Immediate Action – Pavlopetri

Written by: The ARCH Team

The following statement was written and delivered to Greece’s Ministry of Environment and Energy. The full statement was then posted to ARCH’s Facebook page on November 17th.

This statement was written in order to to support the efforts of the Greek Chapter of ARCH. Our chapter and other supporters, are working to ensure that the proposed management groups, of protected Natura 2000 sites in Greece, would include local communities in their management decisions about these sites. The full text of this statement of support is below:

 

 

Our organization Alliance for the Restoration of Cultural Heritage (ARCH International) works with the local population on the Malea Peninsula to protect the underwater archeological site Pavlopetri and its surroundings. The Natura 2000 sites GR2540002 (Lake Strongyli), GR2540001 and GR2540007 are all in proximity of that site. We are very concerned about the proposed Management Committees, which in the envisioned form will destroy the integrity of the Natura 2000 network on the Malea Peninsula. The establishment of Management Bodies to govern the Natura 2000 sites in Greece must be done according to the EU’s requirements, which mandate maintaining the integrity of the Natura 2000 network. Lake Strongyli GR2540002 is much more closely related to Natura 2000 sites on the Malea Peninsula (GR2540001 and GR2540007), which defines Vatika Bay. Grouping these sites with distant coastal sites in Messinia will guarantee that local needs will receive little attention. Migrating birds fly down the Malea Peninsula to Lake Strongyli and then continue on their path across Vatika Bay to the island of Kythira. In order to maintain the integrity of the network of Natura 2000 sites, it is imperative that all the Natura 2000 sites on the Malea Peninsula and Natura 2000 sites on the islands of Elafonisos and Kythira remain grouped together under one Management Body. We call upon those responsible to make the necessary changes that will conform with this necessity.