The replacement of shingle at Faros beach in Pervolia, Larnaca, has been recommended by the environment departments in an attempt to use nature to halt ongoing coastal erosion.

Environment Officer Neocles Antoniou told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) that for years the local authority has removed the shingle from the shoreline to create a more uniform sandy beach, believing it would be more attractive.

“In reality, the shingle acts as a natural defence against erosion, binding the beach and absorbing wave energy so the sand is not lost,” he said.

When it is taken away, he added, the protective effect disappears and sand is steadily carried off the beach.

Antoniou said at a recent meeting with the Larnaca district officer and the public works department it was agreed the practice of removing pebbles must stop immediately.

The shingle and pebbles that have been removed over the years have been stockpiled at the back of the beach.

While the public works department typically protects beaches through hard infrastructure such as offshore breakwaters, the environment department has urged a different first step at Faros: a trial restoration of the beach’s natural shingle layer.

The proposal, submitted to Public Works, is framed as a “nature-based solution” designed to stabilise the shoreline without resorting straight away to marine structures.

Antoniou said a strategic study on coastal erosion along the coast from Kiti to Larnaca airport, which includes the Faros area, had led the public works department to suggest a large number of new breakwaters.

However, a Special Ecological Assessment for the protected areas along this stretch indicated that such works could adversely affect sensitive habitats.

As a result, the environment department’s opinion on the proposed breakwaters is negative, meaning the scheme will not proceed as initially designed.

In parallel, the environment department is recommending that the Larnaca district officer enforce the relevant legislation to ensure the removal of pebbles ceases wherever it persists, and to apply appropriate measures as required.

The department’s preference, Antoniou said, is to prioritise nature-based solutions beginning with a controlled, pilot replacement of shingle at Faros beach and to monitor the results before considering any hard engineering.