0147-C2
Alexandros Christodoulou 1
The forests of Cyprus are an important national resource and the forest sector is subject to pressures coming from many directions to which it has to respond. Forests provide services, timber and non-wood products. With effective conservation and sound management the forest resource offers multidimensional opportunities for socioeconomic development, especially in rural areas.
The strategy adopted in the national forest programme (nfp) of Cyprus is a strategy for rural betterment aiming at safeguarding forest resources for the benefit of the whole community while capturing the advantages of development based on eco-tourism.
The nfp covers a ten-year period 2001-2009 and consists of a complex set of activities and related projects, which are designed to achieve the aims of the strategy.
The contribution of forest and forestry in rural development is expressed very well in the management plan for the Akamas peninsula, which covers an area of about 230 sq. km. One third of the peninsula is state forest and is managed as a national forest park. The area encompasses eleven settlements, with a total population of about 2000. All the villages are in state of socioeconomic if not infrastructural decline.
The main objectives of the Conservation Management Plan are to identify and integrate policies and actions to achieve environmental conservation and socio-economic development of the villages of the area. Integrating both objectives in the management plan on an equal basis has been proven to be especially difficult. The long term management of the Akamas peninsula is still undecided.
The sustainable development of the peninsula as a whole will be safeguarded through an integrated approach based on the envisaged synergies of the environmental quality and community based development.
In many countries around the world, people living in rural areas have lower incomes and are generally less prosperous than their urban counterparts. The reasons for this are often complex and vary from country to country. However, it is generally acknowledged that rural areas have fewer opportunities for creating employment and wealth due to their distance from markets, lack of infrastructure and in, some cases natural disadvantages.
In light of such disadvantages, many governments attempt to promote the development of rural areas on the grants of social equity. Because of their natural disadvantages, rural development strategies often focus on the one factor of production that rural areas usually do have, which are natural resources such as agricultural land and forests.
A general statement of the objectives of rural development is given in the chapter on sustainable agriculture and rural development in Agenda 21 (United Nations, 1992) "Major adjustments are needed in agricultural, environmental and macroeconomic policy, at both national and international levels in developed, as well as developing countries, to create the conditions for sustainable agriculture and rural development. This will involve education initiatives, utilization of economic incentives and the development of appropriate and new technologies, thus ensuring stable supplies of nutritionally adequate food, access to those supplies by vulnerable groups and production markets; employment and income generation to alleviate poverty; and natural resource management and environmental protection".
To summarize the above, rural development can generally be thought of as meeting the following three principle objectives:
These three broad objectives are mirrored in the policy statements of many governments in both developing and developed countries, as well as in the mandates of international development agencies such as the World Bank; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); United Nations. Environment Programme (UNEP) and FAO. However, there are marked differences in emphasis on these three objectives between developed and developing countries (Whiteman 2000).
The European Common Agricultural Policy, for example, implies less intensive agricultural production and new uses of agricultural land. In this context, forestry constitutes an important means of rural development either by afforestation of abandoned agricultural land or by employing existing forests for more than just timber production.
According to the results and conclusion of a research study, under the EU Programme COST, on Forestry in the context of rural development within Europe exist quite different conditions with respect to the role of forestry for rural development (Koch et al. 1998).
In the past, when considering rural development most attention was focused on increasing and rationalizing the rural production processes. But with the increasing diversification of rural conditions, at present also the need for new economic activities and adaptation of the cultural dimensions of rurality are considered. For instance, as a result of the agricultural over production on the one hand and the increased rates of leisure time and mobility of the increasing urban population on the other hand, rural areas are now often conceived as areas which may serve urban people by offering recreational facilities. Furthermore, the environmental role of rural areas buffering urban expansion, mitigating industrial pollution and maintaining nature is increasingly valued. Consequently, depending on the specific rural conditions, at present a wide variety of objectives for rural development can be recognized. In analogy to the classification of objectives for rural development, the objectives for forestry development can also be classified in the two broad categories of production and service functions (Wiersum 1998).
