Northern Forest villages in the north of Istanbul have been raising Istanbul water buffaloes since the Ottoman times. Since the projects in the region caused a lot of controversy, the visibility of this species and their unique milk, cream and yogurt have increased. But the projects' real effect was on the habitats they are destroying.

Industry, real estate and energy projects in the Marmara Region, including those in Northern Forests, which are the source of Istanbul's water, oxygen and food, that is İstanbul's life, threaten the production of water buffalo milk that is specific to İstanbul to a large

The green areas of the villages in the north of the city had been making up for coal mining that started in the early 1900s, however the 3rd airport, the 3rd bridge and the Northern Marmara Motorway projects were brought to the agenda. Forests were cut, ponds were filled.

As these areas where the villagers provide their livelihoods are destroyed, the Istanbul water buffaloes, which live in the habitat of the Northern Forests, and have milk with a high nutritional value, are losing their home and are being exiled from their habitat.

Destruction on the Northern Forests, the last ecological space of Istanbul, threatens the healthy life of the people of the city, and takes away İstanbul water buffaloes' right to live.