Environmentalists block road to mining company in Black Sea province

A group of locals and environmentalist activists blocked the road to an untouched forested area in the Black Sea province of Artvin to prevent the activities of a mining firm.

Activists and locals guard the mountainous forests of Artvin in separate locations to prevent Forestry Ministry officials from entering the area.

Artvin Forestry Ministry officials, however, aim to enter the area in order to make calculations to complete the procedures for the firm to start its work in the area. Ministry officials attempted to enter the area from a different path, after their previous attempt was stopped by the activists' road block.

Local activists, who organized themselves via social media in a short time, gathered in the Cerattepe neighborhood, which is located at an altitude of 1,800 meters. They moved trees cut by the forestry officials to the road and blocked traffic, stopping the entry of the officials. They have taken pictures with the tree barricades they have made and shared them via social media. The group called itself "300 Cerattepeli" in reference to the legend of 300 Spartans who stood their ground against the Persians, immortalized in the movie "300." They are determined at all costs to block any possible construction and mining work in the area. 

Green Artvin Association's head Nur Ne?e Karahan said they had to walk the whole way to the forested area, as it was blocked in several locations. "The road was blocked due to a collapse in the tunnel. We had to walk 3 kilometers around it. We came across with the firm's vehicle, as they are not using the well-known road anymore. They said officials from the firm will come here and we are determined to wait here to talk to them," said Karahan. 

Hakan Ak?n, a shop keeper in...