On November 27th, 2020, the LIFE GrIn program will be presented at the Online Info-day entitled “LIFE Funding Program and Forests: Reality, Challenges and Needs in Forest Management in Greece of the 21st Century“. The event is co-organized by the Green Fund, the Greek LIFE Task Force and the Greek Biotope – Wetland Centre.

As it is noted in the Press Release, the aim of the event is the dissemination of the objectives and results from LIFE projects, in which Greek beneficiaries, from the central or regional administration and self-government institutes and stakeholders take part.

LIFE GrIn will be presented by Mrs. Eirini Alexiou, member of the project team from the General Directorate of Forests and Forest Environment, of the Ministry of Environment and Energy.

The Agenda is available in greek, while for registrations please visit the link: https://bit.ly/3pfS2nb

The Directorate of Forest Protection, of the General Directorate of Forests and Forest Environment, of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, as a beneficiary of the LIFE GrIn project, is organizing a networking meeting, on Monday 21.09.2020 at 9:30, in the in the premises of the Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems and Forest Products Technology in Ilisia.

As the LIFE GrIn project focuses to promote the climate governance through the principals of Urban Forestry and the optimization of Urban Green management, it is of the utmost importance to strength the networking with the team of the integrated project LIFE-IP AdaptInGR – Boosting the implementation of adaptation policy across Greece, aiming to a further, fruitful collaboration. During the meeting the objectives of the two projects will be presented, while each beneficiary will introduce their role, as it is shown to the schedule bellow.

Firstly, Dr. K. Tsagari – the project coordinator and the president of the IMFE – will give an introduction to the overall objectives of the LIFE GrIn, while on behalf of the LIFE-IP AdaptInGR, a member from the Climate Change department of the Ministry will do the project presentation. Afterwards, representatives from the other beneficiaries, such are HomeoTech Co, Directorate of Forest Protection of the Ministry, KEDE and the Municipality of Katerini will speak about their roles.

Following the presentations, a discussion will take place, between the participants, including the external monitor of the LIFE GrIn project, representatives from several Directorates of the Ministry, from the Municipalities of Maroussi, Heraklion and Katerini, the National Observatory, the National (Metsovian) Technical University of Athens, the Green Fund and the National Center for Environment and Sustainable Development.

Because of the Covid-19 crisis, the event it is not open to the public, and only a small number of invited participants will take part to the meeting. Every necessary precaution against the spread of the Coronavirus will be taken, in order to ensure the protection of public health.

The Deputy Minister of Environment, Mr. Nikolaos Tagaras, the General Secretary of Natural Environment and Water, Mr. Konstantinos Arabosis, the General Director of Environmental Policy, Mr. Konstantinos Dimopoulos are expected to open and greet the event.

For more information please visit the web site of LIFE-IP AdaptInGR: https://www.adaptivegreece.gr/el-gr/

On July 09 – 10 2020, in the amphitheater of the Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems of HAO-DEMETER, a two-day scientific event was held, in the context of dissemination of the program LIFE13 ENV/SI/000148_ LIFEGENMON – for the European Forest Genetic Monitoring System. The event was organized by the research teams of the Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, School of Agriculture, Forestry & Natural Environment of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia – Thrace.

Dr. Evangelia Avramidou, researcher of the Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems (Hellenic Agricultural Organization “DEMETER”), attended the event, presenting the project LIFE GrIn.

During the two-day scientific event, interesting views and opinions were expressed concerning the adaptation of forests and urban green areas to climate change, and the protection of important habitats and biodiversity. In this context Dr. Ioannis Mitsopoulos presented the LIFE IP 4 NATURA project.

The event was attended by a total of 75 people, representing various organizations, who showed great interest in the actions and results of the projects.

The second annual mission of the project Promoting urban integration of GReen INfrastructure to improve climate governance in cities (LIFE17GIC_GR_000029) took place on 23-24 of January 2020, in the premises of the Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems and Forest Products Technology in Athens.

Representatives of every partner participated in the meeting and Ms. Sophia Papageorgiou, member of the external monitoring team for LIFE projects in Greece and Cyprus, carried out the technical and financial evaluation of the project. Initially, Ms. Papageorgiou was briefed in detail about the development of the project and verified the progress towards agreed actions and targets, while she apprised the project team about the latest developments in LIFE projects’ evaluation procedures.

On the second day of the monitor the LIFE GrIn project team accompanied Mrs Papageorgiou to a monitor visit to the pilot areas of the Municipality of Amaroussion.

On November 8, 2019 the 2nd Info day for presenting and consulting the project Creation of a Model Urban Green Space in the Municipality of Amaroussion, in the frame of LIFE GrIn Program.

The aim of the Info-Day was to describe the works for the establishment, enhancement and management of urban green that will take place in Protagoras Street, and they will be implementing according to the principles of Urban Forestry and Bioclimatic Design.

The Mayor of the Municipality of Amaroussion, Mr. T. Abatzoglou and the Deputy Mayor Mr. Stefanos Zygourakis, welcomed the opening, while the coordinator of the project Dr. Constantinia Tsagari presented LIFE GrIn’s objectives and actions. On behalf of the working group of the Municipality of Amaroussion, Mr. A. Merkouris, Agriculturalist MSc and Dr. N. Tsolkas Agriculturalist – Landscape Architect, developed the philosophy of creating a public urban green space with sustainability criteria in the area of Protagoras street. Additionally, they requested everyone’s assistance during the implementation of the project, but also for its maintenance and the protection.

