| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 04/09/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 13 |
| Copyright: Other |
Noel Josephides
Noel Josephides
Tourism to Paphos and the northwest will be seriously affected unless something is done soon to protect the Akamas ‘national park’ area of Cyprus
WE WENT for a drive in the Akamas the other day. For those of you who do not know, the Akamas is referred to as a ‘national park’.Or rather, the government likes to think it is a national park. The area covers the northwestern area of Cyprus and its fate currently excites heated debate.
Until recently, the British forces on the island used it for target practice. This, at least, saved this most beautiful and virgin area from the even worse ravages of tourism and the uncontrolled grazing of goats.
Jeep safaris are quite a money spinner here, though I wish they wouldn’t call these trips safaris – Cyprus is rather different from the African bush.
The government has recently realised the harm these convoys of four-by-four Land Rovers do to the fragile Akamas environment and is intending to licence the macho-man operatives. But nothing is being said about the goats as far as I know. The subject is too politically sensitive with the local villagers.
Unless the enormous herds of goats are stopped, then there will be nothing left of the Akamas within the next 20 years.
I also picked up some of the typical mementos to be found lying around the rugged landscape – spent shotgun cartridges. This is the most common item found in the area.
There are 50,000 shotgun licences in Cyprus for a population that now numbers in the region of 700,000.
In fact, so powerful is the gun lobby that there is talk among the more extreme members who want to put their own man up for president!
One of our party suggested that hunters who returned their empty cartridges to the shop should be offered a discount off the next batch purchased, so encouraging hunters to keep these beautiful landscapes clear of their rubbish.
Everyone knows that something has to be done but no-one wants to lose 50,000 votes. So, in reality, nothing is being done.
A few half-hearted attempts are made from time to time and the periods during which hunting is allowed have been shortened.
However, after the stock market, hunting is probably the next most popular subject of conversation.
The fact that hunting and tourism just do not go together is incomprehensible to most.
So, the years roll by and nothing changes. Consultants come and go but no-one really listens. However, something has to be done soon. Akamas is one of the main focuses for tourism in this area.
With a polluted Akamas, tourism to Paphos and the northwest would die. Not that the majority visit the park. However, having Akamas helps raise the image of the whole region. Sooner or later the government will have to bite the bullet and realise that, in order to have a well-run national park, it will have to buy a lot of private interests off.
Everyone has their price, from the owners of the herds of goats to the wealthy individuals who have amassed large parcels of land in and around the park area.
The Cypriot government will neither be the first nor the last to have to buy back the country’s heritage for future generations.
Let’s hope they come to some arrangement soon, otherwise this area, too, will be buried under the concrete of the insatiable developers.