According to information received by the Hana Human Rights Organization, in recent months, a number of residents of villages surrounding Bukan have resorted to cutting down and selling oak trees to cover their living expenses as a result of poverty, unemployment, and difficult economic conditions. This situation not only threatens the region’s forest cover but also highlights the economic pressures facing rural communities.
Oak trees play a vital role in soil conservation, preventing erosion, and maintaining the stability of the region’s ecosystem. Given the long period required for oak forests to regenerate, cutting down these trees can have lasting environmental consequences for local residents and future generations.
From a human rights perspective, the right to a healthy environment is among the rights discussed in legal scholarship under the category of solidarity rights, or third-generation human rights. Beyond individual interests, this right concerns the collective rights of communities and the responsibility to preserve natural resources for future generations. In 2022, the United Nations General Assembly also recognized the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as a human right through Resolution 76/300. Accordingly, the destruction of oak forests is not merely an environmental issue; it can also threaten the ability of local communities and future generations to enjoy this right.
Hana emphasizes that forest protection must not be limited to taking action against economically disadvantaged rural residents. Alongside protecting natural resources, the state has an obligation to implement effective policies to reduce poverty, create employment opportunities, and ensure sustainable livelihoods. Such measures are necessary to prevent citizens from being placed in circumstances where their economic survival depends on environmental destruction.
As of the publication of this report, no precise figures are available regarding the number of trees cut down or the extent of the resulting damage.