Yusufeli residents rebuild lives after dam project

ARTVIN

For the seventh time in its 153-year history, residents of Yusufeli, a district in the northeastern province of Artvin, find themselves uprooted due to the completion of the Yusufeli Dam, part of a hydroelectric power plant project, prompting yet another forced resettlement for the community.

The dam's construction began in 2013 and flooded the old town center along with several villages. Over 2 billion cubic meters of water can now be stored in the dam, generating significant annual energy output.

Despite the displacement, Yusufeli residents are determined to rebuild their lives. In their new settlement, fertile land has been created by trucking soil from the old district. Remarkably, more than 90,000 trees were uprooted and replanted on the soil. It includes mature fruit trees, along with new ornamental shrubs.

The community is already reaping the benefits of their efforts. Hobby gardens boast flourishing transplanted trees, and residents have begun harvesting vegetables and fruits.

"We lost our homes to the flood," said Fatma Gedikli, a resident. "Here, we're growing vegetables to get by. Now, we are planting corn and beans. Our fruit trees are already established."

Gökhan Topçu, a farmer, shared his experience: "It's cherry season, and we've started picking the first ones. But the yield isn't what it used to be. The old settlement had much denser cherry orchards, but they got flooded because of the dam."

Akif Korucu, another resident, stated: “We're picking cherries, and we're selling some if anyone wants. We had many more cherry orchards before, but they're underwater now. We have fewer cherries now, not as many as before.”