Vassiliko Cement has donated four plots of land, amounting to an area of around 45,000m2, to environmental NGO Terra Cypria. The land, which falls within a ‘Natura 2000’ protected zone, is located in the Ayia Ekaterini and Ayia Paraskevi gorges and is a breeding ground for peregrine falcons, the European roller, the Cyprus wheatear, and the masked shrike.
A statement released by Terra Cypria following the announcement of the donation said the land will remain a conservation area and no construction works will be allowed to be carried out on it.
“This is a very important step for Cyprus, one that perfectly exemplifies our ongoing conservation management efforts,” Terra Cypria executive director, Lefkios Sergides, told Cyprus Mail.
Sergides said that conservation management through land acquisition is still relatively uncharted territory on the island but added that the example set by Vassiliko Cement Works could represent an important first step.
