KUŞKOR What is Happening in the Haspolat Important Bird Area?

Readers Mail....

From Damla Beton ....KUŞKOR......

With the contributions of the Northern Cyprus Birds and Nature Protection Association-KUŞKOR, the ‘All Cyprus Important Bird Areas’ were determined between 2009-2010. Thanks to this project, which was carried out in cooperation with BirdLife Cyprus and with EU funding, the Haspolat Lagoons, Balıkesir Wetland and the Kanlıdere extension in this region were determined as an Important Bird Area (İKA) and were internationally recognized in 2014.

One of the most important reasons for this area being accepted as an İKA is the Haspolat Lagoons, which are part of the Haspolat Waste Treatment Plant and the species it hosts, covering an area of ​​77 hectares. Special Bird Areas are areas that are carefully managed in many countries, especially in Europe, in accordance with the principles of protecting natural life.

Again in 2014, a project was planned to develop the New Nicosia Wastewater Treatment Plant with EU funding. The EU and Nicosia Municipality stated that since the lagoons would no longer be needed as a result of the new system, a large part of these lagoons would be dried. Following this, KUŞKOR immediately prepared a report and informed the relevant authorities about the importance of this area.

The area should be protected as a wetland

Among the suggestions were that the area should be protected as a wetland by providing clean water, that safe areas should be created for birds with some arrangements and that it should be made suitable for bird watchers. We could not get a clear answer from any authority on this issue. As a result, 27 hectares of the area were left to dry in 2017. During this period, reports were given to the relevant institutions, meetings were held and the disadvantages of drying the area in terms of bird life were explained several times and solutions were suggested.

United Nations Development Program (UNDP)

Finally, it was stated that the project would be carried out within the scope of infrastructure projects to be carried out by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) with EU funding and we were invited to evaluation meetings on the subject. In these meetings, as we did before, we provided information about the disadvantages of drying the lagoons. In addition, if this is required by international laws due to the property process, we expressed the urgency to create alternative areas and produce solutions.]

This meant a great disaster.

We also attended the Environmental Impact Assessment meeting following this process. During the meeting, it was said that the area was planned to be completely dried for 18 months in order to realize the project. This meant a great disaster. Although all bird data about the area was shared with those who prepared the EIA report during the EIA report process, the damage that the project process would cause to birds was not mentioned in the report as necessary.

Thereupon, new meetings and interviews were held with the efforts of KUSKOR. In this way, although it was announced that the project specified in 2014 would be implemented in 2024, they stated that ~27% of the area would be protected for a long time in a way that would enable the birds to live, and the decision to dry it for 18 months was abandoned.

The area to be lost is very large

Although these developments are pleasing, we stated that the area to be lost is very large, that property issues are not more important than wildlife, and that if expropriation is not possible, serious steps should be taken urgently to create alternative areas. We contacted UNDP and reminded them of national and international agreements regarding wildlife protection within the scope of the EU, drawing attention to the fact that the necessary measures were not taken. We also emphasized that additional financing should be provided to the Nicosia Turkish Municipality in order to correctly manage the remaining ~27% area to ensure maximum use by birds.

We provided recommendations to the Nicosia Turkish Municipality on how to increase the capacity of the lagoon planned to be protected for birds in 2023. We also continue to negotiate solutions to eliminate the effects of the shrinkage in the area. However, we would like to state that we absolutely do not find the situation we have reached today acceptable.

We have complained to the Bern Convention

This area was declared an important bird area with EU funding support. It is surprising that there is currently a loss of area as a result of a project carried out with EU funding. The development of wastewater treatment systems is of course necessary for our country and our island. But it is equally important to take precautions to dry the area. We have complained to the Bern Convention about this issue. In short, we have initiated procedures for this situation to be evaluated by international authorities.

As KUSKOR, we wanted to share our approximately 15-year effort to protect the Haspolat Lagoons and the bird population in this area and the current situation with all nature lovers

Source (Turkish): KUSKOR
https://cyprusscene.com/2024/09/23/kuskor-what-is-happening-in-the-haspolat-important-bird-area/