Born in Istanbul, Yaz Güvendi grew up surrounded by different cultures throughout her childhood and youth and went on to embrace a lifestyle that places her connection with nature at its very core. After completing her studies in Public Relations and Advertising at Galatasaray University, Yaz drew on her interest in environmental issues, which had taken root from an early age, to take part in volunteer and campaign work. She joined various civil society organizations focused on the environment and the climate crisis. The experiences she gained throughout her professional life further deepened her bond with nature. On a field trip to the Bolkar Mountains, where she sensed the presence of a Caspian snowcock (Tetraogallus caspius) she never saw, knowing it only by its call, the first ideas for Bird Collective of Türkiye started to emerge.

Established in 2025, Bird Collective of Türkiye is a unique initiative that brings nature conservation and art together in harmony. A nature movement rooted in art, observation, and hope and inspired by the calls of endangered birds, Bird Collective of Türkiye aims to surface the traces of endangered species through music with its album “Miras” (Heritage), which weaves together bird calls and the sounds of instruments on the verge of disappearing. Bringing together bird calls and musicians performing traditional Anatolian instruments, Çeng, Kopuz, Rebab, Kam Davulu, and Ruzba, in the plainest, most traditional style, the album goes beyond a mere musical work to contribute to cultural and ecological memory.

Following the work it began with “Miras,” Bird Collective of Türkiye also started reaching different audiences through the concerts, workshops, birdwatching walks, and educational programs it organized.

In workshops held with adults and with children and youth in schools, the Bird Collective of Türkiye team introduces participants to the birds of Türkiye. Traditional instruments on the verge of being forgotten are also woven into the experience. Bringing together music-making, birdwatching, and nature awareness, these activities open up space for participants to build a stronger connection with elements of nature and cultural heritage. Bird Collective of Türkiye continues to grow through events and collaborations across different cities, approaching nature not as a mere object of protection, but as a living space to be felt and experienced together.

Through the wide sphere of influence she has built, which comprises over 100,000 listeners for the “Miras” album on national and international outlets, events drawing thousands of participants, and millions reached through social media, Yaz Güvendi aims to bring to nature conservation an approach that is hope-giving, bond-forging, and rooted in art. Her core goals include increasing interest in birdwatching, drawing attention to endangered species, and showing that our bond with nature can be not only scientific but also aesthetic, cultural, and emotional. Yaz also aims to re-establish nature as a living space not merely learned about, but felt and belonged to, and to help positive activism grow. In the long term, she hopes to build both a stronger birdwatching culture in Türkiye and a community that brings different disciplines together.

While aiming to reach more people by expanding its events and productions, Bird Collective of Türkiye continues to grow as a movement that reminds us, once again, of our bond with nature. Through Bird Collective of Türkiye, Yaz Güvendi makes the voices of vanishing species and traditional instruments heard once more. In doing so, she continues to make a difference by drawing attention to biodiversity conservation and keeping cultural memory alive.