In particular, the project proposed the establishment of three thematic gardens with species adapted to the microclimate of the area. The three gardens will include the Hellenic, the Anhydrous (arid) and the Butterfly Garden. It is also proposed to create an artificial meadow in order to bring nature into the city.

The following discussion documented the proposals of the residents and stakeholders that will be taken into account in the final design.

Detailed Press Release: Press Release_8.11.2019_
More information on the Website of the Municipality of Amaroussion.

You are invited to the Info-Day for the presentation regarding to the actions’ implementation of the LIFE Project Promoting urban integration of GReen INfrastructure to improve climate governance in cities (LIFE17GIC_GR_000029) that will be implemented in the urban green areas of the Municipality of Amaroussion.

The actions include the enhancement of urban green via the creation of a new urban green area, in Protagoras Street (St. Thomas District). The creation will be based on the principles of Urban Forestry and bioclimatic planning, aiming to maximize their contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

The event will take place in the City Hall of the Municipality of Amaroussion (Vas. Sofias 9 & Moscow, Marousi), on Friday, November 8, 2019 at 09:00.

The agenda of the Info-day is as follows:

9:00-9:30_Registration
9:30-10:00_Greetings by the Municipal Authorities
10:00-10:30_ Short presentation of the Project – Expected Results
10: 30-11: 30_Q&As – Consultation

The event is open to the public.

LIFE GrIn project team has been represented by Dr. Nikos Proutsos, researcher of the Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems (Hellenic Agricultural Organization “DEMETER”) in the 11th World Congress of EWRA on Water Resources and Environment, which took place in the Technical University of Madrid, Spain. During the congress the following peer-reviewed articles were announced, regarding the preliminary results and the progress of the project, in session VII Ecosystems and Environmental Processes και Χ Global Change and Water Resources:

– N. Proutsos, C. Tsagari, G. Karetsos, A. Solomou, E. Korakaki, E. Avramidou, N. Gounaris, K., Kontos, C. Georgiadis, A.B. Kontogianni, D. Vlachaki, 2019. Promoting urban integration through green infrastructure incorporation to improve climate governance in cities. In: Garrote et al. (eds) Managing Water Resources for a Sustainable Future. Proceedings of the 11th World Congress of EWRA on Water Resources and Environment, 25-29 June 2019, Madrid, Spain, 355-356 pp. ISBN: 978-618-84419-0-3.

– N. Proutsos, E. Korakaki, A. Bourletsikas, K. Kaοukis, C. Georgiadis, 2019. Analyzing temperature attributes for the last half century in Heraklion – Crete, Greece. In: Garrote et al. (eds) Managing Water Resources for a Sustainable Future. Proceedings of the 11th World Congress of EWRA on Water Resources and Environment, 25-29 June 2019, Madrid, Spain, 477-478 pp. ISBN: 978-618-84419-0-3.

The articles are available in the congress proceedings: http://ewra2019.ewra.net/

The first annual mission of the project Promoting urban integration of GReen INfrastructure to improve climate governance in cities (LIFE17GIC_GR_000029) took place on Tuesday 28th of March 2019, in the premises of the Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems and Forest Products Technology in Athens.
Representatives of every partner participated in the meeting and Ms. Sophia Papageorgiou, member of the external monitoring team for LIFE projects in Greece and Cyprus, carried out the technical and financial evaluation of the project.
Initially, Ms. Papageorgiou was briefed in detail about the development of the project and verified the progress towards agreed actions and targets, while she apprised the project team about the latest developments in LIFE projects’ evaluation procedures.

The 1st Info Day, in the frame of the project LIFE GrIn Promoting urban integration of GReen INfrastructure to improve climate governance in cities (LIFE17GIC_GR_000029) took place in the Municipality of Heraklion, on Friday 15-03-2019.
The meeting was welcomed by the Mayor of Heraklion Mr Vasilis Lamprinos and the Chief Executive Officer of Urban Green Mr Nikos Fakourelis.

During the Info Day, there had been interesting presentations about the establishment and the protection of the urban vegetation and biodiversity, urban forestry and the role of the sustainable management of urban green areas on the mitigation and adaptation to climate change.

The presentations were of a high scientific level, and they attracted the attention of the attendees, while a Q&A session with the audience had been followed up.

You are invited to the Info-Day of the LIFE Project Promoting urban integration of GReen INfrastructure to improve climate governance in cities (LIFE17GIC_GR_000029), that it will take place on Friday, March 15, 2019, at 09:00, at the theater of the Cultural Center of the Municipality of Heraklion.
The objective of the Info-Day is to communicate – in a wider audience – the importance of the incorporation of the climate governance in the management of green infrastructure. Additional aim is to promote urban integration, which translates into thinking of urban open spaces not as isolated units but as vital elements of the urban landscape with their own specific set of functions and contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation. This approach capitalizes on UGAs as valuable resources for the adaptation of cities to climate change and the mitigation of its impacts through urban forestry.