Environmental watchdog Terra Cypria has criticised environmental authorities for their handling of illegal activities at Pyrgos beach in Limassol, following recent reports of environmental damage.
The group released a statement on Tuesday questioning why the Department of Environment had not reported the incident to local police to identify suspects in what it called “a serious environmental crime”.
The disputed coastal area, which lies within a protected beach zone, hosts five types of protected sand dune ecosystems of EU-wide importance, according to a joint announcement by the Department of Environment and the Department of Forests on Monday.
Terra Cypria noted that authorities failed to mention the presence of four rare and endangered plant species listed in Cyprus’s Red Data Book of Flora, including the endangered Neurada procumbens and Ifloga spicata.
The 3.5-hectare plot was proposed for designation as state forest, with 19 out of 20 members of the Forest Advisory Body voting in favour in April 2023. However, the designation has been delayed for over 18 months, with authorities now saying it will be reviewed by the relevant committee this month.
The conservation group accused the Department of Forests of attempting to downplay the damage by referring to “pruning” rather than tree cutting, while failing to address the levelling of sand dune ecosystems and the removal of rare flora.
The department had not informed the adjacent landowner, who had applied for land clearance, about the site’s ecological significance or the pending forest designation, Terra Cypria said.
“Once again, the authorities responsible for nature protection have failed to respond to, let alone prevent, environmental destruction on the island”, the group said, calling for a thorough investigation and immediate protection and restoration of the sand dune ecosystem.
Read more:
