Gaziantep Mayor Fatma Şahin Inspects Turkey's First Gastrobotanik Eco‑Park

Gaziantep Metropolitan Mayor Fatma Şahin visited the construction site of the Gastrobotanik Park, a pioneering Turkish eco‑park that blends botany, gastronomy, agriculture, ethnobotany, fitotherapy and ecological design. The project will cover about 150,000 m² of green space within a 232,000 m² site adjacent to Galle Park, preserving century‑old trees such as a 100‑year‑old plane, a 200‑year‑old walnut and a 120‑year‑old pistachio. Şahin highlighted that the park will protect Anatolia’s rich plant heritage, promote sustainable living, foster interdisciplinary research, and support local producers and education. A 3.5 km walking trail will link the two parks into a 7 km route, creating a 500‑dunam green corridor in one of the city’s most valuable districts. She described the initiative as “a nature‑friendly, human‑friendly project that has come to life,” noting that children often see regional crops only in supermarkets.