Dr. Nana Tsagari, coordinator of the LIFE GrIn project, represented the project team at the Green Cities for a Sustainable Europe event, presenting the Implementation of Good Practices in a park of the Municipality of Amaroussion (LIFE GrIn).

The event took place on Wednesday, December 1st, 2021, at Fondation Kaloy, in Corinth.

The initiative GREEN CITIES EUROPE | Green Cities for a Sustainable Europe, organized by the Hellenic Association of Exporters and Importers of Plant Material and the European Association of Nurseries, under the auspices of the Executive Research Organization of the European Commission.

• Keynote speakers at the conference were also:
  Giannis Kitantzis, President of ESEEFY, Vice President of KITANTZIS FYTA SA
  Nikolaos Thymakis, Gardener, Honorary President of ESEEFY
  Alexandra Solomou, Researcher, HAO – IMFE
  Antonis Skordilis, Founder & CEO of Ecoscapes SA
  Elina Katsika, Agronomist – Landscape Architect, member of PEEGEP
  Seraphim Kapros, Professor, Aegean University

The presentations were followed by a discussion on Green Cities | Europe – Awareness Actions & Good Practices in Greek and European Cities.

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 Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe met in Strasbourg, France, from 29 to 31 October 2019, for its 37th Session.

The Session’s debates focused on smart cities and cybersecurity, the working conditions of local elected representatives, the fair distribution of taxes in transfrontier areas, the use of languages by local and regional authorities and the protection of internally displaced persons, as well as on the regional dimension in the future of Europe and on the Venice Principles on the protection and promotion of the ombudsman institution. Members also considered the revision of the “Code of Good Practice for Civil Participation in the Decision-making process” prepared by a joint working group composed of members of the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe and the Congress.

LIFE GrIn was represented by Mrs D. Chamakioti, responsible for the international relationships of the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE). During the sessions info-material was distributed, promoting project’s objectives and methodologies, deliverables and expected benefits for the European citizens, in order to raise awareness among the Mayors and the other elected members of the local authorities about urban green infrastructure and their impact on climate change.

Furthermore, in the margins of the Committee on Current Affairs, a special discussions took place, focused on Energy and Environmental matters.

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is an institution of the Council of Europe, responsible for strengthening local and regional democracy in its 47 member states and assessing the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. As the voice of Europe’s municipalities and regions, it works to foster consultation and political dialogue between national governments and local and regional authorities, through cooperation with the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers.

It is made up of two chambers: the Chamber of Local Authorities and the Chamber of Regions, has 324 representatives and 324 substitutes, all appointed for four years, representing over 150,000 local and regional authorities. Its work is organised with three committees: the Monitoring, the Governance and the Current Affairs one.

Furthermore, it is responsible for assessing the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in the 47 member States of the Council of Europe. This monitoring enables a constructive political dialogue to be engaged with authorities in member states about local and regional democracy issues.

For more information:

https://www.coe.int/en/web/congress
https://www.coe.int/en/web/congress/37th-session 

On 03-06 October, 2019, LIFE GrIn project team has been represented by Dr. E. Avramidou and Dr. A. Solomou, researchers of the Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems (Hellenic Agricultural Organization “DEMETER”) in X Agrosym Conference, which took place in Jahorina, Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the congress the following peer-reviewed article were announced, regarding the preliminary results and the progress of the project:

E. V. Avramidou, A. D. Solomou, E. Korakaki, K. Tsagkari, N. Proutsos, G. Karetsos, A. B. Kontogianni, N. Gounaris, K. Kontos, Ch. Georgiadis, D. Vlachaki, 2019. LIFEGrIn: Greening Our Cities for More Resilient Lives.

The articles are available in the congress proceedings: http://agrosym.ues.rs.ba/index.php/en/

LIFE GrIn project team has been represented by Dr. G. Karetsos and Dr. E. Korakaki, researchers of the Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems (Hellenic Agricultural Organization “DEMETER”) in the 19th National Forestry Conference, organized by the Hellenic Forestry Society and took place in Litochoro, in Pieria, Greece. During the congress the following peer-reviewed article were announced, regarding the preliminary results and the progress of the project:

– N. Proutsos, E. Korakaki, C. Tsagari, A. Solomou, E. Avramidou, G. Karetsos, K. Kaoukis, G. Mantakas, C. Georgiadis, A.B. Kontogianni, K. Kontos, D. Vlachaki, N. Gounaris, 2019. Promoting urban integration through green infrastructure incorporation to improve climate governance in cities.

The aim of the paper was to present LIFE GrIn project, highlighting to its objective to develop an integrated and participatory framework for addressing the impact of climate change via the sustainable management of urban green spaces (UGAs), in both local and national level.

Furthermore, along the presentation the project actions, the innovative tools and indicators that are developing in order to evaluate, monitor and enhance the ecological situation of the UGAs, and the preliminary results from the SWOT analyses for the Municipalities of Amaroussion and Heraklion have been presented.

The members of the scientific community who were attending showed great interest in the project.

The article is available in the conference proceedings (page 173): http://www.forestry.gr/assets/pdf/praktika/PRAKTIKA%20EDE_part1.pdf

On July 2nd, 2019 and with the occasion of the visit of a delegation from the Cyprus Capacity Building for LIFE – CYCLAMEN project, the Greek LIFE Task Force organized a networking event for the Greek LIFE projects, at Villa Kazouli, in Kifissia.

Dr. Evangelia Avramidou, researcher of the Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems (Hellenic Agricultural Organization “DEMETER”), presented the concept, the goals and the expected results of the LIFE GrIn project.

By the end of the event the representative of LIFE GrIn project discussed with the delegations of the other projects and with several stakeholders as well, about collaboration and cooperation opportunities.

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/

On February 19-24, 2019 – the kick off meeting of the European Development Institute (EDI) was organized in Tirilye, Turkey. During the meeting, Dr. Aimilia Kontogianni and Mr. Christos Georgiadis – assistant project managers – presented the scope and the actions of the LIFE GrIn project, representing Homeotech Co.
During the meeting 41 participants from 7 European countries presented and dealt with issues regarding good environmental practices, sustainability, climate change, social inclusion actions for vulnerable groups etc. Furthermore, a workshop around networking and communication practices took place.
The meeting was welcomed by the mayors of Bursa and Mudanya.