Feriha Tel: "4,922 Trees Cut Down for Külliye Construction!"

Speaking as a guest on the "Agenda" program, hosted by Ulaş Barış on Kıbrıs Postası TV, Tel expressed concern about the environmental impact of the project. She stated, "4,922 trees were cut down in the area where the Külliye is being built."

Tel also highlighted the high costs associated with the foreign importation of irrigation, electricity, and other systems required for the newly planted trees to survive, calling the expenses "staggering."

Regarding the newly planted trees, Tel expressed uncertainty about whether they would survive. "The cut trees were contributing to the environment by regenerating themselves. Now, the new trees will require a lot of effort to survive. The area where the Külliye is being built was a breathing space for Nicosia. Cutting down the existing trees is not logical," she emphasized.

Tel also addressed the issue of drought in the Mesarya region, noting the significant loss of trees. "If it rains, the trees break, and if it doesn't, everything burns. We have started losing our trees. We face a future shaped by the climate crisis, but there is no effort to take preventive action," she added.

Tel pointed out that no budget has been allocated for seedling production and afforestation efforts, particularly criticizing the lack of resources during the Mersinlik fire. "The replacement of trees lost in the Mersinlik fire is minimal. How prepared are we for wildfires? Last summer, we didn’t even have a helicopter. By chance, a major fire didn’t occur, but this won’t always be the case," she stressed, calling for better planning to address fire risks.

In response to ongoing sales of forest land, Tel stated, "If there are no trees on registered forest land, it is a shame for all of us. These lands should not be used for other purposes. If the land is not registered as forest, they are cutting down the trees. People say, 'It’s my land, I can do whatever I want.' This is unacceptable."