In contrast, rural development policies in developing countries often focus on meeting more basic needs. For example, FAO places great emphasis in its policies and programmes on increasing food security and improving access to food, because this is a high priority for many developing countries. A number of governments and international agencies also stress the importance of providing access to clean water and basic educational services and medical care. In other words, because of the nature of rural areas in many developing countries, there is often a need to look beyond just simply increasing income and employment.
The need to manage the forest of Cyprus, which covers 18% of the area of the island, (picture 1) for multiple purposes has been clearly set out, right from the first official forest policy declaration in 1950. However, the emphasis previously given in practice to timber production and meeting domestic requirements for wood products is no longer appropriate and a new balance is emerging. It is now important to reinterpret the sustainability concept to allow for a different mixture of uses, and to focus on the maintenance and improvement of environmental quality while meeting the recreational requirements of local people and foreign tourists.
Picture 1: Cyprus forest map
Social and economic conditions are changing fast in Cyprus. External events affect the way of life of the country's citizens, its institutions and its natural resources. Influences from abroad are expected to intensify due to the prospect of joining the European Union, which opens wider vistas and imposes obligations on member states.
The forests of Cyprus are an important national resource and the forest sector is subject to pressures coming from many directions to which it has to respond. Forests provide timber and non-wood products; more importantly they contribute significantly to the beauty of the landscape, preservation of the national heritage, protection of water supplies, rural life, village communities and the general well-being of Cypriot citizens; they attract visitors from abroad on whom the national economy is heavily dependent. The future prosperity of the country is bound up with its forests and what happens to them. With effective conservation and sound management the forest resource offers multidimensional opportunities for socioeconomic development, especially in rural areas. (nfp Cyprus 1999).
The strategy adopted in the nfp of Cyprus, approved recently by the Council of Ministers, is a strategy for rural betterment with the following objectives:
The Rural Betterment Strategy for the forest sector aims at safeguarding forest resources for the benefit of the whole community while capturing the advantages of development based on eco-tourism and it will be achieved by:
The nfp covers a ten-year period 2001-2009 and it is based on the action areas identified by the strategy. These indicate where efforts and resources need to be concentrated.
The nfp consists of a complex set of activities and related projects, which are designed to achieve the aims of strategy. These subprogrammes deal with the following groups of activities:
A. Afforestation and silviculture
This subprogramme is primarily concerned with the physical condition of the state forests and wider countryside. Afforestation aims at increasing the forest area and silvicultural operations seek to improve its quality for conservation purposes.
B. Production of timber and non-wood products
The aim of this subprogramme is to increase economic and social benefits from the state forests and wider countryside.
C. Protection against fires and other hazards
The subprogramme seeks to increase the effectiveness of existing protective measures in the state forests and adjacent land, and to extend the fire control system to cover other rural areas.
D. Conservation of ecosystems, flora, fauna and heritage
A wide range of specific conservation objectives, which relate to all action areas, is included in this subprogramme.
E. Water
Watershed management and protection are provided for by subprogrammes A and C, which seek to extend and improve the vegetative cover, prevent soil erosion and increase permeability in the main catchment areas.
F. Local plans and village development
Development for tourism and recreation needs positive direction and control to protect the quality of the environment and preserve the traditional character of forest villages. The aim of this subprogramme is to encourage appropriate development, based on eco-tourism, within the framework of comprehensive area plans.
G. Institutional reform, modernization and capacity building
Successful implementation of the strategy depends on overcoming various institutional limitations on forest sector development.
3.2.1 Costs and benefits
The total costs for the implementation of the nfp over ten years amount to US$174 million.
