A group of sixth grade pupils witness the degradation of our environment as a result of road construction
After attending the Centreʼs educational presentation, pupils had a chance to experience a unique kind of lesson, one in which they witnessed the problems faced by sea turtles firsthand. As they walked towards the Gulf of Kyparissia (the second most important nesting beach of Mediterranean sea turtles), they saw road-building vehicles at work. The machines were destroying the highly significant sand dune ecosystem and using the sand for the construction of the road.
As it was later learned, the project involves the construction of five roads from the forest road down to the beach between Agiannaki and Elaia. In addition to the destruction of the dunes and their fragile plant-life, the project required the cutting down of trees in the coastal forest of Elaia, and there are indications that materials from nearby rivers were also used. Truthfully, was approval obtained from the Hellenic Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works for these projects, which are being done by the town of Trifyllias?
In 2002, ARCHELON completed the Special Environmental Study and Operating Plan as part of the Life-Nature program “Implementation of the Operating Plan for Caretta caretta in the Southern Kyparissian Gulf,” and presented it to the Hellenic Ministry of Environment. This study suggests measures which, if they are implemented, will allow the sustainable development and protection of both local ecosystems and the sea turtles.
Nikos Ballianos (Translation by Joanne Stournara)
31st Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation
The Sea Turtle Rescue Centre in Glyfada and the Turtles of the Aegean Sea.
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