Fassuri reed beds (akrotiri marsh) part 2

Akrotiri marsh (also known as Fassouri marsh/reedbed) is a unique natural wetland in Cyprus covering an area of 150 hectares. It is part of the of the Akrotiri wetland complex, the largest natural wetland complex of the island. A visit to Akrotiri marsh is an excellent choice for those who wish to experience nature.

The marsh is a Ramsar site, an Important Bird Area (IBA) and a Special Protection Area (SPA), equivalent to the EU designation, according to the mirror law (26/2007) in the Cyprus Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs).

The site had been largely unmanaged for the last 20 years resulting in overexpansion of reeds and consequent loss of bird and plant diversity. An ecosystem-based conservation project in combination with public engagement actions started in April 2015 to restore the area and its biodiversity.

The 2-year project (April 2015 to March 2017) with the title ‘Akrotiri Marsh Restoration: a flagship wetland in the Cyprus SBAs’ is funded by the Darwin Initiative through UK Government funding (Darwin Plus, the Overseas Territories Environment and Climate Fund).

The project is implemented with BirdLife Cyprus as a lead partner and in collaboration with the Akrotiri Environmental Education Centre and the RSPB (BirdLife partner in the UK).