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Protecting sites for birds in Cyprus
Clairie Papazoglou
Executive Director
Climate Change: A Challenge for Europe and
Cyprus
2nd Conference on Sustainability of the
German-Cypriot Forum in Cooperation with
Friends of Nature Cyprus
28 November 2009, Goethe Centre Nicosia
BirdLife Cyprus
February 2003
COS 1957 & COS 1970
merged to form BirdLife Cyprus
Conservation and protection of birds
•Study of birds
•Raising awareness
•Influencing policy through working with or lobbying
authorities
EU law about birds
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Cyprus in the EU since 1st May 2004
Acquis communautaire applies
Birds Directive (BD) (79/409/EEC)
Habitats Directive (HD) (92/43/EEC)
BD: All birds protected
BD: Provisions about species protection,
including hunting
BD: Creation of network of sites called SPAs
(Special Protection Areas)
HD creates Natura 2000
Importance of Cyprus for birds
• ~ 150 million migrants in Autumn
• ~ 100 million migrants in Spring
•Belonging to more than 380 species
SPAs under the Birds Directive
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EU Member States
are obliged to make
SPAs the most
suitable sites for
species of birds listed
on Annex I of the
Birds Directive
 Or for regularly
occurring migratory
species, especially
waterbirds
Cyprus warbler
SPAs under the Birds Directive

EU Member States
are obliged to make
SPAs the most
suitable sites for
species of birds listed
on Annex I of the
Birds Directive
 Or for regularly
occurring migratory
species, especially
waterbirds
Cyprus wheatear
SPAs under the Birds Directive

EU Member States
are obliged to make
SPAs the most
suitable sites for
species of birds listed
on Annex I of the
Birds Directive
 Or for regularly
occurring migratory
species, especially
waterbirds
Spur winged plover
SPAs under the Birds Directive

EU Member States
are obliged to make
SPAs the most
suitable sites for
species of birds listed
on Annex I of the
Birds Directive
 Or for regularly
occurring migratory
species, especially
waterbirds
Griffon vulture
SPAs under the Birds Directive

EU Member States
are obliged to make
SPAs the most
suitable sites for
species of birds listed
on Annex I of the
Birds Directive
 Or for regularly
occurring migratory
species, especially
waterbirds
Roller
IBAs and SPAs
Important Bird Areas
(IBAs) are identified
by BirdLife
International
SPAs are an obligation
of the Birds Directive
The European Court of
Justice has ruled that
IBAs can be used as
the best available
evidence for choosing
SPAs
Important Bird Areas (IBAs)
BirdLife Cyprus (2004)
Special Protection Areas (SPAs)
AKAMAS
OROKLINI
PARALIMNI
AKROTIRI
SPAs - IBAs
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16 IBAs
 28 SPAs
 2 very important sites
missing (Akamas
Peninsula and Akrotiri
wetland)
Obligations SPAs
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Designation
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Formal Protection
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Conservation objectives –
Favourable Conservation
Status
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Secure funding
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Management
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Article 6 Habitats Directive
(Appropriate Assessment)
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Restoration
Obligation of favourable
conservation status
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Objective is to have all sites in
favourable conservation status
Endangered
Declining – threatened
Favourable status
Situation today
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7 Sites
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14 Sites
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7 Sites
Out of 28 SPAs
BirdLife Cyprus
estimates that:
Main threats
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Urban and touristic
development
(residences, golf
courses)
Main threats
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Infrastructure
development
(airport, roads)
Main threats
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Hunting and
trapping (although
more at species
level) and
disturbance
Main threats
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Windfarms
Natura 2000 and climate change
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CC is the most important
threat for biodiversity in
the medium term
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Biodiversity and healthy
ecosystems play an
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important role in regulating
climate
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Ecosystem based
approaches for climate
change adaptation and
mitigation bring multiple
benefits
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Research shows that
the more healthy an
ecosystem the better
able it is to withstand
climate change
21 sites (SPAs)
unfavourable
conservation status
Jewels of the crown
Wider ecosystem health
Restoration
‘Healthy ecosystems are essential in any
strategy for climate change adaptation.
One could say that conservation of
biodiversity is our life insurance for the
future. The current threats of habitat loss
and fragmentation and pollution need to be
addressed.’
Stavros Dimas, Environment Commissioner,
European Commission
Thank you for your attention