MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, PHYSICAL PLANNING AND PUBLIC WORKS GENERAL DIRECTORATE FOR ENVIRONMENT NATURAL ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT SECTION FIRST NATIONAL REPORT ON THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY GREECE JANUARY 1998 Publisher: Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works, General Directorate for Environment, Environmental Planning Division, Natural Environment Management Section, Trikalon 36, 115 26 Athens, Greece Editors: Biodiversity Convention Co-ordinating Project (Dr. Anastasios LEGAKIS, Asst. Professor) in co-operation with the Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works (Stavroula SPYROPOULOU -CBD National Focal Point) Co-ordination: Dr. Spyros SFENTHOURAKIS The following persons contributed to the compilation of the Greek First National Report to the CBD: Experts' Committee members: Prof. Dr. E. ECONOMIDOU, Ass.Prof. Dr. A. TROUMBIS, Asst.Prof. Dr. K. GEORGHIOU, Asst.Prof. Dr. L. LOULOUDIS, Lecturer Dr. M. THESSALOU other contributors: Prof. Dr. A. GEORGOUDIS, Prof. Dr. S. KOKKINI, Assoc. Prof. Dr. M. SKOURTOS, Asst. Prof. Dr. Th. TZAKOU, Lecturer Dr. E. KAPSANAKI-GOTSI Dr. P. DELIPETROU, Dr. Th. LAZARIDOU (Greek Biotope/Wetland Centre - EKBY), Dr. E. PAPASTERGIADOU (EKBY), Dr. A. ZENETOS (NCMR), Dr. I. SIOKOU-FRANGOU (NCMR), Dr. E. TRYFON (Ministry of the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works), D. KOUMAS (Ministry of Agriculture), Dr. N. STAVROPOULOS (NAGREF), Ch. TSAFARAS (Ministry of Agriculture), P. DROUGAS (Ministry of Agriculture) Secretary: Ms. A. MERAKOU 2 CONTENTS 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY p. 1 2. TOWARDS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CBD 5 2.1 General information and organisation of work 5 2.2 The main concept in imlementing the CBD in Greece 8 3. THE BIODIVERSITY OF GREECE 10 3.1. The Importance of Greek biodiversity 10 3.2. Biodiversity at the species level 10 3.2.1. Richness 11 3.2.2. Endemism 12 3.3. Biodiversity at the habitat and ecosystem level 13 4. BACKGROUND 18 4.1. An overview of the corresponding implementation of related International Conventions and European Union Legislation to CBD in Greece 18 4.2. National legislative and institutional framework 20 4.3. Background of biodiversity assessment and research 26 4.3.1. Sources and databases 26 4.3.2. Research 28 4.3.2.1. Fauna 28 4.3.2.2. Flora 30 4.3.2.3. Fungi 32 4.3.2.4. Habitats 32 4.3.2.5. Marine biodiversity 32 4.3.2.6. Agricultural diversity 33 4.3.2.7. Freshwater biodiversity 34 4.3.3. Ex situ conservation infrastructure 35 4.3.3.1. Zoos 35 4.3.3.2. Botanical gardens 35 4.3.3.3. Seed and genetic material banks 36 4.3.3.4. Rescue centres for wild animals 36 4.3.4. Natural History Museums (NHM) 37 4.3.5. Public education and awareness 38 5. PRELIMINARY STRATEGY CONSIDERATIONS 40 5.1 Outstanding issues 40 5.2 Related initiatives 41 6. AUTHORITIES AND ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED 43 7. PAST AND CURRENT ACTIVITIES FOR THE CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY 46 3 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report presents the progress of the implementation of he Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Greece, during the period 1993 - 1997. Being the First National Report, it was felt that it should also present the most up-to-date information regarding the status of biodiversity in Greece, as well as the current actions for its conservation and sustainable use. From the outset it should be stressed that Greece is at the point of drafting the National Biodiversity Strategy (NBS), and because of this, specific action programmes resulting from this Convention, have not yet been realised, since they will be determined by the National Action Plans conducted according to the NBS. Nevertheless, Greece has been active in biodiversity related subjects for several years, especially as a result of its membership of the European Union, the OECD and the Council of Europe and due to the ratification of relevant International Conventions including those of Ramsar, CITES, Barcelona, Bern. Therefore, for Greece the CBD is considered as the logical framework for all the current initiatives,which have been integrated in Greek environmental policy. This framework serves as a check list of achievements and a means for identifying policy gaps and neccessary broadening of objectives in order to meet the challenges of the CBD. The principal steps taken towards the implementation of the CBD, by the National Focal Point (Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works, Environmental Planning Division, Natural Environment Management Section) include : 1. Initiation of the “Biodiversity Convention Co-ordinating Project”, which aims to support the NFP in the first stages of implementation, which has been assigned to the Zoological Museum of the University of Athens (person in charge: Asst. Prof. A. Legakis). 