A long and severe drought is pushing Cyprus's beloved forests to the edge of an ecological crisis. Forestry officials are warning that the ancient woodlands could suffer permanent damage. The island is facing its worst water shortage in over fifteen years, leading to the death of trees on a scale that experts say they have never seen before.
Savvas Ezekiel, the head of the Cyprus forestry department, recently gave a serious public warning. He explained that several dry years in a row have severely weakened even the strongest trees. This crisis is a result of a long period where rainfall has been far below normal. Years of low precipitation have left the soil extremely dry, meaning large areas of forest can no longer survive.
While some places with better local climates, like the Troodos mountains, are holding on for now, other famous areas are declining quickly. The well-known cedar valley is one of the worst-hit locations, where around two out of every five trees have already died from lack of water. The situation is also very serious in the forests of Kakomalis, Machairas, and Akamas. Several important types of trees are affected, including the Turkish pine and the golden oak, a unique tree that is vital to the island's environment. The director sadly noted, "We will lose many centuries-old trees," showing how extreme the conditions are.
The reasons for this decline are complex. Young trees are the most vulnerable because their roots are not deep enough, and they can die within weeks during a strong heatwave. However, the ongoing drought has now also drained the water reserves of the oldest, largest trees. The problem does not stop with the trees. The entire water system in these areas is struggling. Rivers have very little water, and natural springs, which are essential for birds and other animals, are drying up. This creates a chain of negative effects for local wildlife.
The long-term consequences are serious. Losing ancient and unique trees would be an irreplaceable loss for Cyprus's natural history and could change the island's environmental balance for many years to come. The director described the situation as "unprecedented." The immediate future looks uncertain and depends almost completely on how much rain falls next winter. If the coming season does not bring significant and steady rainfall, officials fear the situation will become much worse, speeding up the destruction of these essential natural habitats.