Planned to be implemented in Esadiye village of Yalova, the Defne Ecological Forest Park aims to bring a new breath to the concept of nature-friendly tourism. Located within endemic laurel forests, the project stands out with its ecological accommodation areas, nature trails, wellness centers, and sustainable living concept. With its proximity to Istanbul, Bursa, and Sabiha Gökçen Airport, the investment is expected to make a significant contribution to regional tourism and rural development.
So how did this project come about, what are its goals, and what does it mean for Yalova?
In our interview with businessman Köksal Ketenci, the project owner of the Defne Ecological Forest Park, we discussed all the details and curiosities surrounding the project.
In this ambitious tourism and lifestyle project shaped in the heart of nature, businessman Köksal Ketenci shared his vision, objectives, and the value this project will bring to Yalova.
Journalist: Who is Köksal Ketenci?
Köksal Ketenci: I was born in Artvin in 1970. I completed my education in İzmit. I started my professional career as a teacher, but after a while I decided to move into the business sector. For about 17 years, I have been operating in the packaging manufacturing industry in Yalova. I strive to contribute to production, employment, and the regional economy.
Nowadays, we are working on an important project in the field of rural tourism. Our project is currently under construction, and I believe that once completed, it will significantly contribute to Yalova’s tourism potential.
Alongside my commercial activities, I have always placed great importance on civil society work. I currently serve as a Member of the Assembly of the Yalova Chamber of Commerce and Industry and as the President of the Chamber Academy. In addition, I am the founding president of the World Association for Sustaining Ecological Life, established in 2014. Through this association, which holds the distinction of being Yalova’s only internationally active environmental organization, we continue our work in the field of ecology and sustainability.
Journalist: How did the idea of developing Yalova’s tourism emerge? What need did this project arise from, and what does Defne Ecological Forest Park aim to achieve?
Köksal Ketenci: I started with the idea of how we can develop Yalova’s tourism, how we can attract both domestic and international visitors, and how we can position Yalova as a proper tourism destination. This vision began four years ago and has now evolved into a project whose foundation we laid in March 2026.
Defne Ecological Forest Park is not merely a tourism investment; it is a sustainable and awareness-driven living space in harmony with Yalova’s natural structure. The project is located on approximately 100 acres of land, 8 kilometers from Yalova city center and 1 kilometer from the Bursa highway. It has been designed as a comprehensive structure containing 22 different activity zones, which will significantly contribute to the city’s tourism potential.
I am someone who grew up in a village, living close to nature and working in agriculture. Therefore, I deeply believe in the power and continuity of nature. My greatest priority is ensuring that nature is preserved and passed on to future generations without being damaged. While developing this project, I placed ecological balance above everything else.
Our goal is to reconnect people with nature, to help them rediscover trees, soil, and ecosystems, and at the same time to offer a healthy, high-quality living and leisure environment. In this sense, Defne Ecological Forest Park is not just a project — it is a call to reconnect with nature.
Journalist: What is the current stage of the project? Is there a target date for completing the main construction phase and welcoming the first visitors?
Köksal Ketenci: At the moment, our project is at approximately 20% completion. However, we were not able to progress at the planned pace due to adverse weather conditions, especially heavy rainfall. Although we laid the foundation at the end of March, we were only able to work actively on-site for about 10 days over a two-month period.
With the improvement of seasonal conditions, we have now entered a much faster construction phase. As the summer season begins, our work has significantly accelerated, and we aim to complete around 40% of the project between the end of July and mid-August.
Following this stage, we plan to open Defne Ecological Forest Park not only to the people of Yalova but also to visitors from all across Türkiye. This is not merely a local investment; it is steadily evolving into a major destination that brings together nature, tourism, and lifestyle experiences on a national scale.
Journalist: How do you define the overall vision and investment scale of the project? What is your completion timeline?
Köksal Ketenci: This is not a seasonal project; it is a comprehensive lifestyle and tourism development designed to operate 365 days a year. My main priority during the design phase was ensuring that the site remains active in every season, allowing visitors to experience all four seasons while also creating a sustainable economic cycle.
Our aim is for the area to be used not only during specific periods, but continuously throughout the year as a living, functioning destination. In this way, we provide uninterrupted nature and lifestyle experiences while also building a financially sustainable model.