2. Organisation of working methods and time schedules: formation of an Experts' Committee and a Supervising Committee for the better functioning of the Project 3. Evaluation of the present situation (collection of data on the status of Greek biodiversity, legislative and institutional background, and related activities) 4. Identification of the bodies involved and consequent dissemination of information, ( State administration, NGOs, research institutions etc.) 5. Detection of gaps in knowledge and problems in running activities, and in policy implementation (co-operation with administrative bodies) 6. Evaluation of priorities - definition of targets for the elaboration of the National Biodiversity Strategy (by the end of 1998) 7. Specification of the NBS in particular actions per sector (collaboration with administration and other bodies) - Elaboration of National Action Plans (by the end of 1999) In spite of the fact that the largest part of the biodiversity of Greece at the species and genetic levels remains unidentified, existing data show clearly that it is especially high with regard to the wild fauna and flora and the genetic resources related to agriculture and food products. It is estimated that there are approximately 50,000 animal species, while 15,000 are already known of which up to 25% are endemic. Similarly, there are over 5,500 species of plants of which over 1,000 are endemic. Species protected by law are comparatively few (appr. 700 animal species and 900 plant species) and specific management measures have actually been taken for only a part of them. For many organisms such as micro-organisms, fungi etc., there are no reliable collective data, although all the indications suggest that they present great diversity. It should also be stressed that, because of its high level of endemism and because it 1 comprises one of the last refuges of many threatened, endangered and rare species on a European scale, Greece is an important area for the European and the Mediterranean fauna and flora. Genetic resources are currently being recorded with regard to biotechnology applications and several endemic plant varieties, as well as many aromatic and medicinal plants are known. In addition, a important number of farm and domestic animal races and varieties is known. At the level of ecosystems Greece also possesses a great diversity, as a result of the complex relief and the relatively mild, until recently, human activities. Twenty-five groups of habitat types (according to the CORINE classification and Directive 92/43/of the European Union) are represented in Greece, the most important of which are maquis, phrygana, wetlands , marine and coastal, but also, for European standards, the forests. Marine/ coastal habitats and islands comprise a priority for Greece, since the country has the longest coastline in the Mediterranean (about 15,000 km) and the coastal sites hold important economic, cultural and biodiversity interests. Work on the sustainable use policies for the coasts has been undertaken during the last 5 years and a reform of policies is underway. Nine Specially Protected Areas have been enlisted under the relevant Protocol of the Barcelona Convention. Forests in Greece, as in the rest of the Mediterranean regions have been exposed to human activities. As ar result, coastal and lowland forests especially have been degraded to a significant extent due to urbanisation and conversion to agricultural land. Sustainable managmenet practices have been introduced gradually since 1920, especially with regard to felling and grazing and there is strong legal protection. Today, Greek forests of the Central European and Mediterranena types as well as the natural vegetation of the maquis and phrygana comprise important biodiversity components and efforts have been undertaken for the identification and conservation of their biodiversity values. Agricultural habitats have been exposed to either intensification of production in the lowlands or relative abandonment in the mountainous areas. Since they possess a relatively rich biodiversity wealth, but also hold important interest for economic activities, they are subject to special policies. Considerable progress has been made in recent years towards recording biodiversity in agricultural ecosystems and taking measures to protect it. The wetlands of Greece, although comparatively covering a small surface and despite the fact that their number has been considerably reduced over the last century mainly due to drainage, are of many types and are particularly rich as far as biodiversity is concerned. Eleven important wetlands have been included in the List of Wetlands of International importance (Ramsar Convention) and conservation measures are being implemented. Despite some persisting threats, over the