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Panagiotis S. Economidis, Emeritus Professor of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and internationally renowned Ichthyologist, has passed away. He left a great legacy with his extensive research and teaching work.

To his honour, his name has been given to three freshwater fish, endemics of Greece: The Trichonis Blenny (Salaria economidisi), the Western Greece Goby, or Economidis Goby (Economidichthys pygmaeus) and the Trichonis Dwarf Goby (Economidichthys trichonis). The latter is considered to be the smallest freshwater fish in Europe - mature at 1.8cm and attaining a maximum length of 3cm.

P.S. Economidis was a former member of the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature, and has written several articles for the magazine "Nature" (Fysi). We extend our sincerest condolences to his family.

The Hellenic Intiative was founded in 2012 by members of the global Greek and philhellenic communities who were moved to respond to the worsening economic crisis in Greece. THI Canada branch has worked to fund raise and to donate its time, resources and skills to help in building a better Greece. Today it has expanded its goals to include the natural environment and will work with the HSPN to meet environmental needs. The HSPN will help THI Canada acquire experience and knowledge in fields related to nature preservation and sustainability in Greece.

Nikos Petrou, the president of the HSPN, is contributing to these efforts today with his presentation and webinar to Greek Canadians on the subject of Biodiversity of Greece and its protection.

The presentation/ virtual event will take place on Wednesday 17 February 2021, 12.00PM EST (19.00 Greek time). For more information, and for registration, here.

Nine Greek environmental NGOs hail the conclusions of a recent scientific research study on locating terrestrial wind farms in Greece without significant impacts on biodiversity. The research was undertaken by the Department of Biological Applications and Technologies of the University of Ioannina and published in an international peer-reviewed scientific journal.

It proposes a viable scenario for the installation of wind farms, by classifying Greece into two zones. The exclusion zone (wind-farm free zone) includes the Natura 2000 areas, as well as other ecologically sensitive areas of minimal human disurbance and landscapes of great naturalness, i.e. those with a low degree of fragmentation from artificial surfaces and roads. The rest of Greece is defined as a potential investment zone.

The need to take into consideration science-based research is high and the timing is critical for the revision of the Spatial Planning for renewable Energy in Greece. Currently, preparation of the Special Environmental Studies for protected areas is under way, and the Presidential Decrees defining land uses and permitted activities within protected areas will be based on the said studies. This research paper can form the basis of the public debate on the location of wind farms in Greece with the aim of mitigating conflicts at both environmental and social level. 

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the signing of the RAMSAR Convention, and at the same time its own 70 years of operation and actions, the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature organizes an online event on Tuesday, February 2nd at 6:30 p.m. titled "A discussion about greek wetlands" with guest speakers from the Hellenic Ornithological Society, the Society for the Protection of Prespa, and WWF Greece.
The state of wetlands today and their two-way relationship with birds, bright moments like Prespa, small island wetlands, but also poaching, lack of full institutionalized protection, inability to manage multiple uses and other threats, are issues we will touch on.
Speakers:
-Nikos Petrou, President, Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature
-Panagiotis Latsoudis, President, Hellenic Ornithological Society
-George Katsadorakis, Scientific Advisor, Society for the Protection of Prespa
-Thanos Giannakakis, Coordinator for nature based solutions, WWF Greece
Chair:
-Miltos Gletsos, Nature Action Coordinator, HSPN

The HSPN celebrates an important anniversary: The fifty years since the signing of the RAMSAR International Convention for the Protection of Wetlands.

Then, on 2 February 1971, in Ramsar, Iran, our country was represented by the Secretary-General of the HSPN, Mr. Byron Antipas. It was a culmination of 20 year efforts by him and the other pioneers of the nascent nature protection movement in Greece.

Leading naturalists, HSPN members, had developed scientific proposals for the recording, protection and management of forests and wetlands. And they had set, since 1951, two decisive parameters: institutional protection, and cooperation with the local communities.