The project is highly extensive and developed. The total investment is approximately 200 million TL, although this figure may vary depending on construction progress and market conditions.
According to our plan, all phases of Defne Ecological Forest Park will be fully completed and operational within approximately three years.
Journalist: How do you define the overall vision and investment scale of the project? What is your completion timeline?
Köksal Ketenci: This is not a seasonal project; it is a comprehensive lifestyle and tourism development designed to operate 365 days a year. My main priority during the design phase was ensuring that the site remains active in every season, allowing visitors to experience all four seasons while also creating a sustainable economic cycle.
Our aim is for the area to be used not only during specific periods, but continuously throughout the year as a living, functioning destination. In this way, we provide uninterrupted nature and lifestyle experiences while also building a financially sustainable model.
The project is highly extensive and developed. The total investment is approximately 200 million TL, although this figure may vary depending on construction progress and market conditions.
According to our plan, all phases of Defne Ecological Forest Park will be fully completed and operational within approximately three years.
Journalist: How do you define the overall vision and investment scale of the project? What is your completion timeline?
Köksal Ketenci: This is not a seasonal project; it is a comprehensive lifestyle and tourism development designed to operate 365 days a year. My main priority during the design phase was ensuring that the site remains active in every season, allowing visitors to experience all four seasons while also creating a sustainable economic cycle.
Our aim is for the area to be used not only during specific periods, but continuously throughout the year as a living, functioning destination. In this way, we provide uninterrupted nature and lifestyle experiences while also building a financially sustainable model.
The project is highly extensive and developed. The total investment is approximately 200 million TL, although this figure may vary depending on construction progress and market conditions.
According to our plan, all phases of Defne Ecological Forest Park will be fully completed and operational within approximately three years.
Journalist: How will tourism continuity be ensured during the winter season, and what is the accommodation capacity and four-season usage plan?
Köksal Ketenci: We designed this project to operate actively 365 days a year, across all four seasons. Even during the winter months, all activity areas will continue without interruption.
On the accommodation side, we initially plan for 40 caravan spaces and 40 tent areas. However, this structure is flexible and can be expanded if needed. In addition, we will offer comfortable nature-based accommodation through glamping and tiny house concepts.
During the winter season, we focus especially on calm, nature-integrated experiences. The Forest Library will be one of these spaces, where visitors can work, read books, and spend time in a peaceful natural environment.
We will also operate a therapy forest with a capacity of 40 people, hosting yoga, meditation, breathing therapies, and detox retreats. In addition, a seasonal api-therapy center will be introduced in winter, offering controlled bee-air therapy sessions.
Our goal is to transform this area into a living, productive, and healing ecosystem — not limited to summer tourism, but active throughout the entire year.
Journalist: What are the “therapy forest” and the winter-specific “api therapy center” within the project? What kind of experience will these areas offer?
Köksal Ketenci: One of the most important components of our project is the therapy forest. This area was designed inspired by special forest ecosystems that meet specific natural criteria, examples of which can also be found around Yalova and the Tamarlı Mountains. When factors such as annual rainfall balance, plant diversity, humidity level, and sunlight duration are evaluated together, these areas are considered to have a “therapeutic forest” quality.
In our project, we preserved this natural structure and created a dedicated therapy forest. Here, visitors will not only spend time in nature but also experience activities such as relaxation, breathing therapies, yoga, meditation, and light aerobics directly within the forest environment. Supported by oxygen-based therapy elements, this area is fully designed around the healing power of nature.
In addition, we have a very special application that will operate especially during the winter months: the api therapy center. Active between November and March, this center offers a controlled therapy method based on the natural energy of bees and the effects of bee air. Conducted in supervised sessions with a capacity of up to 10 people at a time, this practice aims to provide a supportive experience particularly for respiratory health and overall relaxation.
We designed these areas as a unique concept that brings together the healing power of nature with modern life. Our goal is not only to help visitors rest, but also to support their physical and mental renewal.
Journalist: What are the “therapy forest” and the winter-specific “api therapy center” within the project? What kind of experience will these areas offer?
