Police look into felling of ‘century-old’ trees

POLICE have launched an investigation after 13 trees, some more than a 100 years old, were reportedly cut down and then sold as firewood.

The trees were felled in an area covering 72 dönums between Mersinlik and Kaplıca, according to a story in CyprusToday’s sister newspaper Kıbrıs on Tuesday. They included “century-old” olive trees and carob and pine trees, the paper said. The environmental destruction was discovered by officials from the Kantara Forestry Department office, which said that the former landowner had obtained a permit from the district office.

Current landowner Osman Kalabalık said he had been “deeply saddened” by the loss of the trees, after being informed by forestry officials. He said he had filed a criminal complaint at İskele police station.

A spokesman from the Forestry Department said they had “no authority to intervene” in the matter if the trees had been located on “private land”.