Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
ECLAS Conference 2025: agriCULTURAL landscapes, Nitra, Slovakya, 6 - 11 Eylül 2025, cilt.1, ss.118-119, (Özet Bildiri)
Despite its recent origins, the tea-growing landscapes of Rize in northeastern Turkey have become emblematic of the region's (agri)cultural identity. Introduced in the early 20th century, tea cultivation has transformed the mountainous topography through terracing and has significantly contributed to the socio-economic development of rural communities. These landscapes encompass tangible and intangible heritage, including vernacular architecture, cultivated terraces, embodied knowledge, seasonal rituals, and robust social networks. However, these landscapes currently face mounting ecological and socio-economic pressures.
Rize tea, a perennial plant, necessitates annual harvesting, typically carried out in multiple rounds—usually three harvests per year. A single year of neglect can lead to the proliferation of invasive species and thorny shrubs, resulting in the degradation of the cultivated land. The restoration of these areas necessitates substantial time, labor, and resources. The sustainability of tea cultivation is contingent upon the maintenance of the harvest cycle. However, shifts in the region's demographics, particularly the decline of rural populations, have begun to disrupt this rhythm. As rural populations migrate to urban areas in pursuit of educational and employment opportunities (a phenomenon that my own family exemplifies), the labor required for tea cultivation becomes scarce. The lack of sufficient seasonal or permanent labor from outside contributed to the gradual abandonment of tea cultivation areas. Consequently, tea plantations remain untended, resulting in visual and ecological disruption, sporadic mechanization, and even land abandonment.
This study explores the evolving dynamics of Rize's tea territories. It accomplishes this through qualitative fieldwork, spatial analysis, and interviews with tea-producing families, including the author's own family. The study critically examines the intersection of labor shortages, demographic shifts, and climate change, exploring their potential implications for the continuity of tea cultivation and the ecological stability of the region.
Tea plantations have been identified as crucial elements in stabilizing soil and regulating water systems. However, the abandonment of these areas often leads to the proliferation of opportunistic flora, thereby altering the local ecosystem. This ecological shift has the potential to further destabilize Rize's sensitive microclimate, affecting precipitation patterns and biodiversity. Climate models already predict rising temperatures and erratic rainfall in the Black Sea region, trends that will only accelerate with continued land neglect.
This paper posits that Rize's tea landscapes must be acknowledged as living heritage, endowed with historical, ecological, and cultural significance. Preserving these landscapes necessitates more than sentimental attachment; it demands the implementation of policy frameworks that encourage sustainable agriculture, empower local economies, and promote intergenerational stewardship. Without the implementation of targeted conservation and proactive strategies, Rize risks losing not just an agricultural tradition but also an entire ecological and cultural system.
The present study underscores the necessity for interdisciplinary approaches to tackle this challenge, situating the discussion of tea landscapes within broader discourses of climate resilience, rural revitalization, and heritage governance. The implications of this loss extend beyond the realm of mere commodities, encompassing the preservation of vital life-sustaining systems, communal cultural memory, and ecological equilibrium.
Keywords: Rize, tea heritage, landscape abandonment, ecological transformation, cultural sustainability, climate risk