Complaint lodged over fill work at Bargilya wetland

What happened

Excavation and fill activity at the Bargilya, also known as Metruk Tuzla, wetland and bird sanctuary in Milas, Muğla, prompted objections from the Wildlife Action Group.

The group said trucks had brought rubble and soil to the area several weeks earlier. It said the material was used to form an embankment and that further filling took place behind it.

According to the group, the intervention was based on a favourable opinion issued by the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks on 20 February 2025, following an application from the Dörttepe village head.

After the work was reported, teams from the Muğla environmental directorate and the Milas district gendarmerie went to the site, the group said. It reported that the activity was stopped and that trucks and construction equipment left the area.

The group also said it had been informed by the Muğla Provincial Directorate of Environment and Urbanisation that a criminal complaint was submitted to prosecutors on 3 September 2026.

Why it matters

The site has nationally important wetland status and was designated a strictly protected sensitive area under Presidential Decision No. 4167, according to the group. The reported action therefore concerns works within an area subject to heightened environmental protection.

Muğla Metropolitan Municipality reportedly said the dumping had damaged the protected area, that the activity had been halted and that administrative action had been taken against the company involved. The municipality also said unauthorised excavation and fill activity in the wetland and protected area had been notified to relevant authorities.

The group said a 359-home development has received a favourable environmental impact assessment decision within the wetland. It also alleged that projects previously brought before the courts were being revived through new environmental assessment procedures.

What's next

The Wildlife Action Group has asked the Muğla environmental directorate and Milas Municipality to remove the embankment and fill. It said the environmental directorate had indicated that removal would be pursued and that legal action against those responsible would be initiated.

The group said it would return the matter to court if the material is not removed and legal processes are not completed. It also said it would seek international review mechanisms under the Ramsar and Bern conventions to which Türkiye is a party.