Summary
Coastal dunes with Juniperus spp. is a priority habitat (code: 2250*) of the Habitats Directive. Currently in Greece there is no documented evidence that active conservation measures have been implemented for the protection and restoration of this threatened habitat.
This demonstration project will put into practice, test, evaluate and disseminate actions/methodologies that are unfamiliar to the Greek geographical, ecological and socio-economical context. The distribution of these habitats in Greece is mainly confined to South of the country.
This project will deal with all the known localities of the habitat in Greek Natura 2000 network in the regions of Crete and South Aegean. All the actions of this project will be carried out in all the Natura 2000 designated habitats of Crete comprising approximately 54 % of the total number of this habitat type in Greece.
Additionally, dissemination actions will be carried out as well in the South Aegean providing the opportunity for the wider protection and restoration of this habitat. The particular project sites in Crete have been selected for the demonstration aspect of this project due to their high ecological significance, the serious threats that demand immediate response, and their geographical distribution that allows preservation of high proportion of this habitat type (ecological coherence) by using rational financial means.
Additionally, the sites in Crete are suitable for the demonstration purposes of this project as they are representative of the full range of habitat contextual characteristics and threats of all habitat localities in Greece.
Therefore, this project through its National multi-stakeholder communication strategy aims to promote similar concrete conservation actions in the South Aegean, disseminate the lessons learnt, promote and provide training of the trialled techniques and methods nationally, as well as raise public awareness ensuring the wider conservation of this priority habitat throughout Greece.