Köksal Ketenci: One of the most important components of our project is the therapy forest. This area was designed inspired by special forest ecosystems that meet specific natural criteria, examples of which can also be found around Yalova and the Tamarlı Mountains. When factors such as annual rainfall balance, plant diversity, humidity level, and sunlight duration are evaluated together, these areas are considered to have a “therapeutic forest” quality.
In our project, we preserved this natural structure and created a dedicated therapy forest. Here, visitors will not only spend time in nature but also experience activities such as relaxation, breathing therapies, yoga, meditation, and light aerobics directly within the forest environment. Supported by oxygen-based therapy elements, this area is fully designed around the healing power of nature.
In addition, we have a very special application that will operate especially during the winter months: the api therapy center. Active between November and March, this center offers a controlled therapy method based on the natural energy of bees and the effects of bee air. Conducted in supervised sessions with a capacity of up to 10 people at a time, this practice aims to provide a supportive experience particularly for respiratory health and overall relaxation.
We designed these areas as a unique concept that brings together the healing power of nature with modern life. Our goal is not only to help visitors rest, but also to support their physical and mental renewal.
Journalist: This is a large-scale investment being carried out independently. Can you sustain the project financially, and is a partnership model an option for you?
Köksal Ketenci: We started designing this project about four years ago and initially prepared a budget based on 2024 cost projections. However, today we are facing significant increases in all cost items due to changing economic conditions, in some cases nearly doubling the original estimates.
Despite this, the project is built on a strong and sustainable financial model. For this reason, I am fully capable of completing this investment on my own. However, partnership is not entirely off the table; on the contrary, if a trustworthy and value-adding partner emerges, I am open to considering such a structure.
If the right partnership is established, there is even potential to complete the project by the end of this year. Without a partner, our current plan is to complete all phases within three years.
My priority is not speed alone, but ensuring that the project is completed properly and remains faithful to its original vision. That said, my ideal scenario is to accelerate the process with the right partner and bring this project to Yalova at an earlier stage.
Journalist: What is the legal status of the 100-acre land in Esadiye, Yalova? Have all permits, leasing processes, and investment-related legal requirements been fully completed?
Köksal Ketenci: This project has been developed through a very comprehensive process that began approximately four years ago. First, we initiated the official agreement process with the Forest Administration, and within this scope, we obtained the necessary approvals from around 12 different government institutions. After completing all these procedures, we entered the tender stage and officially secured the project through the Yalova Forest Directorate under the Ministry of Forestry.
The land is not owned in the traditional sense; it is granted to us under a long-term and sustainable lease model. Our agreement is structured as a 20+20+20 year term, providing a very long-term and continuous usage right. At the end of each term, there is also the option to continue under the same conditions.
In addition, within the framework of the agreement, we have the legal right to bring in official partners up to 49% of the project. This creates both flexibility and a secure structure for potential international investors.
Furthermore, all project components have been licensed by the relevant municipalities, and the entire legal infrastructure has been fully completed.
We also worked with TKDK (Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institution) through an approximately 8-month project preparation process, after which an official agreement was signed at the end of February. The project also received a small grant support from TKDK, meaning it has additionally been supported by public funding.
In conclusion, the project is fully approved by all official institutions, including the Forest Administration, municipalities, and TKDK, with all permits completed and the investment ready for implementation.
Journalist: How is the revenue model structured? Through which channels will the investment return be generated, and how will this ecological project remain economically sustainable?
Köksal Ketenci: When designing this project, our goal was not only to create an ecological living space, but also to build a strong economic model. Of course, nature and sustainability were our primary priorities, but alongside that, we also designed a self-sustaining system that generates revenue and can ultimately return the investment.
The project includes a total of 22 different income streams. Each of these functions operates independently while also complementing one another. These include the glass terrace, zipline, mountain sled track, forest slide, adventure park, forest school, therapy forest, forest library, caravan and tent camping areas, parking facilities, country restaurant, and country café, among others.
We particularly position the country restaurant and glass terrace as a flagship attraction. Designed within an approximately 500-square-meter area, this section aims to showcase Turkish cuisine while delivering a strong gastronomic experience. Our 350-square-meter country restaurant is designed in the form of a ship, featuring both indoor and outdoor spaces, creating a fully integrated nature-based dining destination.
