Magazine

MAY - AUGUST 2014 NATIONAL PARK OF EAST -

1. May 22, 2014 - World Fish Migration Day (WFMD)

2. Compilation of a Layman’s Guide to Identifying Species in the National Park of Eastern Macedonia-Thrace (NPEMT)

3. Smartphone applications for navigating in the National Park of Eastern Macedonia-Thrace

4.Events for World Environment Day 2014

5. Cleaning up of the Heron 7. Third National colony at Porto Lagos Heron Census

8. Ringing and 6. Mass fish death in census of the white Lake stork in NPEMT 1 Compilation of a Layman’s Smartphone applications for 3 Events for World May 22, 2014 - World Fish Guide to Identifying Species navigating in the National Park Environment Day 2014

Migration Day (WFMD) 2 in the National Park of Eastern of Eastern Macedonia-Thrace 4 On the occasion of World Environment Day, which is celebrated on June 5th every year, the Management Body organized ac- May 24th has been designated World Fish Migration Day to Macedonia-Thrace (NPEMT) The Delta-Vistonida-Ismarida Management Body in the tions to provide information and raise public awareness on en- raise awareness on the problems facing fish populations that context of the project “Developing tourism and handling visitors The Nestos Delta-Vistonida-Ismarida Management Body has vironmental issues. become trapped because of hu- in the protected area of the National Park of Eastern Macedonia created a Layman’s Guide to Identifying Species in the National The main events were the man interventions, like dams, and Thrace”, carried out through the “Protection and Conserva- Park of Eastern Macedonia-Thrace in the context of the project youth fests held under the which prevent fish from migrat- tion of Biodiversity in NPEMT” action incorporated in the Opera- “Support for Protected Areas Management Bodies 2012” – auspices of the Mu- ing for reproductive purposes. tional Program Environment and Sustainable Development (EP- Green Fund of the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate nicipality, in cooperation with The Nestos Delta - Vistonida - Change. the Xanthi Elementary and Ismarida Management Body, in This guide is an introductory reference work for those wishing Secondary Education Directo- cooperation with the Hellenic to learn more about the area of the National Park of Eastern rate, on June 5, in the Central Fisheries Research Institute Macedonia- Thrace, and includes the most important and most Square of Xanthi. Environmental games were organized from (INALE) and in the context of the early morning hours, with dozens of students having fun the World Fish Migration Day characteristic species found there, with the aim of promoting while learning about the environment. 2014 events, on Thursday, May the richness of local wildlife and NPEMT’s important role in con- On the same day, an experiential visit was organized for the 22 carried out an educational servation efforts. Volakas village Elementary School: it involved the students action at the Toxotes irrigation The region of the NPEMT is blessed with extremely diverse walking in the Riverside Forest of and observing the dam, with the participation of el- fauna and flora, and features a great variety of habitats. The lagoon’s birdlife, coming into contact with the wetland’s flora ementary school students from guide, published in both Greek and English, will aid in identifying and fauna. Xanthi and . species of fish, serpents, amphibians, birdlife, mammals, inver- On Sunday, June 8, at 18:30 an awards presentation took Present at this event was Ms. tebrates, as well as the types of habitat one can find in the area. place for a school painting competition on the theme “Bird and Eirini Sioki, Chief Environmen- The Species Identification Guide is available to visitors of the fish migration” in the Xanthi Municipal Gallery, organized in tal Projects Officer at the Elementary Education Directorate of National Park at the two Information Centers operating in PERAA), received cooperation with the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Regional Kavala regional unit, Dr Manos Koutrakis, President of the Man- NPEMT: in the Information Center for Lakes Vistonida-Ismarida two navigation Directorate of Elementary and Secondary Education, with the agement Body and Regular Researcher with INALE, who briefed at Porto Lagos of Xanthi, and in the Nestos Delta Information applications for participation of fifth- and sixth-graders studying in the regional teachers and students on fish migration, the reasons behind Center at Keramoti of Kavala. smartphones and units of Kavala, Xanthi, and ; 179 student paintings this phenomenon, and the obstacles fish come up against, and tablets, with the were submitted in total, including 33 non-competitive paintings Dr Argyris Kallaniotis, Director of INALE, who addressed educa- aim of offering drawn by first-graders. tors and students, explaining INALE’s work. visitors a modern technological tool that would allow easy ac- Winners: A demonstration of fish specimen collection techniques ensued cess to basic information contained in the new tourist map of • 1st Prize: Vassiliki Varvara Plevridi, student in the 1st Xanthi in the with the use of electro-fishing carried out by INALE’s this prized protected area, and providing specific suggested Elementary School. scientific staff: this method allows the collection of stunned fish, routes (using a car, bicycle, or on foot). • 2nd Prize: Nike Varelidou, student in the 10th Xanthi Elemen- without harming the specimens. Subsequently, the scientific The first is an offline application, i.e. does not require an active tary School. staff of the Nestos Delta-Vistonida-Ismarida Management Body internet connection to function. This is a file in a format suitable • 3rd Prize: Shared by Katerina Moschidou, student in the 4th took measurements of Nestos’ physico-chemical parameters in for navigating NPEMT’s area using CarryMap Observer, a free Xanthi Elementary School, and Nancy Tsasmea, student in the the same spot. application visitors can download on their phones from Google 1st Xanthi Elementary School (tie). Finally, the students of the 2nd Elementary School of Xanthi Play and the Apple Store. All winners received a t-shirt printed with read out their class’s resolution, which called for the construc- The second is an online application (requires an internet con- the painting with which they participated,

