Acarlar Longozu

The Acarlar Longoz is a wetland north of Sakarya, stretching between the districts of Karasu and Kaynarca and described as the largest single-block floodplain forest in Turkey. The longoz is a mix of forest and lake that fills with water in winter and dries back in summer. In terms of its formation it is a typical coastal barrier lake. Over time the mouths of the streams that crossed an old coastal plain were blocked by coastal dunes, and the hollow behind the dune barriers filled with water, creating the lake environment seen today. For this reason the longoz also has the character of a lagoon. To the north, dunes 20 to 25 metres high separate it from the Black Sea, and to the south there are low hills about 100 metres high on average. The sources give different dimensions for the longoz. The Turkish Wikipedia gives a length of 7.5 kilometres and a width of between 250 and 1,250 metres, while the English article states that the forest stretches over 12 kilometres. According to the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, the longoz covers 1,562 hectares and is up to 1.5 metres deep. Part of the land that emerges when the water recedes in summer is used as farmland by the surrounding villages. The longoz lies about 6 kilometres west of the Sakarya River, and its excess water reaches the river through the Okçu stream to the east and from there flows into the sea. In 1971 the Okçu stream was widened and turned into a canal, and according to the sources the area of the lake has shrunk by about 40 per cent since then. In 1998 the area was declared a first-degree natural protected site by a decision of the Bursa Regional Board for the Conservation of Cultural and Natural Assets. The longoz is also the only wildlife development area in Sakarya and was registered as a wetland under a plan prepared in 2009. The longoz is surrounded by ash forests, and in places the trees push into the marshy parts of the lake. Besides ash, alder, beech and elm are common in the forest. The Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism states that the longoz is home to around 2,300 plant species, among them water violet, summer snowflake and water lilies in different colours. Water violet is found in Turkey only at Lake Acarlar, and rare plants such as the summer snowflake also grow here. The municipality's tourism brochure stresses that with the appearance of endemic plants in spring the longoz enters its most visually rich season. The longoz lies on one of the two important bird migration routes that cross Anatolia and is a breeding and wintering ground for migratory birds. Heron species, cormorants, wild ducks and marsh birds stop here, and pheasant and woodcock also live in the area. The lake holds freshwater fish such as wels catfish, rudd, carp, pike and bleak. Mammals such as hare, fox, wild boar, weasel and squirrel live in the surroundings. Around the longoz lie the Karasu settlements of Denizköy, Karamüezzinler, Üçoluk, Taşlıgeçit and Camitepe and the Kaynarca settlements of Turnalı, Büyükyanık and Birlik. For visitors, a walking path and viewing piers with a total length of about 1.5 kilometres have been laid out in the Karasu section of the longoz. The wooden boardwalk lets you enter the floodplain forest on foot and see the water lilies on the surface up close. The area is run by the Sakarya Metropolitan Municipality and there is an entrance fee; check the current fee and visiting conditions with the operator. Access is by asphalt road, the longoz can be visited in every season, and it is about 60 kilometres from the city centre. The longoz is reached by the road between İhsaniye and Denizköy. The Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism states that boat and pedalo tours are offered on the longoz, but such activities can be restricted from time to time, so ask the operator about the current situation. Touring in motorboats during the birds' breeding season is known to harm the waterbirds; staying quiet and keeping to the boardwalk is the easiest way to protect the area. Waste water from the surrounding villages and chemicals used in farming put pressure on the longoz, so take every piece of litter you bring back with you. The boardwalk and viewing piers offer good vantage points for photography, and the still water reflects the trees and clouds. For birdwatching, it is a good idea to bring binoculars and to choose the early morning hours. The strip of dunes along the Black Sea shore lies just north of the longoz, and the longoz can be visited on the same day as the river mouth and the Karasu shore.