Honey forest at Mount Ida to open to public soon

BALIKESİR

One of Türkiye’s largest honey forests, set to become both a hub for beekeeping activities to produce high-quality honey and a recreational area, in the Kaz Mountains in the country's northwestern region will soon open to the public, Balıkesir mayor has announced.

The project titled "Kaz Mountains Honey Forest and Honey Village" is a collaborative effort between the municipality, Balıkesir University and several local organizations. Within the scope of the project, 206 hectares of the Kaz Mountains area will host beehives, fostering a thriving beekeeping environment.

In a bid to enable bees to produce even higher-quality honey, indigenous flowering plants produced at the Balıkesir Farmer Training Center will be planted all over the region. The forest will not only offer a serene space for residents to enjoy nature and leisurely walks but will also feature a facility known as Honey Cafe, where locals can taste and purchase all the honey produced in the area.

An Apitherapy Center will also serve as an educational and healing hub for bee-related products, serving as a complementary method for preventive and curative applications in treating certain illnesses.

The project also aims to support rural development in the region, professionalize apiculture as a vocation and provide motivating opportunities for young individuals to enter the beekeeping profession.

"We have honey that has received gold medals in France and the U.K. With this collaboration, we are creating a honey forest in the vast geography of the Kaz Mountains, covering 206 hectares, which is rich in indigenous plant species. We will finalize our project in a short period," Mayor Yücel Yılmaz said.

Yücel Oğurlu, the rector of Balıkesir University, emphasized that the university's contribution to the forest will add an academic dimension to honey production.