On August 1 & 2, 2024, vegetation records were carried out to assess the plant biodiversity in the new Erythraia Park of the Municipality of Heraklion, Crete by Dr. Alexandra Solomou, Principal Researcher of the Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems of ELGO DIMITRA. According to the records, a significant increase in the plant biodiversity of the park (herbaceous plant species) was observed, and in fact in a very short time since the regeneration of the area. The field work confirmed the positive effect that the regeneration and the new plantings had on the local biodiversity underlining the importance of the use of endemic plants in such actions within the urban space. Increasing plant diversity helps create a healthier and more balanced ecosystem, which can provide multiple benefits, such as reducing the heat island effect and improving air quality in the urban area. In particular, the positive effect of the new vegetation on the thermal load of the space was confirmed with thermal photographs and with on-site surface temperature measurements of the various plant species carried out by Dr. Nikolaos Prοutsos, Principal Researcher of ELGO DIMITRA. In general, large differences were found in the temperature of the plants in relation to the temperature of non-natural materials, such as cement or paving slabs, improving the thermal behavior of the space.
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