Fencing is Being Erected Around Lake Van
Official titleDecision Regarding the Designation of the Area Located Within the Boundaries of Van Province, Gevaş District and Bitlis Province, Tatvan District and Whose Boundaries Are Specified as Van Lake Deveboynu Peninsula National Park (Karar Sayısı: 11682)
The Deveboynu Peninsula, located within the boundaries of Van and Bitlis provinces, was declared the “Van Lake Deveboynu Peninsula National Park” by Presidential Decree No. 11682.
Details of the Regulation
By the decision signed on 30 August 2026 and published in the Official Gazette on 31 August, an important part of Lake Van was placed under protection. The decision was issued pursuant to Article 3 of National Parks Statute No. 2873 and aims to preserve the region’s natural structure.
The national park area, which administratively remains within the boundaries of Gevaş district of Van province and Tatvan district of Bitlis province, covers an area of approximately 12,532.96 hectares. The 843 sensitive coordinate points shared in the document definitively establish the boundaries of the park and also change the legal status of the area within these boundaries.
With this designation, all planning, construction, and use activities to be carried out on the peninsula in question have become subject to the supervision of the Doğa Koruma ve Milli Parklar Genel Müdürlüğü. While protecting the ecosystem in the region has become a priority, the area is expected to serve as a center for nature tourism and scientific research.
Questions You Might Have
- With this decision, is it possible to build a house in the region?
- No, new construction within the national park boundaries is prohibited under the National Parks Statute or is subject to very strict special permits.
- How large an area does the national park cover?
- It covers an area of approximately 12,533 hectares, equivalent to approximately 17,500 football pitches.
- Does this decision concern only Van province?
- No, while one end of the park is located in Gevaş district of Van, the other end lies within the boundaries of Tatvan district of Bitlis.
Key Terms
- Milli Park
- A natural area with protection, recreation, and tourism areas, as well as natural and cultural resource values that are scientifically and aesthetically rare at the national and international levels.
- 2873 Sayılı Kanun
- The basic statute establishing the principles concerning the selection and protection of national parks, nature parks, and natural monuments in Türkiye.
- UTM Koordinat Sistemi
- A technical mapping system used to determine the exact location of a point on Earth in the horizontal and vertical planes.
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REGAS Commentary
This decision eliminates the risk of uncontrolled construction in the region and creates a vital shield for the Lake Van ecosystem. From the perspective of the public, the region is now a natural heritage with “public property” status that will be protected at the highest level. Eco-tourism opportunities may arise for the local population; however, new and strict restrictions will apply to rights holders whose land remains within these boundaries with regard to property use and construction permits.