Creative sustainable management, territorial compatible marketing and environmental education To Be Parks FOREST POLICY AND PROTECTED AREAS IN CYPRUS: THE CASE OF TROODOS NATIONAL PARK (TAKIS TSINTIDES CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS) 1
ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION IT CAN BE DIVIDED INTO 3 PARTS Forest protected areas About this presentation A. General information about, its forests and forest policy B. Protected Areas in C. Troodos National Forest Park 30 slides 20 minutes Chionodoxa lochiae (a Troodos endemic) 2
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION OF CYPRUS PRESENTATION PLAN Forest protected areas Geographical location of 3
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT CYPRUS Population: 830.000 (government controlled area) Forest Protected Areas General information about Area: 9.251 sq. km Member of EU since 1 May 2004 37% of its territory occupied by Turkey since 1974 Economy based on tourism, services and agriculture ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION Topography: two main mountainous regions occupying 40% of the area, the rest plains and low hills Altitudes: up to 1951 m Average annual rainfall: 500 mm falling during November April (a reduction of 16% since 1900) Temperatures: daily summer in the lowlands usually above 37 C and a 10-20 days above 40 C. Streams: only seasonal flow (winter and spring) 4
DISTRIBUTION OF FOREST VEGETATION Presenation Plan Forest vegetation map 5
TYPICAL FOREST LANDSCAPES Forest landscapes Pinus brutia forest Riverine forest Pafos Forest Peat grassland Troodos area Cedrus brevifolia forest 6
TYPICAL FOREST LANDSCAPES Forest landscapes Maquis forest - Akamas Quercus alnifolia forest - Madari Sparse vegetation - Cape Gkreko Phryganic vegetation - Lefkara 7
FACTS ABOUT FORESTS OF CYPRUS Facts about forests High forest 19% of the island s total area with maquis 35% State forest land 18% of the total area Low wood productivity Mostly natural rich in biodiversity Main threats: fire and climate change and land use change in privately-owned forests (nearly all private land in is potentially a building plot!!!) After one of the biggest forest Extensive forest die back after fires - Troodos foothills 2007 the drought of 2007-2008 8
THE DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS (DF) Department of Forests The DF comes under the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources & Environment Established in 1879 300 foresters, 900 laborers, 30 forest stations Annual budget 40 million (now reduced) Main activities: management of the state forest estate and forest authority, i.e. implementation of legislation and forest policy: (i) Fire protection: 75 fire vehicles, 2 airplanes, 450 fire squad staff members (ii) Forest recreation: 70 nature trails, 25 picnic sites, 4 camping sites (iii) Nature conservation: one herbarium, 3 Botanical Gardens, 3 Visitor Centers, insect collection, specialists on flora, reptiles, birds, insects and bats, seed bank under construction, management of Natura 2000 sites. (iv) All other common forest activities/works. (vi) Currently participates in 10 EU-funded projects. 9
FOREST POLICY MAIN OBJECTIVES Objectives Forest Policy OBJECTIVES OF FOREST POLICY IN CYPRUS AS OUTLINED IN THE OFFICIAL POLICY DOCUMENT Forest preservation and protection Forest improvement and expansion Biodiversity conservation and landscape protection Promotion of recreation and ecotourism Employment of rural population Improvement of the protective functions of the forests Forest production: wood and other products Promotion of public awareness, forest training and applied research. 10
PROTECTED AREAS IN CYPRUS Protected areas in -The first provisions on protected areas in were introduced by the Forest Law in 1967. -The Forest Law provided for the declaration of: (i) National Forest Parks: for the provision of recreation and amenities to people of (not for nature conservation) (ii) Nature Reserves: for the permanent protection of flora and fauna. -These provisions were not in line with international nomenclature e.g. IUCN -They remained in power until March 2012 when radical amendments were brought about to Forest Law. 11
THE NEW PROVISIONS OF FOREST LAW New provisions of Forest Law Generally in line with IUCN definitions - more categories The categories: (i) Nature Reserve: a natural forest with one or more typical or representative forest ecosystem, plant community, fauna or other natural element and with no significant human impact, managed for scientific study and monitoring and where human presence is limited to ensure that natural processes are evolving with no human influence. (ii) National Forest Park: forest that maintains its naturalness to a significant degree and contains important elements of biodiversity or genetic resources or landscapes and/or geomorhological features and is managed for the protection of the natural processes and of its natural features and provides opportunities for spiritual, scientific, educational and recreational activities that are environmentally and culturally compatible. 12
THE NEW PROVISIONS OF FOREST LAW New provisions of Forest Law (iii) Protective Forest: a forest that due to its position and/or soil and geological features, and/or ground incline it has special importance for the protection of water or soil resources and/or human properties and habitations found at lower altitudes. (iv) Forest Park: a forest that due to its geographical location in relation to urban centers it can be valuable for human health, environmental education, amenity and recreation. (v) Forest Monument: a small forest area that contains one or more natural, cultural or geomorphological elements of exceptional or unique value. (vi) Micro Reserve: small forest area (up to 5 ha) that hosts one or more rare plant or animal species or other natural element of national, regional or international importance. 13