The benefits derived from the forest sector are substantial, although difficult to measure and evaluate. Some are tangible, such as timber, medicinal and aromatic plants, game, honey etc. while others are intangible, services of various kinds, such as tourism and recreation, scenery and landscape, protection of ecosystems, protection of the national heritage, soil conservation, watershed protection, biodiversity and preservation of genetic potential etc. The sector generates incomes, employment and trade from which the whole community benefits. In Cyprus, the value of the social benefits derived from services and other indirect uses of the forest is much greater than the direct value obtained from sales of wood and non-wood products.
An attempt to value some of these benefits has been made by means of cost-benefit analysis. The results showed that the social benefits derived from water from boreholes and springs, recreational visits by tourists and residents, and protection of agricultural crops, which are attributable to the state forests, amounted to about US$ 500 per ha each year. Applied to the whole forest area, the total value of benefits derived from tourism, water and agriculture amounted to about US$ 62 million annually. This is a conservative estimate which allows for data inaccuracies and uncertainties. It is also a partial estimate because many of the items in the above list are not included. In comparison, the revenue derived from sales of timber by the Forestry Department is very small, amounting to about US$ 1 million or US$ 7 per ha, per year.
The Akamas peninsula, shown in picture 2, is located in the northwestern corner of the island and covers an area of about 230 square kilometers.
Picture 2: Akamas peninsula
Akamas is a unique and unspoiled coastal landscape, one of the very few left in Cyprus and in the Mediterranean. It contains exceptional and varied features. On the western side of the ridge where the villages are located, it associates the sea, typical Mediterranean forest and typical Mediterranean agricultural activities. On the crest line and the eastern slopes, the picturesque rural Cypriot villages are surrounded by an agricultural countryside with the mountains or the sea in the background. The area includes a rich fauna and flora, superb features with alternating geomorphological characteristics, interesting geology, beautiful and spectacular land and coastal regions and a rich historical, archaeological and cultural heritage. (CMP Akamas 1995)
Picture 3: Akamas area
According to 1994 figures, 45% of the land in the Akamas area (picture 3) is under permanent or seasonal cultivation, 45% uncultivated, used as pasture, including forest land and 10% fallow. Only about 5% of the land area is irrigated. This patchwork of different uses and management practices has been and is one of the main support of the biological diversity of the area.
The state forest of the Akamas encompasses 7 140 ha which covers about one third of the peninsula and has been managed as a national forest park for the last twenty years.
The Akamas peninsula has typical Mediterranean type vegetation, influenced by the marine climate. The landscape is diverse with a variety of habitats from forest to low shrub and from cliffs to sandy shores. It includes rather undisturbed areas but at a large extent it is the result of centuries of anthropogenic influence, which has influenced the physiognomy and also the flora composition of the site.
The Akamas peninsula has a diverse and important flora; about 750 plant taxa (40 % of the flora of Cyprus) have been recorded from the area. Among them 40 are endemics. Its importance for the bird fauna has led to its proposal as a protected area. It is in fact one of the most important areas in Cyprus for the migratory birds. The total number of bird species recorded in the area comes up to 172. The terrestrial fauna includes 3 Annex bats and another 25 species of mammals, reptiles and amphibians.
The area encompasses eleven settlements, with a total population of about 2000. All the villages are in state of soicioeconomic if not infrastructural decline. They face serious problems of survival and need the provision of suitable development opportunities, as other areas of Cyprus, in order to improve the employment prospects in the area, rejuvenate the demographic structure and increase the relatively low income of the inhabitants.
The reasons for the economic malaise of the region are:
The main constraint to the revitalization of the Akamas villages is the declining and unbalanced demographic profile. The area desperately needs an influx of people, although this should not be stimulated precipitately. The population needs to be increased in relation to the increased profitability of the agricultural and associated production activities as well as village based tourism.
The main objective of the Conservation Management Plan is to identify and integrate policies and actions to achieve environmental conservation and socio-economic development of the villages of the area. Specific objectives include:
Detailed plans for the village development and for the conservation of the national forest park of Akamas have been unfortunately partly prepared and implemented. The local communities objected to the management strategy because of the consequences of the land development restrictions for their economic future.
