The Pandoteira project organized an event titled: “Natura 2000: Generating awareness among Paphos residents”. The event took place on Saturday, April 30th, 2022, and began with a hike at the “Faros Kato Pafou” Natura 2000 site. The hike was followed by a presentation at the “En Plo” Gallery in Kato Paphos.
Purpose of the event
The purpose of this event was to:
- Inform the members of the Local Authority, as well as local residents and the general public, about the “Pandoteira” project and what actions are scheduled to take place within the specific area.
- Generate awareness concerning the importance of the Natura 2000 network.
- Help participants grasp the importance of the “Faros Kato Pafou” Natura 2000 site and its biodiversity.
The event was organized under the auspices of the Mayor of Paphos, Mr Phedon Phedonos.
Right after the hike the participants gathered at the “En Plo” Gallery, where the importance of the Natura 2000 network was presented. The special characteristics of the specific area where also presented, along with the importance of the Ezousa. Xeros and Diarizos river estuaries. Click here to view the full presentation.
A discussion followed on how these areas can be used to attract nature tourism. In addition, the need for Natura 2000 area managers was brought up as a means to assist Local Authorities in achieving sustainable development.
Future steps
Representatives of the City Council expressed their interest in organizing a second presentation, targeting all members of the City Council. This presentation will be organized in the near future.
An idea that sprung through the discussion was the creation of nature trails, which combine nature with the view of archaeological sites. In addition, it was requested to organize a follow-up presentation focusing on the rare and endemic species of flora, fauna and habitats. Of course, the Pandoteira team will remain in close contact with the Local Authority for organizing future events and presentations.
This event was led by Terra Cypria-the Cyprus Conservation Foundation, which is the lead partner of Action E2.1: “Set up awareness-raising and information activities for targeted stakeholders” and Task 1: “Systematically inform the stakeholders on the progress made by the project”.
To find out more about the Pandoteira project click here.
