Protesters demand tree restoration after mass clearout

Protestors on Saturday demanded that trees cut down at Limassol’s Dasoudi area should be replaced, as they slammed authorities for felling over 50 trees.

Holding placards saying, ‘I can’t believe I still have to protest over this’ and ‘cut your bullshit not trees’, demonstrators said if nothing is done to restore the site in two weeks “we will be back here.”

The forestry department is accused of cutting down over 50 trees and “ruining the only ecosystem of the area”.

It is described as a ‘mass clear out’ of trees spanning 3,000 square meters.

The forestry department however denied felling the trees, saying it only cleared out broken and uprooted trees, which were affected by the storm earlier this month.

It specified it would plant new trees to restore the damage.

Yermasogia mayor Kyriakos Xydias also attended the protest, saying the forestry department showed “excessive zeal” in its intervention after the tornadoes.

“Dasoudi is the jewel of the area, and as such, we should be informed before any action is taken.”

Environmentalists argued it was evident the forestry department had not thought through its actions.