In addition, we have planned a structure capable of hosting VIP events. This area can accommodate engagements, weddings, circumcisions, and private gatherings, offering a unique panoramic view of Istanbul, the Marmara region, and Yalova from a single perspective. It delivers a constantly changing experience with sunrise, sunset, and night views.
We also include photo and memory centers, as well as experiential attractions such as a giant swing, all of which generate additional revenue. Visitors will be able to professionally capture their moments and purchase them as personalized keepsakes.
When all these components are combined, the project clearly demonstrates strong return-on-investment potential. With the right operational model, we believe this investment has the capacity to recoup its value in a relatively short period and maintain long-term economic sustainability.
Journalist: Will Defne Ecological Forest Park be accessible to everyone, or will it target a specific income group? How is social inclusivity ensured in the project?
Köksal Ketenci: When we designed this project, our primary focus was always people. Defne Ecological Forest Park is by no means a closed facility targeting a specific income group. On the contrary, it is conceived as an open living space where people from all income levels can easily access and experience nature.
We have created an inclusive concept where art, sports, education, and nature come together in one place. For example, in areas such as the archery center, young people will not only receive training but also engage in sports activities within a natural environment. The goal here is not exclusivity, but to provide an accessible nature experience for everyone.
Journalist: How are security, fire risk, and transportation planned within the project? What measures and access facilities will be provided for visitors?
Köksal Ketenci: Security is one of our most critical priorities. A 24-hour security team consisting of 8 personnel will continuously patrol the park, and the entire area will be monitored in real time through an advanced camera system.
However, security here is not only focused on people, but also on protecting nature and the ecosystem. We have established very clear rules regarding fire risk. Open fires will be strictly prohibited within the forest area. Only electric cooking systems will be allowed in designated picnic zones. Smoking will only be permitted in controlled areas, and entry into the forest with cigarettes will be strictly forbidden.
In addition, we will work with certified and specialized occupational safety teams, ensuring that the entire area is continuously monitored and safely managed.
On the transportation side, a dedicated minibus line will operate from Esadiye Village to the project area. This service will run regularly from 07:00 in the morning until midnight, ensuring visitors can access the site easily, safely, and without interruption.
Journalist: How will access to the project site be provided? Is there a public transport or private access plan for visitors?
Köksal Ketenci: We designed the entire project with accessibility in mind. To ensure visitors can comfortably reach the area, a dedicated minibus line has been planned. This line will operate regularly from Esadiye Village directly to the project site.
The shuttle service will run from 07:00 in the morning until midnight, providing uninterrupted transportation throughout the day. This ensures easy access for both local visitors and guests coming from outside the region.
In addition, we are planning to integrate the system with local minibus cooperatives. This will further strengthen the regional transport network and make access to the project more organized and sustainable.
In short, transportation was considered from the very beginning and designed as a fully accessible system for everyone.
Defne Ecological Forest Park is not merely a tourism project; it is an integrated ecosystem investment that represents the future of sustainable living and the experience economy.
Located in Yalova, in a strategic position close to Istanbul, Bursa, and Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, the project stands out as one of the rare investments that simultaneously offers accessibility and the preservation of natural integrity. Developed on a 100-acre forest area, this structure brings together accommodation, adventure, education, wellness, and cultural experiences under one roof.
The project is designed to operate 365 days a year, ensuring continuous visitor flow and a multi-revenue model. Its 22 different activity and income zones—including glass terraces, zipline, adventure parks, forest school, therapy forest, glamping and camping areas, and gastronomic experiences—create a strong economic diversity.
Security, sustainability, and environmental protection form the core foundation of the project. The area will be monitored 24/7 with professional security and camera systems, while strict environmental protocols will be implemented to protect the forest ecosystem.
The transportation infrastructure is supported by dedicated shuttle lines operating from early morning until late at night, ensuring easy access for both local and international visitors.
Defne Ecological Forest Park is a rare investment opportunity that brings nature and profitability together. It is not just a destination, but a scalable, sustainable, and future-oriented asset model.
For visionary investors, this project represents sustainable growth, strong returns, and a lasting legacy.
Journalist:Ulker Fermankızı