tion of a fishway in the Toxotes irrigation dam. nection), in which users can employ their device’s browser to while all participants were given a com- gain access to basic information of the tourist map, combined ΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΚΗΣΕΘΝΙΚΟ ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑΣ ΠΑΡΚΟ memorative cap, a Guide to Birdlife for Εκδήλωση Απονομής Βραβείων with maps publicly available to users (OpenStreetMap, Esri -ΘΡΑΚΗΣ Children and a Participation Commen- ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ 8 ΙΟΥΝΙΟΥ 2014 Global Imagery). dation. A certificate of participation στη ΔΗΜΟΤΙΚΗΏρα ΠΙΝΑΚΟΘΗΚΗ 6:30 μ.μ. Ξάνθης

This is the relevant link: http://www.fd-nestosvistonis.gr/eco- στο πλα was also presented to the winners’ ίσιο του Διαγωνισμού Ζωγραφικής που διοργανώθηκε με συνεργασία tourism/mobilemap/ του Φ.Δ. Δέλτα Νέστου της Περιφερειακής Δ/νσης Εκπαίδευσης Α.Μ «Η μετανάστευση των πουλιών και των ψαριών» schools. -Βιστωνίδας

-Ισμαρίδας και

To start navigating a password is required, available to all visi- .Θ., με θέμα:

ΧΟΡΗΓΟΙ

tors at NPEMT’s two Information Centers. Πληροφορίες Φορέας Διαχείρισης: Δέλτα Νέστου