Celebrating the anniversary of the RAMSAR Convention, and at the same time its own 70 years of operation and actions, the HSPN organizes an online event next Tuesday, February 2nd at 6:30 p.m. about the years that have passed and what is coming, with guests from the Hellenic Ornithological Society, the Society for the Protection of Prespa and WWF Greece.

The multi-year efforts to save the Pikrodafni stream were vindicated by Council of State Decision 2313/2020, which was made public a few days ago.

The Court accepted the action by the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature, the Hellenic Ornithological Society, Anima, the Citizens Movement of Ilioupoli, as well as active citizens, residents of the area who for many years have been defending Pikrodafni.

The decision of the CoS annulled the approval of environmental terms of the project "Reconstruction of the Pikrodafni stream from Vouliagmeni avenue to its mouth" of the Region of Attica. Pikrodafni, whose name in Greek means 'oleander', is one of the last streams of the Athenian basin that hosts a largely natural ecosystem. The planned projects, which were cancelled by the CoS, would essentially turn it into a concrete rainwater conduit; moreover they would not deal with the illegali constructions in parts of the streambed and the other chronic problems of the stream (narrow bridges, illegal dumping, etc.).
During the teleconference of 10/12/2020 with the Minister of Environment and Energy, Mr. Kostis Hatzidakis, the environmental organizations ANIMA, ARCHELON, Hellenic Society of Environment and Culture, Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature, Hellenic Ornithological Society, Society for the Protection of Prespa, Callisto, MOm, Ecological Recycling Society, Greenpeace and WWF Greece, raised the following issues:

1. Recycling Law
2. Energy communities
3. Wildlife care centres
4. Protected area management bodies
5. Spatial plan for renewable energy
6. Illegal killing - wildlife trafficking

17 environmental organisations have lodged a complaint with the public prosecutor and the relevant public authorities about the Elafonisos incident, asking them to take the necessary measures in the course of their duties.

In the press release, it is noted that Elafonisos, due to its high ecological value, is a protected Special Conservation Zone of the Natura 2000 Network (code GR2540002). The locations where the TV show was filmed are habitats protected by European and Greek legislation (codes 2110, 2120 and 2250). Rare plants are found there, such as Centaurea pumilio, an endemic to the East Mediterranean listed as "Vulnerable" by the Red Data Book of rare and endangered plants of Greece, as well as the stenoendemic Saponaria jagelii a "Critically Endangered" species according to IUCN.

The full text of the joint Press Release, in Greek, is available here.




The TV show with motor vehicles moving on the protected dunes of Elafonisos, aired in prime-time on 7 decmeber 2020, caused a very negative impression all over Greece.

The affected area is home to European priority habitats and endangered endemic plants. According to Greek and EU legislation, the off-road movement of motor vehicles in ecologically sensitive areas, such as the shorelines, sand dunes, and EU priority habitats, is prohibited outright.

For the HSPN, which has been working on protected areas, environmental education and awareness-raising for 70 years, the negative and counterproductive message of such an action is just as serious as the ecological and legal aspects of the case. It can lead to a repetition of such actions, it shows an utter lack of education and empathy, it descredits the concept of protected areas, and it embarasses us as a country.

On 24-25/11/2020, the Plenary of the European Parliament votes to ban the use of lead gunshots in and around wetlands throughout Europe.

The serious effects of lead on human health and ecosystems are well-known and scientifically documented. Especially in wetlands, the use of toxic lead has serious consequences for whole food chains, aquatic birds, and even rarer species.

For this very reason, in Greece the use of lead gunshot for hunting in wetlands has been banned as early as 2013, and the same is true in many European countries (albeit not all), as well as in Canada and the USA. There are alternatives that have been effectively implemented for many years.

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The Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature is an environmental non-governmental organization of Panhellenic range that has been active since 1951 for the protection of the Greek natural environment.
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