Horma Canyon, Küre Mountains National Park
Küre Mountains National Park is Turkey’s gift to the earth with its pristine forests, wildlife, endemic plants, caves, canyons, waterfalls, geological features, traditional lifestyle and architecture. Küre Mountains National Park, located in Bartin and Kastamonu Province, is of global importance for nature conservation. This is one of Turkey’s 9 forest hotspots with natural values, wilderness, geological features, landscapes and cultural values. This is Türkiye’s ecotourism center. Since 2000, it has been one of 41 national parks in Türkiye’s protected area system. In and around the national park there are 930 species of plants, 129 species of birds, 48 species of mammals, 8 species of reptiles and 9 species of amphibians. There are nearly 100 caves in the area, their exact locations have been mapped. According to experts, this location is a national park of many caves and canyons. Kure Mountains National Park, declared a national park in 2000, covers an area of 37,753 hectares. The park is located between Kastamonu and Bartin, in the Black Sea region. The Küre Mountains start from the Bartin River in the west and extend 300 km to the Kızılırmak River in the east. Also known as the Isfendiyar Mountains, the mountain range borders the Black Sea to the north and Gökırmak to the south.
The boundaries of the Kure Mountains National Park (Küre) are designated using a participatory approach. There are nearly 120 villages in the buffer zone. This buffer zone is unique in Türkiye and is the most important tool for effective protection and management of the national park.
To protect nature and traditional lifestyles and for sustainability, public institutions, nongovernmental organizations and local people have worked together.
Thanks to the buffer zone and the level of local participation in nature protection, the national park has become one of the most successful examples of nature protection and natural resource management in Turkey.
All these features make Kure Mountains National Park one of the must-see places globally and nationally. He is waiting for you to experience the 4 seasons story.
The Kure (Küre) Mountains are a remarkable place not only for their flora and fauna but also for the diversity of their habitats. Not to mention the richness of the fauna, the richness of the habitats and landscapes of Küre, the natural forests, caves, canyons, waterfalls, geological qualities, traditional culture and agriculture Its more than enough to fill the national park standard.
In the mountains Kure, people can explore natural ancient forests, biodiversity and wildlife, geological and geomorphological formations, cultural and archaeological relics, Valla Canyon, Horma Gorge, Ilgarini Cave, Canyon Aydos, Ilica Falls, can be hiking and climbing.
Valla Canyon, Kure Mountain, Türkiye
The uniqueness of Küre Wilderness
Ecosystem
The forest ecosystem of the National Park located on the limestone belt is mainly purebred or hybrid trees, coniferous or deciduous trees. For certain reasons, there are also some empty plots of land in the forest. In these regions, herbaceous plants and shrubs predominate over woody plants. In other words, the combination of different ecological factors has created different types of ecosystems in Küre Mountain National Park.
Animals
The biological importance of the Kure Mountains National Park is related to the fact that it provides different habitats for different species of animals.
48 of the 160 mammal species that live in Turkey, including wild cats, otters, brown bears can be found here. As for birds, 129 different species have been recorded so far. Among them, the Egyptian vulture is a globally threatened species. High cliffs with wide valleys are suitable habitats for vultures, hawks, eagles and nocturnal birds of prey. However, the area is also important for breeding and overnight shorebirds as well as temperate forest species.
Plants
An area rich in woody plant species, the National Park is an important area for other plant species. The number of herbaceous plants and shrubs increases in forest clearings and provides greater biodiversity. The number of plant species recorded in the Küre Mountains.
