Filenews 27 December 2022 - by Angelos Nicolaou
The Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment proceeded yesterday with the removal of illegalities in the Akamas Peninsula, in an environmentally sensitive area of particular ecological value. Specifically, the Services proceeded to the demolition and removal of illegal premises, in the area of "Aspros Potamos" at the southern entrance of the National Forest Park. It now remains to remove arbitrary interventions and illegalities in the southern Gulf of Lara, including a restaurant and a bar-café.
The demolition of the illegal premises was attended by Minister Costas Kadis who visited the Akamas Peninsula yesterday and inspected the progress of the road network improvement works within the Akamas National Forest Park (SAR). Both the demolition and removal of these premises, which for many years operated illegally in the area, as well as the improvement of the road network, are expected to contribute decisively to the further protection of the natural environment of the peninsula and to the implementation of the government's plans for the operation of a model Forest Park in Akamas, which will upgrade the experience of the thousands of visitors who arrive there every year and will bring significant benefits to the surrounding areas. Communities.
The Sustainable Development Plan of the Akamas SAR, provides for 14 environmentally friendly nodes of visitors' facilities and specific interventions in the road network. These interventions mainly include works to improve the forest road network connecting the main points of the Park, 58.7 km long. and the connecting roads of the neighbouring communities with the entrances of the Akamas SAR, 27.45 km long. It is emphasized that no road, whether on the main or secondary road network, will be asphalted and that apart from the right of access, no development rights will be granted due to the proximity of property to the road network under improvement.
The Sustainable Development Plan of the Akamas SAR provides that by 2028, the Park will be a national standard for the effective management of protected areas in Cyprus. In Akamas, the long-term preservation of biodiversity, natural heritage and related cultural values will be ensured by integrating sustainable development as a primary means of achieving the objectives of protection, conservation and promotion of the area. Within the framework of the provisions of the Natura 2000 network, the implementation of the Plan will offer significant benefits to neighbouring communities and will provide a unique, upgraded experience to the visitors of the Park.
In the meantime, a three-day conference of particular importance for Akamas was organized in November in Akamas by the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, entitled: "Conservation, Management and Governance of Protected Areas – Implementation in the Akamas Peninsula".
The aim of this conference was to present and disseminate international experiences, good practices and successful examples related to the integrated management of protected areas and the discussion of their implementation in Cyprus and in particular in the case of the Akamas Peninsula.
Protected areas are primarily aimed at protecting biodiversity, but it is often overlooked that they can also contribute to economic and social development and recovery, based on sound and integrated planning. In the context of the conference, issues such as the development of sustainable tourism around protected areas, the implementation of sustainable development models at local and national level focusing on protected areas, the implementation of investments in protected areas aimed at creating environmental, economic and social benefits, consultation and participatory management with stakeholders and the local community, etc. were discussed.
The conference was attended by distinguished international experts with broad, practical and multidimensional experience in the governance and management of protected areas, from International Organizations, such as the World Bank, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Europarc Federation, universities and other protected areas.
The Conference was an action of the Project "Management of the Natura 2000 Network Area – Akamas Peninsula", which is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for the Programming Period 2014-2020, under the Operational Program "Competitiveness & Sustainable Development" of the Structural Funds of the European Union (EU). The beneficiary body is the Department of Environment, with implementing bodies the Department of Forests, the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research and the Game and Fauna Service.
Through the knowledge and experience of international experts, as well as on the basis of the organized discussions that took place with all the stakeholders present, it became clear that moving forward as a state in a direction of integrated management of protected areas aiming at the balanced creation of environmental, economic and social benefits, steps should be taken in the following main directions:
>> Establishment of flexible management and governance structures of protected areas based on principles of effective and comprehensive cooperation between stakeholders, including different Ministries, Departments and Services, with the aim of avoiding division of responsibilities.
>> Inclusion in the decision-making and implementation process of local communities and their relative empowerment to have a more substantial and dynamic role.
>> Implementation of targeted training and capacity building programmes to all stakeholders.
>> Finding investment mechanisms in protected areas.
>> Implementation of effective and meaningful procedures for discussion, exchange of views and consultation with stakeholders in order to promote relationships of trust.
In the Greek calends the Local Plan
Despite the continuous assurances given by the government for the publication of the Akamas Local Plan and despite the fact that months have passed since the opinion of the Environmental Authority on the provisions of the Plan, the Urban Council has not yet updated the Local Plan, so that it can be published and definitively close a pending issue that has plagued the area for decades. The questions raised by the above delay are intensified if we take into account that the final conditions set by the Environmental Authority are essential and legally binding. In the meantime, time is dangerously tight, with the result that it is doubtful whether the government has time to proceed with the publication of the plan following all the prescribed procedures, which include the examination of the revised Local Plan by the Environmental Authority. This obstruction of the Town Planning Council is attributed to pressures on its members from circles that are affected or have direct interests in the area. On this issue, the position of the President of the Republic himself is expected, who is expected to ultimately determine whether the government will proceed with the publication of the Plan.
INTERVENTION
Serving interests any delay
Based on the experience and dynamics gained from the conference organized for protected areas and Akamas, it is certain that the right tools and mechanisms for an integrated, gradual and collective change can and must be applied in the case of Akamas, through which trust with the local community will be built and the protection of biodiversity will be achieved, at the same time as sustainable economic and social development. This has been achieved in many similar cases internationally and we cannot understand why it cannot be achieved in Akamas as well. The government must show determination, respect the European Nature Conservation Directives and announce the Local Plan as soon as possible, laying the foundations for this change. Any other option, apart from unduly preserving the pending situation for Akamas, will be for the government yet another burden of serving interests that will carry it as a negative legacy.
