**Bicommunal Wildfire Resilience Project in Cyprus Concludes Successfully**
The PyrΑnankampsi/Alevlerden Gelecege Project, a collaborative initiative between Greek and Turkish Cypriots under the Laona Foundation, has recently celebrated its completion after two years of dedicated work towards enhancing wildfire resilience in Cyprus. The project, which focused on civic action in fire-affected communities, has trained over 650 individuals in fire prevention and post-fire recovery techniques.
A commemorative event was held at the Home for Cooperation in Nicosia, where Green MP Charalampos Theopemptou highlighted the critical nature of such projects in the face of climate change and the region’s challenging weather conditions. Panicos Champas, General Secretary of the Cypriot Farmers Association, echoed these concerns, emphasizing the need for a tailored national plan for wildfire prevention and management, considering Cyprus’s unique terrain and size.
Artemis Yiordamli, director of the Laona Foundation, proposed involving the army in restoring abandoned dry-stone walls, a labor-intensive but necessary measure to prevent soil erosion and promote new growth. The project, which supported civil society in rural regions of Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos, and the Pentadaktylos range, saw participation from around 470 Greek Cypriots and 180 Turkish Cypriots.
Funded by the Active Citizens Fund Cyprus programme through the EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021, with additional support from the A.G Leventis Foundation, the project also received praise for fostering bicommunal contact. Yiordamli told the Cyprus Mail about the positive reception from volunteers and participants and the eagerness of Cypriots to engage with one another despite decades of separation.
Participants were trained in SWOT analysis and traditional dry stone wall construction methods. These efforts were particularly significant following the catastrophic 2021 Arakapas fire, which highlighted the limitations of modern erosion prevention techniques. Volunteers and experts worked together to build dry stone walls in affected areas such as Stroggilos mountain and Kornokipos.
The project also included tree planting initiatives, emphasizing the use of heat-resistant broadleaf trees and plants. For more information about the PyrΑnankampsi/Alevlerden Gelecege Project, visit https://laona.org/pyranakampsi-project/ and follow the Laona Foundation on Facebook.
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