Environmental groups warn of ‘serious concerns’ to Lady’s Mile Beach

Environmental groups on Friday raised “serious concerns” about “multiple pressures and threats” being faced at Lady’s Mile Beach in Akrotiri Peninsula that are “putting in danger this area of significant ecological value”.

In a joint statement, Terra Cypria – The Cyprus Conservation Foundation and BirdLife Cyprus said the correct, timely and strict enforcement of the existing legislation was needed by the Administration of the British Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs).

“Lady’s Mile Beach has great environmental importance,” the statement said as defined under several environmental conventions.

Its sandy beach is also crucial for sea turtle nesting and supports many species of wild fauna.

Lady’s Mile Beach is also located adjacent to the Wetland of International Importance/Ramsar Site Akrotiri and within the Important Bird Area Akrotiri Peninsula – Episkopi Cliffs.

The statement said that according to the Akrotiri Peninsula Environmental Management Plan, which was approved and published in September 2012, the natural habitat types, as well as species of wild flora, fauna, and avifauna found at the Lady’s Mile Beach, “are facing multiple pressures, severe threats, and significant impacts, due to rampant developments and recreational activities”.

Some of these threats, it added, include direct loss, degradation and fragmentation of natural habitats, caused mostly by existing infrastructure such as roads and parking places, developments like restaurants and amenities, sun beds and beach umbrellas as well as the human disturbance in periods of high visitor activity during the summer.

“Restaurants managing sun beds and beach umbrellas do not follow the existing regulations and their licensing conditions,” the statement added. They were repeatedly organising events, without a permit, outside the building and on the beach, during nighttime, with light and sound, just beside sea turtle and waterbird nests.

There are recorded incidents where sea turtles were prevented from nesting by sunbeds that were not removed after 7pm when this activity is banned until 7am.

In one case, they presented an obstacle to turtles that had come out of the sea to lay their eggs. As a result, the turtles returned to the water.

In addition, the authorisation of more sunbeds and beach umbrellas, like recently in the case of Asomatos would mean even more habitat loss and/or nest damage for sea turtles.

“We regret to observe that the situation in the past few years has worsened, as it seems that no effective measures are being taken, no deterrent penalties are being imposed and the existing legislation is essentially not adequately implemented by the SBAs Administration,” the two eco groups said.

“The SBAs administration should set up an effective mechanism to ensure that all amenities, including sunbeds and beach umbrellas, are removed during nighttime and all the events are licenced before they take place and comply with the regulations.”

They added that considering the current conservation status of habitats and species in the area, any further increase of the level of habitat degradation and species disturbance in the area should be considered as having a significant impact, and consequently be deemed unacceptable.

The SBAs should adopt and implement a “zero tolerance” policy against any further breaches of laws and conventions, they added.

“While we acknowledge the significance and the challenge of maintaining a balance between beach recreation activities and the obligation of nature protection at Lady’s Mile, we believe that prioritising the preservation of the area’s ecological integrity is of utmost importance,” the statement added.