At an event that included environmental activists, local leaders and bird enthusiasts of all kinds, the Society for the Protection of Birds and Nature inaugurated its Cyprus Nature Library on September 30, 2010. Made possible with a small grant from USAID through the Supporting Activities that Value the Environment (SAVE) project, the Library will provide international standard resources to educators, researchers, children, scholars and anyone else interested in the nature and environment of Cyprus. In addition, the Library will serve as a focus of environmental education and as a base from which the Society will continue its efforts to raise awareness regarding critical environmental and sustainable development issues.

Small grant support to this community initiative is part of SAVE’s work to build local capacity to better protect and manage Cyprus’ valuable natural and cultural resources. Like all U.S.-funded programs in Cyprus, SAVE is aimed at facilitating reunification of the island, including through better protection and management of the island’s natural resources.