Mountaineer and environmentalist Bayram Çini has been hiking around Lake Akşehir, one of Türkiye's largest lakes, since 1995.
It was once a sprawling deep blue expanse, and home to more than 60 types of birds and countless fish species, some of which only existed here.
"In fact, the value given to the lake cannot be explained," Mr Çini said, adding that it was the centre of local industry, culture and even folk tales.
