Why we decided
to move olive trees
Imagine finding a paradise island just as it is being destroyed.
The Turkish Cypriot Community in northern
Cyprus has and continues to be
isolated. There are no direct flights in or out and export of its goods
and services is severely restricted, making it an impoverished area
compared to other places in the Mediterranean. Over 30 years of isolation has
left its natural environment
relatively unspoilt.
A property boom which started in 2004, lead to literally thousands
of olive trees being cut down to make way for the profitable housing
market. It was obvious there was no way to stop or indeed
control this development. The decision makers saw it as the
"locomotive of the economy", offering many spin-off benefits
to the rest of the community. Obstructing the builders would have been tantamount to committing treason.
But to destroy the very thing which made Cyprus so an attractive place was not acceptable either.(...continued)
|
Even historic trees are not safe from development
taking place in Cyprus. As a last resort, we moved this tree
on behalf
of the local authority into the
central park in Kyrenia town.
|