OTHER LEGISLATIONS ON PROTECTED AREAS Marine Law: Providing for the designation of Other legislations on protected areas marine or coastal regions as protected (introduced for the protection of turtles only one site designated so far) Nature Protection and Management Law: (Habitats Directive) providing for the designation of Natura 2000 sites for the protection of habitats and species (SCIs) Wild Life Protection and Management Law: (Birds Directive) providing for the designation of SPA Natura 2000 sites for the protection of birds. 14
MAP OF NATURA 2000 SITES IN CYPRUS Map of Natura 2000 sites 15
PROGRESS IN FOREST PROTECTED AREAS Progress in forest protected areas All forest protected areas have been declared based on Forest Law of 1967 - only National Forest Parks and Nature Reserves have been declared 10 National Forest Parks (NFPs) and 7 Nature Reserves (NRs) designated area 20.000 ha or 16% of the total state forest area under Government control. Need to revise present classification to conform with new legislative provisions Some changes that will be brought about are: (i) Man-made forests e.g. plantations cannot be NFPs but they should be just Forest Parks like Athalassa NFP (ii) NRs must be smaller in area e.g. between 50 200 ha, and must be selected carefully a serious obstacle is that hunting must be prohibited in NRs. 16
FOREST PROTECTED SITES Forest protected sites Troodos NFP Troodos NFP Cedar Valley NR Chionistra NR - Troodos 17
FOREST PROTECTED SITES Forest protected sites Madari NR Almiro Livadi NR (fenced) Cavo Gkreko NFP Athalassa NFP (Nicosia) 18
MAP OF TROODOS NFP Map of Troodos NFP 19
TROODOS NATIONAL FOREST PARK Facts about Troodos NFP FACTS ABOUT TROODOS NFP Declared in 1992 Area 9.000 ha or 90 Km² Altitudes: 600-1951 m State property=state forest Natura 2000 site, SCI & SPA The most important site in terms of biodiversity (number of endemics, habitats etc) Troodos Visitor Center 20
Troodos NFP TROODOS NATIONAL FOREST PARK ADMINISTRATION Troodos Forest Division HQrs at Platania Forest Station 4 Forest Stations / Offices 20 Forest officials & 100 laborers Budget: about one (1) million Euros excluding staff wages - fire protection, Amiantos Asbestos Mine Restoration only 100.000 for recreation & nature conservation but it benefits from EU - funded projects Management Plan only for the Natura 2000 site; not yet implemented Amiantos asbestos mine No tree fellings since 1972 Main forest activities: (i) Forest protection against fire (ii) Forest recreation (iii) Nature conservation (iv) Restoration of Amiantos Asbestos Mine (v) Management of leases. 21
TROODOS NATIONAL FOREST PARK Visitor facilities INFRASTRUCTURE / VISITOR FACILITIES 9 Picnic sites 3 Campsites 2 Visitor Centers (+ 1 of the Troodos Geopark currently under construction) 1 Botanical Garden 12 nature trails 3 organized view points Car parks Information office by Tourism Organization Hotels & restaurants in the NFP and at nearby villages Bicycle routes by Tourism Organization 22
EXAMPLES OF FACILITIES IN TROODOS NFP Facilities in Troodos NFP Troodos Visitor Center Troodos Botanical Garden 23
RECREATIONAL FACILITIES Kaledonia nature trail Platania picnic site capacity 2.000 visitors Nature Trails Nature trail of Artemis around the highest Troodos peak Trail for the disable 24
VISITOR USE IN TROODOS NFP Troodos is the most popular mountain resort in Presenattion Plan Visitor use Apart from the scenic beauty, in summer visited because of its cool climate and in winter because of the snow No systematic monitoring of visitor numbers A survey by Tourism Organization estimated one million visitors per year but now it must be larger In the frame of a European funded project a visitor counter placed along Kalidonia trail showed use by 29.000 visitors in two summer months Damage by visitor use is certain but it seems to be localized near heavily used facilities e.g. picnic sites, popular trails and on the higher altitudes during winter by skiers 25
VISITOR IMPACTS Local Strategic Tourism Plan (LSTP) LSTP - Development Hunters Need to fence in order to protect vulnerable habitats from trampling and skiers 26
STRONG POINTS OF TROODOS NFP Presenation Plan Local Strategic Tourism Plan (LSTP) LSTP - Development State property High naturalness, beautiful landscapes, rich biodiversity Adequate staff numbers Variety of facilities and adequacy in numbers Easy access by car and open to the public 27
WEAK POINTS Presenation Plan Negative facts Rather low level of interest in nature among Cypriots even among forest staff Inadequacies in management planning, including lack of participative procedures low interest by local communities Personnel not adequately trained in protected areas management No visitor monitoring and impact assessment Ecosystems highly vulnerable to wild fires and climate change Lack of a simple and operational management plan Low quality levels of facilities and interpretation/ information system Hunting permitted over most of the area even along nature trails! 28
CONCLUDING REMARKS Presenattion Plan Concluding remarks Natural areas in can play an important role in promoting ecotourism and offering unique outdoor experiences. Sustainable management of theses areas must acquire practical meaning through more thoughtful and integrated management planning. The conflict between outdoor recreation and nature conservation must receive more attention. Facilities and interpretation approaches must be enriched and improved. Management of certain facilities by government depts seems unproductive like visitor centers new more efficient management approaches must be adopted to ensure viability and achievement of objectives. Environmental education techniques must also be improved and become more imaginative More national funds for nature conservation are needed Climate change is a severe threat to the values of Troodos NFP and prompt action is necessary. 29
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION Kaledonia falls The end!!! Acinos troodi Onosma troodi 30