Campus Garden, launched in 2019 by Research Assistant Naz Fulya Çibik, is an innovative learning and solidarity space that connects students, academics, and volunteers with ecological production. Since its inception, the goal has been for students to experience firsthand the production journey from seed to sprout, from sprout to seedling, and finally to fruit, to understand the soil cycle, and to learn about chemical-free and non-toxic agriculture through experience, from farm to table.
A fundamental component of this journey is awareness of heirloom seeds.
Heirloom seeds are local seeds that have not undergone any genetic modification, are naturally adapted to the region's climate and soil conditions, and have been passed down from generation to generation. They are important for both preserving biodiversity and maintaining cultural agricultural heritage.
The Campus Garden's early years were shaped by donations from the Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Local Seed Center, other volunteer donations, and local seeds obtained from seed swap markets, which students participate in. Today, seeds are collected from crops grown using completely natural methods in the garden to produce our own heirloom seeds, which are distributed free of charge throughout the campus.
A Space for Learning, Social Interaction, and Interdisciplinary Meeting
Since its inception, the Campus Garden has continued to reach a wide audience and raise ecological awareness.
To date, numerous groups, including:
Middle school students,
Individuals with disabilities,
University students,
have visited the garden and experienced ecological production firsthand.
The garden has also become a training ground for numerous courses within the university.
Faculty members from various faculties use the garden as a learning center, a field laboratory, and a learning space in courses such as:
Out-of-School Learning Methods,
Sustainability and Climate Change Education,
Ideologies in Politics – Ecology.
Innovative Projects Intersecting Technology and Ecology
The Campus Garden is an ecosystem that collaborates not only in agricultural production but also in technology and innovation.
Drone projects that detect plant diseases, developed by Electrical and Electronics Engineering students as part of TEKNOFEST, are being tested and developed with field support provided at the garden. This creates a valuable synergy between ecology and engineering.
Today, the Campus Garden is a living ecological learning space where production, solidarity, local seeds, a sustainable living culture, and interdisciplinary collaboration flourish within the university.
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