Important Plant Areas of the Natura 2000 Network of Greece.

Abstract

NATURA 2000 is a European network of protected areas, and is the core of EU nature conservation policy. This planned “ecological“ network of key sites is due to be fully in place by 2004. The EU has set minimum nature conservation standards through two wildlife Directives which apply across all Member states. The 1979 “Birds Directive” and the 1992 Directive on the Conservation of Habitats and Wild Fauna and Flora (“Habitats Directive”) seek to counter a dramatic loss of wild habitats, flora, and fauna in Europe. The emphasis of the “Habitats Directive” (92/43/EEC) is to protect habitats, both in their own right and as locations of threatened species. Member states must be designate Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) for all Annex I habitats and Annex II species. The resulting network of SACs, together with Special Protection Areas designated under the Birds Directive, will comprise the NATURA 2000 network. The Directive’s list of 410 plant species whose habitats are to be protected (on Annex II) fails to include many species which should have been there on scientific grounds but were excluded for political expediency. In Greece a total number of 296 sites were proposed to be included in this network. This list included all the protected areas of Greece such as National Parks, Biogenetic reserves, Ramsar wetlands, etc.