They request that the relevant Ad-hoc Committee be informed immediately about the Special Ecological Assessment Report
The environmental organizations Terra Cypria – The Cyprus Foundation for the Protection of the Environment and BirdLife Cyprus blame the Department of Forestry for new irregular works to improve and widen forest roads within the Akama National Forest Park.
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This announcement:
In the last month, the Department of Forestry has been implementing work to improve and widen the main forest roads Ais Minas – Smiyes and Smiyes – Koutsagas, within the Akamas National Forest Park (NFP). The environmental organizations Terra Cypria – The Cyprus Environmental Protection Foundation and BirdLife Cyprus express serious concerns and intense concerns regarding the procedures followed by the Forestry Department for the implementation of projects in such sensitive areas, without following the legal procedures.
It is noted that the specific area falls within the active territory of the predatory species Accipiter gentilis, nesting area of the endemic bird species Oenanthe cypriaca and Sylvia melanothorax, distribution area of wild flora species Alyssum akamasicum, Ophrys kotschyi, Osyris alba and Phlomis cypria spp. occidentalis, as well as the distribution area of habitats 5212 Shrubs with junipers (Juniperus phoenicea), 5330 Thermo-Mediterranean and pre-desert forests, 9320 Olive (Olea europaea) and carob (Ceratonia siliqua) forests, as well as 9540 Mediterranean pine forests with endemic Mediterranean pine species (Pinus brutia).
It should be noted that the above species and habitats are included in the designation objects and/or conservation objectives of the areas of the Natura 2000 Network Special Conservation Zone (SZZ) and Special Protection Zone (ZEP) Akamas Peninsula.
It is also emphasized that, based on the Special Ecological Assessment Report (SEA) for Phase A of the road network of the EDP Akamas issued in March 2024, as well as the relevant Decision of the Council of Ministers dated 19.03.2024, the “continuation of the process” is foreseen re-evaluation for the next three months, for the infrastructures of the Management Infrastructure Nodes and the other projects and functions of the Sustainable Development Plan of the Akamas EDP”. In addition, it is foreseen the “preparation of a new proposal and the return of the issue to the Council of Ministers, in June 2024, which, among other things, will include a final realistic work schedule for the rest of the Akamas EDP projects, without unnecessary and further delays”.< /p>
Based on the above, the main forest roads, on which the Department of Forestry is implementing improvement and widening works, are included in the main road network section of the EDP Akamas, which should be reassessed by June 2024. Instead, the Department of Forestry seems to have already proceeded with work without any information of the materially responsible Ad-hoc Committee for the EOA and above all without the overall re-evaluation of the infrastructure of the EDP Akamas, including both the main forest roads and the management infrastructure nodes.
The two environmental organizations request that the competent Ad-hoc Committee for EOA be informed immediately regarding the works to improve and widen the main forest roads Ais Minas – Smiyes and Smiyes – Koutsagas, within the EDP Akamas. Finally, we call on the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment to ensure that no further work to improve and/or widen the forest road is carried out within the Akama EDP before the full re-evaluation of the Akama EDP Sustainable Development Plan by the Ad-hoc Committee for the EOA.
