STATUS QUO OF PROTECTION AT NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL.

Most of the investigated sites have been identified as important to nature conservation by the Hellenic Authorities and accordingly statutorily protected. However, a number of sites are insufficiently known and therefore unprotected at national, regional and international level. In addition, although certain sites have been designated as protected areas, management measures are not properly implemented. National Parks comprise the main category of nationally protected areas which are declared and managed in the context of Forestry legislation. They usually comprise an area of absolute protection, the core, and a protected peripheral zone. Within the core of National Parks several activities such as grazing, logging, hunting, uprooting of plants, collection of flowers and lighting of fire are strictly forbidden. In the peripheral zones only certain traditional activities are permitted. Another category refers to Monuments of Nature, which include isolated trees or tree stands with special botanical, ecological, aesthetic or historical and cultural value. A third category contains the Aesthetic Forests, that is, sites with special aesthetic and ecological interest which, apart from nature conservation, are used for recreation. In addition, a Marine Park has recently been declared in Hellas, in the North Aegean (Voreies Sporades) which is a refuge of the last population of the monk seal (Monachus monachus) in the Mediterranean. The declaration of a second Marine Park is underway in the Ionian Sea, in the island of Zakynthos which is an important breeding and nesting area of the sea turtle Caretta caretta. Finally, the legislation on hunting has led to the designation of areas as Game breeding stations, Game refuges and Controlled hunting areas. The above areas are managed by peripheral Services of the Ministry of Agriculture, i.e., the local Forestry Departments. In the context of the present project, statutory protection and international designation were taken into consideration, so that almost all designated areas were included in the sites under investigation. As shown in Table A.5, the propoosed sites are partly or fully designated as follows: 16 sites as Core strict nature reserves in National Parks (GR01), 14 sites as Natural monuments and landmarks (GR03), 12 Aesthetic forests (GR04), 6 Peripheral zones of national parks (GR12), 3 Game breeding stations (GR21), 119 Game refuges (GR22), 9 Controlled hunting areas (GR23) and 1 Marine Park - multiple use management zone (GR26). Regarding the designation of sites in international level, it should be noted that all sites designated under the Ramsar and Barcelona Conventions, or characterised as Biogenetic Reserve, Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site, and having been awarded the European Diploma, have been considered for their great ecological value and therefore included within site boundaries during the site selection process (Table A.6). In addition, almost all sites characterised as Important Bird Areas have been considered for their great ecological value and ornithological importance and accordingly included in the list of investigated sites.