Any available placements will show above. Click on the available placement information for more details.
Background
The Host is Kato Drys Community Council. Based in the mountainous region of Larnaca District, KDCC has worked closely with Grampus Heritage from Cumbria in the UK since 2011. The partner regions are important for nature conservation, with the Lake District National Park and the coastal AONB in Cumbria and designated mountain reserves in the mountains of Cyprus and a coastline with numerous reserves and protected areas. In the past Grampus has worked to twin the natural pine forests of Troodos in Cyprus with Whinlatter Forest Park in Cumbria. Water in Cyprus is also of critical importance and climate change (hotter and drier) has important implications for forests and scrubland. We work to protect and expand forests and have a track record of over 25 years working with the Cyprus Forestry Department.
Every year our host in Cyprus runs an environmental placement that incorporates seasonal work and traditional crafts that go hand in hand with traditional environmental work.
previous placements included:
Week One:
We focus on some special ecosystems….1. 1,000+ year old olive groves, which are under threat due to rural depopulation and climate change. We visit, record species, discuss management and talk about solutions. 2. Orchid meadows; there are at least 6 local species; we find and photograph them, discuss their threatened status and plan a sustainable tourism possibility, including an ‘orchid trail’. We do this at the end of the 2nd week…..two reasons….Sanka, our technician goes to Sri Lanka to a wedding and he needs to ‘planters’ and some drystone walling with you before he goes. We also work to restore a medieval water cistern in a beautiful river valley
3. In the Machairas mountains we visit the forested ‘Kyprovasa’, with native pines and Maquis, dry scrub forest; we look at past use and product and again, assess touristic potential…..We do this on Monday 6th May…..first full day…..we take a picnic lunch
Week Two:
A practical work week…. you will help to manage our forest and plant nursery, weeding, watering, re-potting, taking cuttings. We aim to do some landscape design and planting of succulents, such as Aloe Vera. We look after various planters in the villages of Pano Lefkara and Kato Drys and you will help to create and maintain this initiative. In the first week now because Sanka leaves We also visit Nicosia with a focus on ‘trees and the city’.We visit Nicosia in week 2
Week Three:
We do an art project to promote nature conservation and environmental protection…. it will have a coastal theme. You will paint / decorate large cable drum wooden ends and complete their installation at the coast. At the same time, we will consider and look at the sea grass underwater meadows, so important for breeding fish and sea turtles.Yes, this is more or less the same!
You definitely need sun tan cream, a hat, insect repellent!
Any upcoming placements will show above. Click on available placement information, for more details.
Funding
This project has been funded with support from the Turing scheme, funded by the UK government. However our last Turing project ended in August 2024 and due to a change of eligibility criteria we are no longer allowed to apply for Turing funding.
This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and Turing cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.