Cyprus Biodiversity Platform

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Cyprus Biodiversity Platform
Dr. Marina Michaelidou Unit of Environmental
Studies Research and Development Center,
Intercollege
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Cyprus Biodiversity PlatformOutline

• Structure
• Process
• Strategy
• Integrating research, policy and practice
• Promoting stakeholder participation
• Defining objectives and tasks
• Challenges we face

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The Mediterranean basin is one of the 25
biodiversity hotspots (these cover 12 of the
earths land surface and contain more than half
of all plant and animal species)
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Biodiversity in Cyprus
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Biodiversity in Cyprus
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Biodiversity in Cyprus
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Biodiversity in Cyprus
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Biodiversity in Cyprus
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Biodiversity in Cyprus
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Cyprus Biodiversity PlatformStructure

• Initiative Unit of Environmental Studies,
  Research and Development Center, Intercollege
• Legal status Non-profit organization
• Mission To promote environmental and cultural
  sustainability in Cyprus and the larger
  Mediterranean region
• Research focus Protected area conservation,
  biodiversity conservation, integrated rural
  development, water and energy conservation,
  community participation in natural resources
  conservation

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Cyprus Biodiversity PlatformStructure

• Organizational Structure Network
• Management Instrument Steering group
• Main partners
• Unit of Environmental Studies
• Forestry Department (Ministry of Agriculture,
  Natural Resources and Environment)
• Nature and Culture
• Ecognosia

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Policy

• Partner Forestry Department
• Member Service for the Environment

NGOs
Science

• Partners Nature and Culture Ecognosia
• Members Friends of the Earth AKTI
• User Committee Cyprus Herpetological
  Association Cyprus Birds Association
  Association for the Protection of Wildlife
  Friends of the Forests Friends of Akamas
  Ecological Movement of Cyprus Environmental
  Society of Lefke POST.

• Partner Unit of Environmental Studies
• Member Agricultural Research Institute

Cyprus Biodiversity Platform
Local Interest Groups

• Members Local Authorities of rural communities
  in NATURA 2000 areas

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Integration among research, policy and practice,
with emphasis on stakeholder participation
Research (Universities, Research institutes)
Policy (Government agencies, Ministries)
Practice (Rural communities, NGOs)
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Biodiversity and rural communities

• Rural communities are an integral part of the
  Cypriot landscape
• Certain local practices have been beneficial to
  biodiversity conservation

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Biodiversity and rural communities

• Local people have been largely excluded from the
  design and implementation of conservation
  policies
• Rural communities are experiencing decline, which
  has implications for biodiversity conservation

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Nature conservation in Cyprus

• In 1878 Cyprus came under the control of the
  British, who established the first laws for the
  conservation of nature
• Natural resources (i.e., forests and wildlife)
  were brought under the control of the central
  government
• Many local practices were restricted or
  eliminated by the Administration (i.e., goat
  grazing, hunting, farming)
• After the independence of Cyprus in 1960, nature
  conservation remained under centralized control
  and top-down management
• The division of the island in 1974 hampered
  nature conservation efforts

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Nature conservation in Cyprus

• Cyprus has ratified several conventions on
  biodiversity conservation (i.e., Bern Convention,
  Barcelona Convention, Bonn Convention, Rio
  Convention, CITES)
• Cyprus is currently focusing on implementing the
  Habitats Directive and the CAP of the EU
• Biodiversity research (which has particularly
  evolved during the last two decades) remains
  disintegrated from policy and practice
• In April 2003, Turkish Cypriots and Greek
  Cypriots were allowed to cross the islands
  dividing line

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Objectives of the Cyprus Biodiversity Platform

• Create and maintain a network of scientists,
  policy-makers and other stakeholders involved in
  different aspects of biodiversity research and
  management
• Promote the integration among biodiversity
  research, policy and practice
• Promote interdisciplinary research on
  biodiversity, focusing on biodiversity
  conservation and rural community viability
• Promote awareness on biodiversity

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Tasks of theCyprus Biodiversity Platform

• Hold an establishment meeting in September 2003
  to formally present BioPlatform
• Create a national platform web-site to facilitate
  the exchange of information on biodiversity
• Create a data-bank with relevant publications on
  biodiversity in Cyprus (to be included in the
  web-site)
• Organize a series of lectures and workshops on
  biodiversity
• Hold annual national meetings to discuss
  biodiversity research and other biodiversity
  issues
• Distribute a newsletter with research activities
  and latest news on biodiversity issues

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Stage of activities
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Challenges we face

• Sustain a meaningful integration among
  biodiversity research, policy and practice
• Promote the concept of biodiversity conservation
  among all facets of society
• Overcome the tradition of top-down
  decision-making in biodiversity conservation and
  ensure stakeholder participation
• Promote collaboration between Greek Cypriot and
  Turkish Cypriot researchers and institutions
• Sustain the network and locate sources of funding

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Acknowledgments

• Dr. Costas Papastavros (Unit of Environmental
  Studies / Ecognosia)
• Ms. Virginia Avgoustinaki (Unit of Environmental
  Studies)
• Mr. Kyriacos Kyriacou (Forestry Department)
• Mr. Thomas Kyriacou (Forestry Department)
• Mr. Herododos Kakouris (Forestry Department)
• Mr. Andreas Antoniou (Forestry Department)
• Dr. Costas Kadis (Research Promotion Foundation)
• Ms. Maria Neocleous (Nature and Culture)

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Thank You!