Natura 2000 forest under threat as Alona springs dry up

Local environmentNicosiaTop Newswater Natura 2000 forest under threat as Alona springs dry up Alona Spring Relevant News Natura 2000 forest under threat as Alona springs dry up 3 July 2026 Cypriot born artist PASHIAS at Trinity College Dublin 3 July 2026 Isabel Ordaz: ‘War is a failure, not an opportunity for glory’ 3 July 2026 newsroom 3 July 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Alona Community Council has sent a letter to the Water Development Department demanding an urgent investigation into the drying of local springs and what it described as a critical situation affecting water resources in Alona and the wider Pitsilia region. The letter, dated July 2, 2026, and signed by council president Michalis Nikiforou, said the community was returning to a serious issue it had raised before, as the deterioration of the area’s water resources had reached what it called worrying proportions. The council noted that it had already sent an official letter to the department on July 9, 2025, expressing concern over the drying of the “Vrysi ton Poulion” spring and a significant drop in the flow of natural springs in Alona, asking the department to investigate possible factors affecting the springs and groundwater, including possible overextraction or the granting of new drilling licences in the area and neighbouring communities. At the time, the explanation given was mainly drought and reduced rainfall, the letter said. However, the council said current data raised new and reasonable questions. The letter said 2026 was marked by significant, increased rainfall. During the winter period, the “Vrysi ton Poulion” spring, located between Alona and Polystypos, recovered and began flowing again. Towards the end of May, however, the flow suddenly dropped until it stopped completely, the letter added. This development has caused particular concern in the community, the council said, since the drying of the spring can no longer be attributed solely to drought. Given that there was a period of significant rainfall and a temporary recovery in the spring’s flow, the council said it believed there was new data requiring scientific and technical assessment. The effects on the area are already visible, the letter continued. Springs are drying up, old plane trees are showing signs of drying out and efforts are underway to save them, while the Alona forest, protected under the Natura 2000 network, is showing serious signs of degradation and is at risk, according to the letter. The issue is not confined to Alona but also affects neighbouring Pitsilia communities, the letter said. It warned that the possible loss or significant reduction of natural water springs would have serious consequences for the area’s entire ecosystem, with effects on biodiversity, natural heritage and the sustainability of mountain communities. The council described the situation as particularly critical and said it required immediate action. It said the community would continue making every effort to address the problem, while emphasising it was not seeking confrontation but cooperation with the relevant authorities to find suitable and sustainable solutions. The council also said its concerns were not an isolated local assessment but were linked to wider issues already documented at an institutional level, noting that a Special Report by the Audit Office referred to the need for more effective monitoring, better management and strengthened control mechanisms for water resources. In light of this, the letter said, the drying of springs, the reduction in natural water flow and the possible impact on the area’s underground water reserves could not be treated as isolated incidents without full scientific investigation. Specifically, the council asked the department to: Carry out an immediate hydrogeological and scientific investigation into the causes of the drying of the “Vrysi ton Poulion” spring and the reduction in spring flow in the area. Investigate how many new drilling licences have been granted in the wider area, including licences for water extraction or use for commercial purposes. Examine whether the underground water reserves supplying the community and neighbouring areas have been affected. Provide clear, documented answers to the community regarding the real causes of the situation. Examine, in cooperation with the Department of Geological Survey, the possibility of identifying underground water and granting a drilling licence aimed at saving the forest and the area’s natural heritage. The council said it would continue its own efforts to address the problem but considered direct intervention by the relevant authorities necessary, adding that it sought resolution through cooperation and genuine dialogue with the competent state services. It said it awaited action and a response from the department as soon as possible. The letter was copied to the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, the Department of Geological Survey, the Commissioner for the Environment, the Office of the President of the Republic, and the president and members of the House Committees on the Environment and Agriculture. 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