Forest Department clarifies that Platania campsite will reopen after redevelopment

The Department of Forests of the Republic of Cyprus has assured the public that the Platania campsite will not be closed permanently. It will once again welcome visitors after the completion of a major redevelopment.

The department previously announced that the site was no longer considered a campsite and would cease operating under that status. This prompted a wave of criticism from nature enthusiasts, who interpreted the statement as the final closure of the site.

Glafkos Kyriakou, a representative of the Department of Forests, explained that the announcement concerned only a temporary suspension of operations. According to him, it was necessary to clear the site of motorhomes, tents and other unauthorised structures before the redevelopment begins.

The modernisation is expected to take between one and one and a half years, after which the campsite will reopen to visitors.

Marios Stylianou, chairman of the Platania Free Campers Association, criticised the decision to close the campsite completely during the renovation. In his view, this could lead people to set up tents in forests outside designated areas, which is prohibited and makes it more difficult to monitor compliance with the rules.

The Department of Forests also reminded the public that tents, motorhomes and any other structures may be installed in state forests only with the permission of the department’s director.

At present, the only operating state forest campsite in Cyprus is the Stavros tis Psokas campsite.