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The Forest in the Water, the İğneada Longoz

At the north-eastern tip of Kırklareli, a few steps from the Bulgarian border, there is a forest whose floor is covered with water in winter.

Radar TürkiyeRadar Türkiye25 Ekim 2026
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The Forest in the Water, the İğneada Longoz

At the north-eastern tip of Kırklareli, a few steps from the Bulgarian border, there is a forest whose floor is covered with water in winter. This ecosystem, called longoz locally and floodplain forest in scientific language, spreads out on both sides of İğneada and has been protected as a national park since 2007. The Kırklareli Governorship stresses that forests of this type have become very rare in the world. This article explains how the longoz forms, which trees make it up, the place of the lakes and dunes in this system, the birds and other creatures that live here, the history of its protection and how you can visit the area.

What longoz means

The Kırklareli Governorship defines the longoz as a wooded area whose floor is covered with water in the winter and spring months, when rainfall is high. The Governorship's nature tourism page describes these forests as trees with their roots in the soil, their trunks in the water and their branches reaching to the sky. In short, it is a setting where a lake and a forest live in the same place, taking turns with the seasons. According to the tourism section of the Kırklareli Statistical Yearbook, these floodplain forests are completely covered with water in winter and spring, while in summer and autumn the water partly withdraws but the water table stays high. The soil is rich in organic matter and acidic. The climbing plants that wrap around the trees give the forest an appearance reminiscent of tropical forests.

The water that builds the forest

The source of this forest is the Istranca, that is, the Yıldız Mountains. The same section of the yearbook writes that the longoz was formed by the build-up of alluvium carried by streams flowing from the mountains to the Black Sea and by the seasonal flooding of the area. The Governorship's nature tourism page names the streams that carry water to the longoz one by one: the Böğürtlen, Paspala, Şahin, Efendi, Çavuşköprü, Madra, Bulanık and Yavuz streams, together with water rising from underground. According to the yearbook, the Turkish side of the Istranca Mountains covers an area of 197 thousand hectares, and its highest point is Mahya Dağı at 1031 metres. The broadleaf forests on the slopes of the mountains facing the Black Sea start at the shore and climb up to a thousand metres. The longoz is the lowest and wettest piece of this humid forest belt, where it touches the sea. The yearbook also reports that, at the international level, the Istranca Mountains are regarded as one of the five most important areas in Central and Eastern Europe for the protection of Europe's natural heritage. According to the same source, Thrace's only black pine forest lies west of Kastros Bay, and the Saka Lake longoz, declared a nature reserve, has a rich flora beyond ash, pedunculate oak and alder.

Ash, oak and alder

The tree cover of the longoz changes with the depth of the water. The statistical yearbook and the bird study by Mustafa Kaya of Trakya University describe the ash, oak and alder forest type peculiar to south-eastern Europe in the same words. In the wettest parts alder and ash dominate, while in the relatively drier parts oak species, above all the pedunculate oak, prevail. The Governorship's page adds hornbeam and beech, and in the surrounding belt black pine, maple and lime. According to the same yearbook, these forest communities are very rare habitats found on the south-western coasts of the Black Sea. The Governorship writes that the longoz forests hold 671 plant species and 637 animal species made up of birds, insects, reptiles, fish and mammals. The water lilies that open on the surface in early summer are among the sights the Governorship's page singles out.

Five lakes, two kinds of water

There are five lakes in the national park, and each has its own role in the ecosystem. English Wikipedia gives their areas as 43 hectares for Erikli, 266 for Mert, 19 for Hamam, 10 for Pedina and 5 for Saka. According to the statistical yearbook, Hamam and Pedina are lakes inside the forest, while Erikli, Mert and Saka are lagoon lakes that join the sea at certain times of the year. Lake Erikli is cut off from the sea in the dry summer months, and Lake Mert formed where the Çavuşdere reaches the sea. This opening and closing connection of the lagoons is of great importance for fish that move from the sea to fresh water, or from fresh water to the sea, to breed, feed or shelter. The Governorship's national park page also states that the area consists of two parts: in the south the Saka, Deniz, Hamam, Pedina and Mert lakes with the reed beds around them, and in the north Lake Erikli and the longoz that surrounds it.

