It was with great pleasure that I accepted the invitation to attend this beautiful event, organised by the Department of Forests and the Cyprus Forestry Association, in cooperation with the 2nd Primary School of Agios Dometios, which officially marks the start of the Tree Week for 2022. It is important that, for another year, this inaugural event takes place in a school unit, thus reinforcing and highlighting the importance of informing, raising awareness and involving the younger generation in the protection of trees, forests and the natural environment of our country. The project succeeded, as the Tree Festival subsequently became an institution and was embraced by the whole of society.
Trees, and by extension forests, perform important environmental functions that contribute to improving the quality of human life and the ecological stability of our planet.Nowadays, the contribution of forests in addressing major environmental challenges, such as managing climate change and protecting biodiversity, is crucial. Their contribution to social progress and economic development is also important, as they provide employment and income and produce a variety of products that are used in various sectors of the economy. Unfortunately, the negative consequences of human activity, such as overexploitation of natural resources, fires and pollution, put pressure on forests and the natural environment, resulting in a significant loss of forest areas.
On our island, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment and the Forestry Department, as the competent authority, manage Cyprus' forests on the basis of the principle of sustainability, in order to ensure the maximum economic, environmental and social benefit for present and future generations in a balanced way. To this end, and following modern trends and concepts, we have set as an immediate priority the effective protection of forests and biodiversity from all threatening factors. At the same time, we are promoting actions to improve green spaces, to develop and upgrade the recreational functions of the forest and to support forested areas.
In the above context, we have prepared and are implementing, at an estimated final cost of 44 million euros, the Sustainable Development Plan for the Akamas National Forest Park, an area of great national and regional importance. The Plan is in its final stage of implementation and includes more than forty conservation and nature protection actions, taking into account the particularities of the area. Examples include the designation of ecologically sensitive areas as "micro-reserves" for additional protection, the cutting of access roads to protect habitats, the designation of points and areas of interest and activities, the preparation of information material for visitors, the recruitment of park rangers, the construction of Park management hubs and the improvement of the main road network.
In addition to our Akamas Plan, and recognizing the general and decisive contribution of trees in mitigating the effects of climate change through the capture of atmospheric carbon through the process of photosynthesis, our Ministry has adopted a series of measures aimed at protecting and developing forests and encouraging tree planting. Through the tree planting programme "Planting for Climate",the Forestry Department has provided thirty-one thousand saplings to 257 beneficiaries for the 2021-2022 planting season. In fact, based on a recent decision of the Cabinet of Ministers for free annual allocation of seedlings, not only the beneficiary organized bodies, but also all citizens will be able to benefit from this year's planting season, who will be able to obtain from the Forestry Department a certain number of seedlings for planting within their property. The total number of seedlings that will be made available this year, either to organised bodies or to individual citizens, is expected to reach 100 000.
Of course, what I have mentioned earlier will prove to be a futile action if we fail to protect our trees and forests from their greatest enemy, fire. This is one of the most important challenges we face as a Ministry. Towards this end, the Department of Forests is taking all appropriate measures and taking all necessary actions both to prevent and quickly suppress fires. For the fire season that has just passed, and despite the obstacles and difficulties, the results are considered excellent, since the overall assessment shows that 2022 was historically the best year in terms of forest fire management. This is confirmed by data, as the area of state forest burned was the smallest since 1960, just 0.4 hectares, the area of forest burned was the smallest in 20 years, just 30 hectares, as was the average area burned per forest fire, just half a hectare, and the area of the largest fire of the year, just 3.6 hectares.
These results were not accidental and are largely due to the further improvement of the operational capacity of the Forestry Department, as well as the strengthening of the forest fire response system. I feel the need to express my unreserved recognition and appreciation for the important work carried out both by the staff of the Forestry Department and the other government departments and agencies involved in fire protection, who worked hard, tirelessly, coordinated and always with responsibility, overzealousness and, above all, professionalism.
The Government, demonstrating its determination to deal effectively with the scourge of forest fires, and despite the successive financial crises it had to manage during its ten-year term of office, gradually proceeded to fill almost all the vacancies that were pending in the Forestry Department. At the same time, it proceeded to strengthen and modernize both the ground and aerial firefighting fleet of the Department, since new vehicles have been received in 2022, while for the first time, 5 airplanes and 7 helicopters contributed to the work of firefighting this year.
In conclusion, I would like to stress once again that the trees and forests of our island are a national heritage and that we have a responsibility to protect them, expand them and pass them on, in the best possible condition, to future generations. I am sure that the effort of all of us to effectively cultivate the love of the tree will be crowned with success. I would like to warmly congratulate both the Forestry Department and the Cyprus Forestry Association, as well as the management, staff and students of the Second Primary School of Agios Dometios and all those who contributed to the organization of this beautiful event.
I wish every success in everyone's work and good progress to our students.
(NΓ/ΣΧ)
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
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