A FILE DESIGNATING protected natural areas on the island has been sent to the European Commission amid protests by conservationists that it does not go far enough.
The Natura 2000 plan, as it is known, was published in the government gazette, and the period of objections to it has already expired. The development comes after more than two decades of haggling over the future of the remote Akamas peninsula – a prime component of the programme – but preservationists insist it is by no means the end of the road.
Natura 2000 is comprised of Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) designated by member states under the Habitats Directive, and also incorporates Special Protection Areas (SPAs) which they designate under the 1979 Birds Directive. It is not a system of strict nature reserves where all human activities are excluded.
Cyprus has already received two warnings from Europe regarding the conservation of bird habitats, and could be liable to court action if the submitted plan fails to impress Brussels.
Conservationists say the delineated boundaries in Natura 2000 fall well short of areas that should be protected. They say socio-economic, rather than scientific criteria, govern the programme.
“It’s a dual failure,” said Martin Hellicar, campaigns manager for BirdLife Cyprus. “A failure on the part of the state for not complying with the European directives, but more importantly it’s a failure of vision.
“We’re talking about a pristine area, an environmental jewel for Cyprus that has huge potential for eco-tourism, yet it has been opened up to developers,” he added.
Hellicar sounded the alarm, saying that natural habitats in the peninsula are being ruined with each passing day.
The programme leaves out a number of areas containing protected species of birds, he added.
A biogeographic seminar held in 2006 determined that more areas in the Akamas had to be included in the Natura 2000 programme.
Even the objections process has come under scrutiny. During the period allotted for objections, the government had taken the unusual step of asking the Attorney-general whether or not non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were allowed to contest the plan; the AG said yes.
Another gripe concerns the format of the objections form, which conservationists say was tailored to landowners and developers. The form provided allowed one to only object to areas included in the conservation programme. There was no provision to raise objections to areas left out of Natura 2000.
Environmentalists see the plan as a poor compromise to appease landowners and local residents, who have long argued that it is unfair not to allow them to develop what has become prime real estate.
2010
The United Nations has declared 2010 to be International Year of Biodiversity, and the pressure group BirdLife is organising a series of monthly initiatives highlighting the need to protect the local flora and fauna.
