit by the Milas Municipality. Shockingly, authorities are using a notorious bureaucratic loophole—Circular 2009/7—to bypass the judicial ruling. As a journalist, I must ask: is the rule of law less valuable than the profit margins of energy giants?
Is the Law Being Bypassed to Favor Energy Giants?
Despite expert reports and court rulings establishing that the Falp RES project would cause irreversible ecological destruction, EnerjiSA remains determined to drive its turbines into the very heart of Latmos. In this unique, officially registered forest area, the company plans to cut down 4,055 trees just for the wind turbines. Meanwhile, 10 endemic plant species fighting for survival on the site, alongside 27 protected animal species, are being completely ignored. The ministry, which is legally tasked with protecting our environment, has fast-tracked the new application, effectively clearing the path for corporate interests over judicial decisions.
TEİAŞ Deals a Second Blow: Over 7,000 More Trees at Risk
The destruction does not stop with the wind turbines. A “positive” EIA decision has also been granted for the “154 kV Falp RES TM – Çine TM Electric Power Transmission Line” project, planned by the Turkish Electricity Transmission Corporation (TEİAŞ). To transport the generated electricity, 105 massive electricity pylons will be erected across the sacred borders of Latmos. Along this transmission route, which runs primarily through pristine forests and agricultural lands, an additional 7,827 trees are slated for destruction. In total, the felling of nearly 12,000 trees will permanently disrupt the region’s delicate microclimate and ecological balance.
Protecting the Ancient Home of the Storm God
Latmos is no ordinary mountain range. Since the Neolithic Period, this land has been revered as sacred. It was the home of the Hittite Storm God Tarhunt, and later, the sanctuary of Zeus in Ancient Greek mythology. It holds the prehistoric memory of Anatolia, adorned with 8,000-year-old rock paintings documented by the late German archaeologist Anneliese Peschlow-Bindokat. Today, this sacred landscape faces destruction by dynamite, heavy machinery, and concrete mixers. Every resident breathing the fresh air of Akbük must raise their voice against this destruction. We must stand together to protect this irreplaceable heritage.