Filenews 10 November 2021
"Once again we were faced with an environmental crime of cutting down trees in the Nicosia District and more specifically in a private plot in Strovolos," the Movement of Ecologists - Citizens' Cooperation said in a statement. Specifically, according to a complaint, 25 centuries-old eucalyptus trees were cut down with the "blessings" of the department of forests, the town planning and the Municipality of Strovolos.
The communication adds the following:
We have a climate crisis, the strategic plan to combat the effects of climate change requires a rapid increase in urban greenery, but urban planning, local self-government and the forestry department are not working to protect mature adult trees in urban areas.
Unfortunately, the Department of Town Planning seems to give permits for the separation of plots without carrying out an on-site examination, and without requiring a design mapping of the existing trees and other native vegetation that exists in the area, so that they are taken into account and demand that the plans for cutting plots be modified in a way that takes into account the environmental factors.
Then the provincial administrations and municipalities do not require the planners to modify the plans submitted to them for the development of each plot in order to preserve existing trees in the private plots. When in these two stages there is not sufficient prevention for the protection of trees, work begins and the department of forests is called to issue permits for the cutting of adult and precious trees, for projects that have already been predetermined and their construction has begun.
As a Movement of Ecologists – Citizens' Cooperation, we express our strong dissatisfaction with the anti-environmental and short-sighted policy followed by the ministries, departments and bodies of local government involved. We must all finally realize that the trees provide us with oxygen and are not destined for cutting off and make every effort to preserve them.
We will continue our efforts to change mentality and demand that the competent bodies take responsibility for not adequately protecting the environment and complying with our international and national state commitments.
