Are we ready to live in peace with olive trees?

12 March 2024, by Tuğberk Emirzade | Biologist

Olive trees, which have been a symbol of peace and friendship for centuries, are valuable both in terms of agricultural production and in cultural and ecological terms. The nature of our relationshship with olive trees has changed over time: Once upon a time olive trees would help pass on the memories of our elders to the next generation and were considered a member of the family, Now we often view them as elements of landscaping or firewood. When an olive tree trunk is burnt, our history, culture, and biodiversity are destroyed along with it.

As the olive trees, which are indispensable for the visual texture of Cyprus, disappear, a part of the identity of Cyprus disappears, thus, Kyrenia, becomes less like Kyrenia, Karpasia/Karpaz less like Karpasia/Karpaz and Lefka/Lefke less like what it used to be. According to the local statistical data for agriculture and natural resources, 216,469 olive trees were destroyed in the northern part of Cyprus during the period between 1980 and 2018.  Link

Besides being an integral part of our rich culture, olive trees are also part of the ecosystem. In many olive groves, in addition to the trees themselves, there are wild plants, stone bindings and seasonally-formed water holes, which support the olive trees and create habitats for wildlife. Especially, the hollow spaces, formed in the trunks of old olive trees, are home to many animals such as owls and lizards. In a study conducted in Spain, 75 different plant species in additon to olive trees were found. According to another study, investigating biodiversity, 70 different vertebrate and more than 160 invertebrate species were found in olive groves.

Excessive pruning of the olive trees is harmful to both the tree and the ecosystem it supports. Once pruned excessively, an olive tree needs many years to recover and become a productive tree again. Birds and reptiles that use the tree as a nest, perch and food source before pruning, suddenly lose their habitat. In the European Union, olive groves consisting of old olive trees are classified as “agricultural areas of high natural value” in terms of land use as they reflect both the biodiversity and cultural landscape.

Dr. Jala Makhzoumi, the Lebanese scientist, who conducted a research study in the field of ecological landscaping in Cyprus, summarises in her book “Ecological Landscape Design and Planning” that olive groves are considered as a “multifunctional landscape type” and have the following benefits:

• Ecological: Supports wildlife and biodiversity.
• Economic: It has economic importance due to olive and olive oil production.
• Sociocultural: It ensures the continuation of socio-cultural activities such as olive picking, oil extraction, olive oil trade.
• Historical: Since the trees remain alive for generations, heirloom trees strengthen the sense of identity and belonging in individuals and keep the traditions of families alive.
• Aesthetic: The appearance of olive groves aesthetically enhances the landscape of rural areas.

In the northern part of Cyprus, although there are legal texts regarding the cutting and pruning of olive trees, many olive trees are being slaughtered for the purpose of extracting wood due to lack of enforcement According to the legal texts, which were last amended in 2004, a permit is required for the cutting, uprooting and sale of olive wood. A person, who fails to obtain the necessary permits is considered to commit an offence and, upon conviction, can be fined or imprisoned or both. Moreover, a person, who sells olive wood without a license permitting the sale of the wood, is considered to commit an offence and, upon conviction, all the wood can be confiscated, the person may be liable to a fine, imprisonment or both.

If we are ready to protect our olive trees and live in peace with them, we can start implementing the following:

• Introduction of a certification system for the sale of wood and only allow the sale of certified wood.
• Implementation of strict controls to prevent uncertified wood sales
• Introduction of detailed pruning permits and prevention of the cutting of trunks (hollow or not) in pruned trees and of branches with by imposing thickness restrictions on the pruning of the main branches forming the crown of the tree.
• Prohibition of the cutting of olive trees from the base.
• Definition of the monumental olive trees and an inventory of the monumental olive trees on the island.
• If the place where an olive tree is located is to be used for another purpose, the transfer of the tree in a proper manner.
• If an “olive grove” with many trees is to be transferred, the individual trees, if possible, should be replanted in the same way to form an “olive grove” to ensure their contribution to our biodiversity, rather than transferring each tree to the gardens of private houses or in roadside medians.

But above all, we must recognise and understand olive trees and their benefits for our nature and biodiversity. We must realise what our island and we will lose when the last olive tree is cut down. Are we ready to do what it takes to protect the olive trees and the olive groves? If not, are we ready to lose them?