We are thrilled to announce a groundbreaking project in collaboration with local authorities. This project marks the first-ever comprehensive effort to develop a Marine Protected Area (MPA) management plan for Cyprus, aimed at conserving our marine biodiversity and supporting sustainable use of our ocean resources.

The MPA of Lara-Toxeftra is one of the most significant in the island and the Mediterranean, as it is a nesting area for the loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) and green turtles (Chelonia mydas), while also hosting other protected marine habitats and species.

In 1989, recognizing its importance, it was designated as a protected area by the House of Representatives. Later, in 2011, it was included in the Natura 2000 network based on the European Habitats Directive, and in 2013, it was listed in the prestigious Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMIs) under the Protocol concerning Specially Protected Areas and Biological Diversity in the Mediterranean.

Despite the significance of the area, this “jewel” of our island lacks a management plan, leaving it vulnerable to increasing anthropogenic pressures and climate change.

Identifying this gap and the pressures on the area, we are pleased to announce our new program, the “Lara-Toxeftra Climate-Adaptive and REsponsive (CARE) plan,” in collaboration with DFMR, and co-funded by MedPAN.

The goal of the Lara-Toxeftra CARE plan is to prepare a management plan for the Lara-Toxeftra MPA within the next two years based on three pillars:

• Collaboration and contribution of all stakeholders and directly involved parties of the area (including local authorities) in the formation and implementation of the plan.
• Scientific documentation of action plans and objectives for the area with a focus on its long-term protection against climate change.
• Use and training of the area’s executive personnel in the latest monitoring and study technologies.

Specifically, we aim to utilize local knowledge so that, in collaboration with the authorities, a management plan can be created that is feasible and sustainable in the long term.

Of course, it would be impossible to talk about long-term plans without including the impacts of climate change, which threatens both nesting beaches and the turtles themselves. In our plan, we will run climate change impact models after collecting data to create appropriate actions for each possible scenario.

Additionally, recognizing the difficulty of monitoring and compliance in the marine environment, we will also incorporate the possibility of using autonomous aerial vehicles (drones) for monitoring the MPA. The MPA personnel will be trained and will participate with us to transfer knowledge of this technology.

The initial stage of our project’s implementation is the mapping of the area’s stakeholders. If you are one of them, please contact us! 

Learn more about the project here: Lara-Toxeftra CARE Plan