These plans include among others the following:
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Package of incentives to encourage village participation in investment opportunities through capital grants, loans etc. for eco-tourism development, as shown in picture 4. |
Picture 4: Amarakos Inn at Akourdalia village |
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Schemes to improve village squares (picture 5), water supplies, local roads, heritage buildings and provide facilities for eco-tourism in forest areas, in accordance with comprehensive plan. |
Picture 5: Square in the village of Ineia |
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Promotion of small-medium-scale (SME) enterprises development in forest villages (picture 6). |
Picture 6: Basketry shop at Ineia village, own by the Community |
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Capital grants and technical assistance to improve equipment, production methods and marketing skills, as shown in pictures 7 and 8. |
Pictures 7 and 8: Herb garden at the village of Pano Akourdalia |
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Expansion and improvement of facilities for forest recreation such as, nature trails (picture 9), picnic-sites, camping sites etc. |
Picture 9: Nature trail in Akamas forest |
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Maintenance of tree monuments (picture 10) and preservation of traditional forest structures, such as restoration of pens for sheep and coats, old forest buildings, old bridges etc. |
Picture 10: Quercus infectoria ssp. veneris, a tree monument at "Pyrgos tis Rigenas" in Akamas forest |
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Restoration of traditional, cultural buildings, old churches (picture 11) and monasteries etc. |
Picture 11: Restoration of a church in Kathikas village |
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Establishment of visitor centers and environmental studies centers, as shown in pictures 12 and 13. |
Picture 12 and 13: Environmental studies center at Kritou Terra village |
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The implementation of the nfp is contributing significantly to the protection, expansion and conservation of the forest resources of the island and to the socio-economic development, especially in rural areas.
The task of integrating conservation and development objectives is not an easy one. Integrating both objectives in a management plan on an equal basis is proving to be especially difficult.
The long-term management of the Akamas peninsula is still undecided, due to several factors. The government's sensitivity to local reactions, the existing zoning regime on private land development and the unclear policy commitment to environmental management. The difficulty in resolving this policy conflict between local development and conservation management reveals the need for an integrated management framework in which priorities may be assessed and reconciled in light of long-term objectives.
An integrated approach will safeguard sustainable development of the peninsula as a whole based on the envisaged synergies of the environmental quality and community based development.
Conservation Management Plan for the Akamas Peninsula of Cyprus, Volume 1, 1995. Mediterranean Environmental Technical Assistance Programme, World Bank, METAP, UNDP, CEC, GEOMER-France, IPS - Cyprus, 10-14 p.
Formulation, execution and revision of national forest programmes. Basic principles and operational guidelines, 1996. Food and Agriculture Organization, UN, Rome, 22-23 p.
Koch, N. E. and Rasmussen, J. N., 2000. Rural Development and forestry - The COST Action E3 experience. In: The role of forests and forestry in rural development - Implications for forest policy. Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe, Liaison Unit Vienna, 113 p.
Koch, N.E. and Rasmussen, J. N. 1998. Forestry in the context of rural development - Final report of COST Action E3. Danish Forest and Landscape Research Institute, Ministry of Environment and Energy, Horsholm, 95 p.
National Forest Programme of Cyprus and National Forest Policy Statement, 1999. Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment. Department of Forests, Nicosia, 6-10 p, 32-33 p.
Whiteman, A., 2000. Promoting rural development through forest policy - Some experiences from developing countries. In: The role of forests and forestry in rural development - Implications for forest policy Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe, Liaison Unit Vienna, 50 p.
Wiersum, F., 1998. The role of forestry in rural development - Regioanal variations. In: Forestry in the context of rural development. Final report of COST action E3. Danish Forest and Landscape Research Institute, Horsholm, 11 p.
1 Chief Conservator of Forests
Department of Forests
Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment
1414 Lefkosia
CYPRUS
Tel. No.: +357 22805503
Fax No: +357 22780428
E-mail: [email protected]
