Among the most destructive energy projects are mines, particularly due to the vastness of extraction areas and the toxic chemicals used in the processing of materials. A nickel mine project that could lead to the felling of between 1.5 million and 2 million trees in Çaldağı, in the Aegean province of Manisa, has recently received the go-ahead from the Environment Ministry. The area constitutes 5.5 percent of all forests in the province.
Opposition party lawmakers say 200,000 tress have already been felled by the company, and any more damage would have irreparable consequences for Çaldağı, which has become one of the flashpoints of resistance against massive mining projects in preserved natural areas across Turkey.