Our association has been founded in the year 1991 by local people and newcomers from the big cities, who lost their heart to Akyaka. The objections of the association are to conserve the architectural design of the region, to give necessary support, to do environmental work, develop cultural activities and work with education. Meanwhile the association works with these policies since more than 15 years without being influenced by any political ideology and refusing to yield to political pressure, being exerted from time to time.
 

After receiving the status of a municipality, a vigorous development began, meanwhile transforming the village to a tourist town. Growing population and increasing building activities caused degradation of nature. The following brief overview will show the kind of activities the association undertakes to keep destruction of nature at bay:

- Prevention of the extraction of 3 cube meter water per second out of the Kadın Azmak, to cover the (non potable) water demand of Marmaris (reasoning that a pump station in the plain would disturb the ecological balance, decreasing the water level of the river);

- Prevention of the development of the road, planned on the riverside;

- Efforts to keep the architectural parameters of the Nail Cakirhan style for new buildings, thus enhancing the characteristics of the local architecture;

- Organisation of the “Akyaka Fishotter Seminar” in the summer of 1999;

- Developing a Vision for the Association;

- Participating in international Bird Census Projects (Balkan Project) and in Bird Atlas work, with the objective of assessing reproduction habits and population numbers of birds in our country;

- What should be done for a contemporary Mosquito warfare? Reports and brochures concerning this subject have been handed over to local administrations and information meetings have been held for the general public;

- Organisation of the ‘Vision Akyaka’ Workshop between the 4.-5. November 2004

- How should sustainable tourism and development be designed? A meeting concerning this subject has been held with the related state departments.

- Organisation of an evaluation of the ideals and realities of the ‘Vision Akyaka’ on the 27th September 2005;

- We are holding up the tradition of our annual exhibitions between May and October. The exhibitions are an important contribution to the cultural and artistic life in Akyaka. and the opening parties developed to a pleasant possibility to say Hello to each other;

- The conversation meetings, having taken place in biweekly during the winter, are a continuation of these summer activities, here we discuss regional problems;

- Our association has the scientific and institutional capacity to fulfil consultant function especially on subjects like wetlands and ornithology.

Our association, also comprising work groups for ecological agriculture, gender issues and stray animals, is funded from the donations and member fees of its ca 200 members. To learn more about our association and its activities just click  www.akyaka.org or visit us in our office.