An important milestone for the protection of nature in Greece was achieved with the recent approval of the 8 National Action Plans for the protection of endangered species and habitat types.

The Action Plans concern the Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), the butterfly Parnassius apollo, the plant species Silene holzmannii, the Wild Goat of the Balkans (Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica), the frog of Karpathos Pelophylax cerigensis, the Bearded vulture ( Gypaetus barbatus), the Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) and Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus), as well as the priority habitat 2250 * Beach dunes with Juniperus spp. The Action Plans were approved through the LIFE-IP 4 NATURA project by Decision of The Minister for the Environment.

"ARCHELON contributed to the Action Plan for the Loggerhead sea turtle in the framework of the Life-Euroturtles project, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Energy", says Daphne Mavrogiorgos, Director of ARCHELON. "It’s approval was one of the good news of the past year” she adds.

Each Action Plan reflects the scientific knowledge about the biology and ecology of the specific species or type of habitat. The evaluations of the existing protection regime and conservation status, the pressures and threats are also reflected in the Action Plan. The stakeholders and their role in the implementation of the Action Plan are also mapped and help determine the aim and specific objectives of each Action Plan.

The aim of the Action Plan for the Loggerhead sea turtle is to improve the conservation status of sea turtles in Greece through the recovery of their populations and the improvement of their sustainability in their terrestrial and marine habitats.

OFYPEKA and the Directorate of Biodiversity of the Ministry of Environment and Energy are appointed as competent authorities for monitoring the implementation of the Action Plans.

The full text of the Ministerial Decision and the National Action Plan for the Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta Caretta) is available from the National Printing Office in Greek (here).