The navigation functionality requires GPS to be activated on the τηλ. 25410.96646-Βιστωνίδας www .epamath -Ισμαρίδας info@fd .gr -nestosvistonis.gr devices running the two applications. Cleaning up of the Heron 5 Mass fish death in Lake 7 colony at Porto Lagos Vistonida system. Specimens of dead fish were sent to the Animal Health Third National Heron Census Service to investigate the possible influence of other factors On Saturday, July 5 the first voluntary action for the summer 6 On the evening of July 18, the Nestos Delta-Vistonida-Ismarida contributing to the mass death (e.g. pesticides, etc.). In recent years, the Nestos Delta-Vistonida-Ismarida Man- of 2014 was launched with great success in NPEMT, through Management Body was informed of dead fish in Lake Vistonida. On 19/7/2014, the competent authorities held a meeting at agement Body has undertaken to systematically monitor the the volunteer project implemented by the Management Body The Management Body immediately informed the contractor the Porto Lagos port authority, following an initiative by Mr. number of breeding herons in the two heron colonies located utilizing funds from Operational Program Environment and of a project being implemented with the title “Marine Habi- inside the National Park of Eastern Sustainable Development (EPPERAA) and its incorporated ini- Macedonia-Thrace, at Porto Lagos tiative “Protection and Conservation of Biodiversity in NPEMT”. and Keramoti. This action, entitled Volunteers cleaned up the coastal section of the heron colony “Monitoring of the little egret (Egretta garzetta) and the grey heron (Ardea cinerea)”, is implemented through the action “Protection and Conserva- tion of Biodiversity in NPEMT” funded by the Operational program Environ- ment and Sustainable Development. These two colonies, comprising Turk- ish pines and maritime pines, are among the most important in , and for this they are often the subject of studies conducted by universities, research institutes and NGOs. The number of breeding pairs con- stitutes and index for the quality of in Porto Lagos, in the context of the campaign “CLEAN UP THE the wetlands where they nest, which MEDITERRANEAN” by the MEDITERRANEAN SOS network. is why their numbers are monitored A total of 70 persons participated in this initiative; they in- Kostas Katsimigas, Executive Secretary of the Region of East- in many countries. The Management cluded members of the NPEMT Volunteer Network, members of ern Macedonia-Thrace, and Mr. Fotis Karalidis, Regional Vice Body of NPEMT has undertaken to re- the Porto Lagos Improvement Governor of Xanthi, as well as other officials from the Xanthi cord the trees where the two species & Cultural Society and repre- Regional Unit, the Region of Eastern Macedonia-Thrace and the of heron make nest, the number of sentatives from the commu- tats Monitoring Project in the Area of NPEMT (2012-2015)” police authorities; representatives of the Management Body nests per tree, the species of herons nity of Nea Kessani, the Porto through Operational program Environment and Sustainable De- were also present. in each nest and their young, taking Lagos Port sub-Authority and velopment, Mr. Sotiris Orfanidis, Regular Researcher with the The relevant analyses of the samples revealed the presence of care so as to cause minimal distur- the Xanthi Hunting Associa- INALE, so that he could take measurements of dissolved oxy- a unique type of phytoplankton in the lake’s water; concentra- bance. tion. gen at the sites where fish behavior suggested signs of anoxia. tions of these phosphate-loving cyanobacteria greatly exceed- The first attempt to survey all heron Young children and youths The relevant measurements were taken, along with samples of ed the norm (the phenomenon of algal bloom). colonies and each species’ nests on from Porto Lagos also par- water to be analyzed in INALE’s laboratory. The increased presence of these algae was probably the con- a national level was carried out in ticipated in this initiative, The Fishermen Cooperative of Vistonida, following suggestions sequence of an upsurge in the concentration of nutrients in the 2003, and the second one in 2009. and subsequently engaged in by the Management Body, took water samples throughout the lake during that time, a result of heavy and prolonged rainfall This year, the third national survey various environmental games night at the lake’s mouth; these were sent to Ms. Maria Mous- during the preceding weeks, which carried nutrients and fertiliz- of heron colonies was organized, and that highlighted the area’s taka, Professor of Biology at the Aristotle University of Thes- ers from the farmlands surrounding the lake and its entire water naturally the Management Body was biodiversity, games prepared saloniki, to run the necessary laboratory analyses, and to the catchment area. The channelization of flowing into Lake glad to participate in the effort by especially for this occasion National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, so as to Vistonida exacerbated this phenomenon, as they transport making available its experienced em- by the Management Body and determine which, if any, toxins had been released into the lake’s great amounts of fluvial sediments and nutrients. ployees, equipment and vehicles. the Vistonida Visitors Infor- The degradation of habitats and the mation Center. disturbance of birds in their breeding Early in the morning of the areas are among the main challenges same day, a short presenta- these species face. Let us protect tion was given in the Vistoni- the beautiful birds of the Greek wet- da Information Center on the lands by safeguarding their colonies. method of recording waste on Through concerted efforts and with special forms for statistical the active participation of all, we can purposes, while all participants received “NPEMT Volunteer” succeed in protecting the colonies t-shirts and caps printed with the motto “I SUPPORT – I PAR- and their winged inhabitants. TICIPATE!”. 8 Ringing and census of the white stork in NPEMT the residents in the settlements who year after year embrace this effort and celebrate with us! This year, however, the Management Body of Nestos Delta- Vistonida-Ismarida also participated in the 2nd National White Stork Census, which was carried out in the context of the 7th International White Stork Census. In the course of 12 days, 107 settlements were surveyed in the regional units of Kavala, Xanthi, and Rhodope; 303 nests were recorded in total, 263 of which were active, containing 673 hatchlings and 343 breed- ing couples.

