Progress of the project in January 2014

 

 

Habitat mapping and data processing for Mt. Kallidromo.

DEM extraction from RTK-GPS measurements. Interpretation and ortho-rectification of high resolution satellite images for Mt. Kallidromo.

 

The two meteorological stations that were installed last month are fully operational and send their data to three different e-mail address of the project team.

 

The external assistant-ornithologist made his seventeenth field trip (4-6/01/2014) and submitted a full report. 

 

Meetings with staff of public authorities, such as the ELGA and the Forestry Service to discuss the situation regarding bear presence in the project area and the collection of bear presence data for the next year. Additionally, meetings were held with the presidents of the Stockbreeders and Beekeepers Associations in Lamia to complete the list of their members in the project area. Meetings to aquire additional data with public servants of the Regional Unit of Fthiotida took place with the assistance of Mrs. Ioanna Mathaiaki, representative of the Region of Sterea Ellada in the ForOpenForsts  LIFE project.  Said data will contribute to the completion of this Action’s study for the specifications for bear management; the study is in progress and will be completed in February.

 

Evaluation of the interviews and questionnaires, preparation of the final deliverable. 

 

Preparation of the final deliverable.

 

 

 

 

Contact was initiated with two foreign companies specialized in monitoring grazing animal movement through satellite so that the most appropriate setup for the project will be selected. 

Transmitting collars will be placed on ten cattle grazing in the study area of Mt. Kallidromo; they will monitor their movements and transmit positions at least 6 times per day. Thus the grazing impact on the mountain grassland habitats will be investigated.

 

Conservation and plant care works (weed management) for the 9,000 transplanted Cupressus sempervirens plants. On January 22-23, Juniperus foetidissima grafts were collected from high altitudes on Mt. Oiti, and then grafted on 100 4-year-old Cupressus sempervirens plants. This pilot grafting is applied to test grafting success as related to different season:  1,5 month earlier than the previous year. During the same visit 1-year-old green cones of Juniperus foetidissima were collected to check if they are ready for germination.

 

The difficulties for selecting appropriate locations for wild fruit planting in the project area were discussed during a meeting with the Forestry Service, and it was agreed to organise special meetings for more clarifications with all interested stockbreeders, the local chairmen of the villages of Neohori and Kastania Ypatis and with the Forestry Service.

 

 

 

 

The leaflet and the poster design and content were finalised. The second Local Event was held in Amfiklia, on January 18. A full-page presentation of the project was published in the national newspaper “TO VIMA”.

 

The webpage of the project is continuously updated.