Cypriot Agriculture Minister Kostas Kadis and Deputy Agriculture Minister of Greece Sokratis Famellos visited Oroklini lake for birdwatching on Friday, CNA reported.
Famellos and Kadis used the watchtower at the Natura-2000 protected lake to watch the bids and were briefed about two recently completed projects in the area.
The first project, named Life, included the creation of an enclosure around the lake in order to stop the uncontrolled access of vehicles. Project Life also included the removal of invasive species from the area, such as acacias and the planting of native bush and trees species, as well as water management.
In the second project, named After Life, Department of Environment employees cleaned the lake, cut reeds and created facilities for the eels.
The Ministers cancelled their scheduled visit to Larnaca’s salt lakes due to heavy rainfall.
Ο Υπ. Γεωργίας και #Περιβάλλοντος @CostasKadis με τον ´Ελληνα Αναπληρωτή Υπουργό Περιβάλλοντος @SFamellos στη #Λίμνη #Ορόκλινης -´Εναν σημαντικό υδροβιότοπο της Κύπρου #Natura2000 #LIFEProjects #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/sncbIunpJN
— MOA press team (@CyMOApress) February 8, 2019
Oroklini Lake is one of only seven natural wetlands in Cyprus. It is designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) mainly for two nesting species the Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus and the Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus (Hoplopterus) spinosus.
The site is also an SCI under the Habitats Directive for its halophytic marsh vegetation. The site is one of only three natural wetlands in the area of Cyprus where the EU legislation(Acquis communaitaire) currently applies the others being Paralimni and Larnaca salt lakes.
Read more:
https://in-cyprus.com/birdwatching-in-larnaka/
