# Turkey fines for picking endangered plants

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/turkeys-crackdown-on-illegal-plant-harvesting
> Updated: 2026-07-31T08:57:56.000Z. Sources: 44. Developments: 10.

In May 2026 Turkish environmental authorities began publicising heavy administrative penalties for the illegal collection of protected flora. Inspectors seized salep orchid tubers in Kocaeli and Tunceli, imposing fines of roughly 0.7 million lira per violator. The campaign quickly spread: Kuşadası warned of the same fine for the critically endangered Tülüşah flower, Sakarya’s Dikmen Yaylası set penalties up to 699,245 lira for the rare Şakayık poppy, and Tunceli raised fines for ‘reverse tulips’ to about 700,000 lira. By late June Bolu province added lotus flowers in Gölcük Nature Park and Abant Lake National Park to the protected list, announcing a 699 197‑lira fine for any picking or damage. The pattern continued in July when the Akkuş district of Ordu province introduced a 699 000‑lira penalty for picking the endemic Akkuş zambağı (Lilium akkusianum). Şarköy municipality in Tekirdağ province placed the sand lily (Ânıtır) under protection on 12 July, also attaching a 699,245‑lira fine. On 18 July, officials in the Kızılırmak Delta wetland of Samsun province announced fines from 387,000 to 699,000 lira for harming the endemic kum zambağı, an onion‑like plant growing on shifting sands. The delta, a UNESCO tentative World Heritage site, is highlighted for its biodiversity, and visitors are encouraged to explore it via open‑top buses, electric cars, bicycles or on foot. Two days later, protection cages for the same sand‑lily in Ayvalık Islands Nature Park were deliberately filled with litter, prompting public outrage. Mayor Mesut Ergin condemned the act and reiterated the 700,000‑lira fine for picking the flower, underscoring ongoing challenges in safeguarding Turkey’s fragile botanical heritage. On 31 July, the coastal district of Terme in Samsun Province designated the native sand lily (kum zambakları) as endangered and imposed a 699,000‑lira fine for uprooting, damaging, or destroying the plants or their habitat.

## Timeline

### 2026-07-31: Terme district imposes 699,000 lira fine for damaging protected sand lilies

Terme district in Turkey will fine violators 699,000 lira for harming protected sand lilies, an endemic plant that prevents dune erosion.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/terme-turkey-levies-699000lira-fines-to-protect-endangered-sand-lilies

### 2026-07-21: Ayvalık sand‑lily protection cages turned into trash bins

Cages protecting Ayvalık’s endemic sand‑lily were littered with trash, sparking outrage and reminders of a 700,000‑lira fine for damage.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ayvalk-sandlily-protection-cages-turned-into-trash-bins

### 2026-07-18: Turkey fines up to 699,000 lira for harming protected kum zambağı in Kızılırmak Delta

Turkey imposes fines of 387,000‑699,000 lira for uprooting the protected kum zambağı plant in the UNESCO‑listed Kızılırmak Delta wetland.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/turkey-fines-up-to-699000-lira-for-harming-protected-kum-zamba-in-kzlrmak-delta

### 2026-07-12: Şarköy Beach Sand Lilies Receive Protection, 699,245 TL Fine for Removal

Eight endangered sand lilies found on Şarköy beach in Turkey were protected by the municipality; removing them can incur a 699,245 TL fine.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/arky-beach-sand-lilies-receive-protection-699245-tl-fine-for-removal

### 2026-07-10: Turkey fines pickers of endangered Akkuş flower up to 699,000 lira

Turkey levies a 699,000 lira fine on anyone who picks the endemic Akkuş flower in Ordu, urging the public to protect the rare species.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/turkey-fines-pickers-of-endangered-akku-flower-up-to-699000-lira

### 2026-06-29: Bolu, Turkey sets 699,000‑lira fine for picking lotus flowers

Bolu province imposes a 699,197‑lira fine for picking lotus flowers in Gölcük Nature Park and Abant Lake, citing environmental protection law.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bolu-turkey-sets-699000lira-fine-for-picking-lotus-flowers

### 2026-06-08: Tunceli’s endangered reverse tulips face 700,000 TL penalty for damage

Endemic reverse tulips in Tunceli, Turkey, bloom 20 days a year and are being damaged by tourists; a 700,000 TL fine and stricter monitoring were introduced in 2026 to protect them.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tuncelis-endangered-reverse-tulips-face-700000-tl-penalty-for-damage

### 2026-06-07: Dikmen Yaylası’s Rare Şakayık Flowers Face Up to 700k Lira Fine

Rare Şakayık flowers on Turkey’s Dikmen Yaylası opened in June and are protected; picking them incurs fines up to 700,000 lira for individuals and 3.5 million for institutions.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/dikmen-yaylass-rare-akayk-flowers-face-up-to-700k-lira-fine

### 2026-06-03: Kuşadası launches exhibition on endangered Tülüşah flower, fines pickers up to 699,245 lira

An exhibition on Kuşadası’s critically endangered Tülüşah flower opened at the İbramaki Art Gallery, with officials warning that picking the plant now incurs a fine of 699,245 lira.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kuadas-launches-exhibition-on-endangered-tlah-flower-fines-pickers-up-to-699245-lira

### 2026-05-16: Turkey imposes heavy fines on illegal salep orchid harvesters in Kocaeli and Tunceli

Turkey fines illegal salep orchid collectors: 699k TL in Kocaeli and 2 M TL in Tunceli for endangering protected plants.

26 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/turkey-imposes-heavy-fines-on-illegal-salep-orchid-harvesters-in-kocaeli-and-tunceli

---
Cite as: Turkey fines for picking endangered plants. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/turkeys-crackdown-on-illegal-plant-harvesting