15.10.2025 12:25
In the Artuklu district of Mardin, Maruf Saidoğlu called for the protection and maintenance of the area where more than 3,000 saplings inherited from his father have come to life, and for it to be registered as the 'Abdülhamit Saidoğlu Memorial Forest.' Maruf Saidoğlu stated, "My late father nurtured these trees as if he were raising a small child. We believe that this forest is a national treasure and we want it to be preserved."
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Abdülhamit Saidoğlu (75), who retired from the prison guard service, started planting saplings to green the rocky and barren areas around him upon the advice of Şeyhmus Erginoğlu, who transformed a 48-acre area in the Savurkapı district into a forest by afforesting it in 2003.
TRANSFORMED THE AREA INTO A OASIS
Saidoğlu, who planted more than 3,000 saplings around the Muhammed Zırrar Modern Cemetery on Yeniyol Street in the Saraçoğlu Neighborhood for 20 years, has virtually turned the area into an oasis. Planting pine, fig, olive, and various types of saplings obtained from the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry and various sources, Saidoğlu also established an irrigation system with his own means during this process. Bringing the wastewater from the Meristen Fountain, located 2 kilometers away, to the area through plastic pipes he laid underground, Saidoğlu passed away in 2023. After Abdülhamit Saidoğlu, his son Maruf Saidoğlu called on the authorities to establish a 'memorial forest' to preserve his green legacy.
"EACH TREE HAS A 20-YEAR HISTORY"
Maruf Saidoğlu said, "In the beginning, watering was quite laborious. Water was filled into cans, and each sapling was watered one by one. Then, the wastewater from the Meristen Fountain, located 2 kilometers away, was brought to the area through plastic pipes laid underground. Although pipe blockages, opening channels, and rotational watering brought new troubles, the ordeal of carrying water had come to an end. Each tree you see now has a history of about 20 years. My late father nurtured these trees as if he were raising a small child. As the children of my late father, we believe that this forest is a national treasure and we want it to be protected. This forest stands out as a green island within the rocky and barren areas around it and is truly a commendable achievement," he said.
"I AM STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP"
Maruf Saidoğlu stated, "My father's will was for people coming here to at least read a prayer. Since we are working people, we can only find opportunities for the maintenance and protection of this place outside of working hours and on weekends. We especially request the Metropolitan Municipality to send personnel responsible for the protection and maintenance of this forest. Some trees need pruning. I am struggling to keep up with these tasks alone. To honor the great effort spent here, it would truly make us children very happy if this area is registered as 'Abdülhamit Saidoğlu Memorial Forest'," he said.
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