From the southern end of the Gulf of Gökova stretching to a headland between the Greek islands of Symi and Rhodes is one of southwest Turkey's most scenic and least commercialised regions, the beautiful Loryma Peninsula. In ancient times Loryma was primarily a harbour of sanctuary and not a commercial harbour. On the west side there are a few restaurants, but apart from this no other modern settlement moved in after the ancients left. So far this has kept development particularly low and the locals exceptionally friendly.
WWF (World Wildlife Foundation) is running a worldwide campaign “Heritage Forest Initiative” The campaign declears the unspoiled forest areas of the world as “Hotpoints” and runs a protection programme with the help of goverments and private sectors. There is about 200 hotpoints around the world. Loryma Peninsula is one of the 9 hotpoints of Turkey.
Another special situation of the Loryma Peninsula comes out with the “Oceanos” Project. “Protection of the Medeterranien Waters Act” was signed in Barcelona by the medeterranien countries in 1976. Within this act Turkish Enviromental Protection Office and Ýstanbul University run a coastline research Project called “Oceanos” The scientific data indicates that Loryma Peninsula has the cleanest coastline waters and richest biodiversity of the whole Medeterranien.