The Nestos Delta-Vistonida-Ismarida Management Body successfully completed a program involving the ringing of white stork (Ciconia ciconia) hatchlings for the third consec- utive year. This project is being implemented in the context of White Stork Monitoring, through the action entitled “Pro- tection and Conservation of Biodiversity in NPEMT” incorpo- rated in the Operational program Environment and Sustain- able Development. This year, like in the previous years, Ms. Eva Stets, a valued associate of the Management Body, coordinated, offered guidance and trained the personnel of the Management Body, and provided the ELSA-type rings used; in the course of four days, a total of 99 stork hatchlings were ringed. The protocols employed and the methodologies implemented The excellent collaboration of everyone participating in this were based on international standards, and the data collected action proved decisive for the success of the effort: more were sent to Mr. Theodoros Komninos, the program’s central specifically the HEDNOs of Xanthi, Kavala and , coordinator. The aim of the census, which is carried out every who provided vehicle-mounted aerial work platforms, opera- 10 years, is to monitor white stork population trends by ob- tors and aerial connections technicians, Mr. Aris Christidis, serving and recording active nests and couples. Sea daffodil a member of the Hellenic Wildlife Hospital, and of course all The Pancratium maritimum, commonly known as sea daffodil, is rendering them resistant to erosion, and create an environment a species of bulbous plant native to the Mediterranean region and in which other plants can grow. This plant is regarded as endan- South-eastern Europe. It can also be found in southern gered mainly because of touristic development that undermines and the northern Turkish shores along the Black Sea, where it is its natural habitats. threatened with extinction. It grows on sandy shores or a little The sea daffodil is attested in the art of Minoan , at the pal- further inland of the strandline. ace of Cnossos, as well as in Late Cycladic murals on Santorini. The name Pancratium derives from the Greek words “pan + Archaeologist Arthur Evans was the first to unearth depictions of krataios”, meaning all-powerful, possibly a reference to the the Pancratium during the excavations he conducted in the palace plant’s resilience and its ability to survive in extreme climates. of Cnossos (1896). The earliest representation of the sea daffodil The species of the sea daffodil often grow in extremely dry and is considered to be the Blue Bird Fresco in the palace of Cnossos. sandy areas. Its spread in Greece in modern times, especially in the Aegean Apart from its beauty, the plant has great ecological value, for its islands, has been studied by botanists and archaeologists. Let us deep roots (1.5m) help maintain the cohesion of soft sandy soils, all protect this rare species. INFORMATION CENTRE OF THE LAKES VISTONIDA - ISMARIDA PORTO LAGOS - REGIONAL DISTRICT OF XANTHI (Management Body’s seat) Tel.: 25410 96646, fax: 25410 96924, e-mail: [email protected]

INFORMATION CENTRE OF THE NESTOS DELTA KERAMOTI - REGIONAL DISTRICT OF KAVALA (behind the High School) Tel.: 25910 51831, fax: 25910 51884, e-mail: [email protected]

The Information Centres are open for the public: Monday-Friday 9:30 to 15:30 (during weekends and holidays visits are arranged by appointment)

www.epamath.gr

www.facebook.com/fdnestos

We protect and promote our natural wealth. We participate actively through volunteering activities of the Management Agency of the Nestos Delta of the lakes Vistonida - Ismarida and contribute to maintaining the ecological value of the Na- tional Park of Eastern Macedonia - Thrace. Together we can!

“We take action, we live the result”