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The Black Pine forest of Parnonas is being restored
23/12/2010

Life+ Project "Restoration of Pinus nigra forests on mount Parnonas through a structured approach" contributes to the restoration of burned areas in mount Parnonas and regenerates the natural environment of the region. The first of the 460,000 Black pine seedlings were planted in the burnt areas of Parnonas on December 17, 2010. These are the areas with Black pine that were burnt during the catastrophic fires of 2007, which according to the impact assessment, affected 1921 hectares, equivalent to 36% of Black pine forests of Mount Parnonas. Planting is the next important step after the erosion and flood protective works, for the restoration of the ecosystem of mount Parnonas, after the fire of 2007.

Black pine seedlings ready for planting

The areas to be planted are on the whole 290 hectares, which will be added to about 300 hectares that are naturally regenerated. The plantings are scattered in the areas of the villages Agrianoi and Polydroso. The cost of afforestation is amounted to 1.837.000 €, 75% of which is an EU funding through the LIFE + project and the remaining 25% by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change by the Special Secretariat of Forests. The study, assignment and supervision of the restoration was done by the Forest Service of Sparti, after a proposal that was jointly prepared with the Greek Biotope/Wetland Centre, implementing the structured approach for the restoration of burnt forests of Black pine. The production of seedlings was done in the Forest Nursery of Organi by the Directorate of Reforestation of the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, from seeds collected in 2007 by the Forest Service of Sparti.

Planting Black pine on Parnonas

The Director of Forest Service of Sparti Mrs Panagiota Simadi mentioned relevantly: "We are very happy that after witing for seedling production and careful study for the selection of planting areas, our efforts will be rewarded and the forest will be reborn".

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