Dunes, between forest and sea

Between the lakes and marshes and the sea, according to the yearbook, a strip of dunes about 10 kilometres long stretches out. Turkish Wikipedia writes that these dunes reach a width of 50-60 metres in places and that the settlement of İğneada divides the strip in two. Plants peculiar to the south-western Black Sea and protected by international agreements grow on the dunes. According to the yearbook, the beach, foredune and fixed dune vegetation is in very good condition. The dune works as a barrier separating the freshwater ecosystem from the salty sea, so driving onto the shore or trampling the dunes affects the whole system.

On the migration route

The fieldwork Mustafa Kaya carried out in and around the İğneada longoz between October 2011 and September 2014 recorded 227 bird species from 52 families over 27 days of observation. Of these, 75 were resident, 78 were summer migrants and 54 were winter migrants, and 122 species were found to breed in the area. Kaya stresses that the area lies on the route of birds migrating from north to south and from south to north, and that the lakes with their surrounding reed beds and marshes are places of shelter, feeding and breeding for migrant birds. The study selects the white-tailed eagle, the grey-headed woodpecker and the black woodpecker as indicator species. According to the article, the coastal forest, far from human impact, is the only breeding site of the white-tailed eagle identified in the study. According to Kaya, 312 bird species had been recorded in the Thrace region so far, which means this small coastal strip holds most of the region's bird species. Nine species seen in the area in earlier studies, however, could not be observed in this one; Kaya considers changing climate conditions, habitat degradation and falling species numbers as possible reasons. Among mammals Wikipedia lists roe deer, fox, badger, wild boar, wildcat and otter, and among reptiles Hermann's tortoise. The same article notes that grey mullet, trout and smelt live in the fresh waters, while in the sea anchovy and turbot appear in winter and horse mackerel, whiting and sole in summer.

The long road of protection

Today's national park was not created in one step. According to Kaya's article the area is on the list of Important Bird Areas; most of it was declared a 5399 hectare wildlife reserve in 1978, the 1345 hectare southern section became a nature reserve in 1988, and in 1990 and 1991 the whole region was declared a protected site in two stages. These pieces with different statuses were brought together in 2007 in a national park of 3155 hectares. The Kırklareli Governorship states that the decision was published in the Official Gazette on 13 November 2007 and that the area is the country's 39th national park. Kaya describes the area as a fragile ecosystem and lists the spread of settlement into the forest and along the shore, waste, and vehicles driving onto the dunes among the main pressures. His suggested remedies include banning or controlling hunting in the longoz and its wetlands, supervising farming on the titled plots inside the forest and stopping vehicles from entering the dunes between Lake Mert and the Bulanık stream. Turkish Wikipedia also notes that the town's name comes from İne Bey, who brought the area into Turkish lands, and gradually turned into İğneada. According to the statistical yearbook, besides this national park the province contains one nature reserve, one nature park, 16 natural protected sites, 28 monumental trees and 25 registered caves. The yearbook lists the longoz forests around İğneada's Erikli and Mert lakes among natural sites classified separately as strictly protected sensitive areas, qualified natural protection areas and controlled use areas.

Visiting the longoz

According to the Governorship, İğneada lies 27 kilometres from Demirköy, 97 kilometres from central Kırklareli and 237 kilometres from Istanbul. The first stop of a visit should be the National Park Administration and Visitor Centre at the entrance to the town. According to the statistical yearbook, visitors there can watch the wetlands through live camera images, examine stuffed wild animals and a model of the area, pick up brochures and get information from the staff. The same source also notes that walking, nature watching and photography are possible on the area's trails, preferably in groups. If you want to see the longoz truly standing in water, late winter and spring are the best seasons; in summer the water withdraws, so the inside of the forest is easier to walk and the lake shores open up for birdwatching. Binoculars, waterproof shoes and long-sleeved clothing against mosquitoes will be useful. Do not leave the trails, do not step on the dunes and do not approach bird nests. Since visiting conditions and open trails can change, check current information with the national park administration before you go.

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