Crete tourist guide

Kourtaliotiko Spring Protection Movement

2023-09-25 19:56:07

How much can depend on the active attitude of citizens can be proven by the victorious battle that the inhabitants of Crete fought last year in defense of the Paligremnos cliff in Plakias . The unique geological formation, above which the hotel complex was to be built, was defended against the attempts of ruthless business only thanks to the decisive attitude of the local community. Ultimately, this place obtained the status of a protected natural monument. We hope that the problem of allocating this place for hotel investments has been solved once and for all. Now the same citizens who fought for the Paligremnos cliff have founded the Protection Movement for the Kourtaliotiko springs.

Kourtalitiko Gorge CC BY 2.0

The Kourtaliotiko Gorge is one of the most extraordinary and unique places in Crete. There is probably no one who would not be impressed by the steep rock walls reaching 600 meters high and the road winding between them. A river flows at the bottom of this gorge, creating extremely picturesque waterfalls, and the rocks are a habitat for, among others, large griffon vultures. This place is one of the most important landscape attractions in the southern part of Rethymno Prefecture. It is also distinguished by its unique flora, and there are numerous habitats of various animals in its area. This gorge is included in the Natura 2000 protected areas and belongs to the Special Protection Zone for Wild Birds. It is also registered in the Greek nature database Filotis as a natural landscape and should be effectively protected against any destructive activity.

However, there are many indications that this gorge was targeted by someone who decided to "convert" this place into a tourist attraction to start making money from people visiting Kourtaliotiko.

In the spring of this year , a metal structure with a water transport pipe appeared near one of the waterfalls. It was accidentally discovered by one of the tourists visiting this place. The photos appeared on social media and caused a media frenzy. Then there were voices that the construction itself was not bad because the water was needed by local residents. However, in July this year, local authorities decided to build a parking lot for 300 cars for tourists who want to see the gorge. Their decision was explained by the fact that the cars parked wildly along the road posed a threat to the traffic of other vehicles. The next step is to build a wooden structure on the river bank where it would be possible to sell non-alcoholic beverages.

The local community felt concerned about this sequence of events so much that the above-mentioned Movement for the Protection of Kourtaliotiko Springs was created. Water supply and tourism are crucial to local communities and contribute to the well-being of residents, but the legality of drawing water from springs and the construction of a drinking building have been questioned. Additionally, people started sharing photos of this place, which is becoming more and more littered.

Activists claim that after the water intake pipe was laid, no hydrometers were placed anywhere to measure the amount of water drawn into the network, nor water meters that should monitor the water level and flow rate. Maintaining an adequate amount of water is essential to avoid ecosystem destruction and erosion.

An innocent building where thirsty tourists could buy drinks would also have an impact on the natural environment. Such a place would certainly extend the average time tourists stay there and, consequently, would excessively burden the environment. Such places generate a large amount of garbage, toilets and the problem of noise pollution. Ultimately, in the long run, such activities contribute to the progressive degradation of the ecosystem.

The announcements made by the then Minister of the Environment in January last year are also disturbing. According to them, the management of this area in the future would resemble the management standards of Samaria. This would mean putting up a fence, selling tickets and opening hiking trails.

Such activities introduced without the necessary environmental and technical research and a transparent design pose many threats to the protection of the area. Opening the trails would require clearing the paths, introducing infrastructure and adapting to fire protection requirements. Ultimately, such a project may quickly lead to full exploitation of resources, irreversible change of the natural landscape and loss of biodiversity.

As the people creating the new movement say, " We did not take this world away from our parents. We borrowed it from our children. It is our duty to respect and protect the environment so that the long-term consequences of our actions are not fatal and irreversible. Our goal is to preserve our local treasures and defend natural resources for the health and well-being of residents. Gorge water and biodiversity cannot be a commodity to be wasted ."

Gosia,  2023-09-25 19:56:07

Średnia: NAN

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