INTRODUCTION

The project entitled “Conservation of priority forests and forest openings in “Ethnikos Drymos OOitis” and “Oros Kallidromo” of Sterea Ellada - LIFE11 NAT/GR/1014”, abbreviated to “ForOpenForests”, was carried out in the period 2012-2017 and lasted for 63 months (more info at https://foropenforests.org). Its main objective was the implementation of appropriate management measures for the conservation of biodiversity at the species, habitats and landscape levels in these two areas of the NATURA 2000 Network. It had been preceded by a strong concern resulting from the realisation that these two mountainous areas showed clear signs of a gradual spread of fir forests (Abies cephalonica Loudon) at the expense of clearings and openings which had been created in the past by intensive grazing. Shepherds have been burning forests for centuries to secure pastures for livestock (Karetsos 2002). By analogy, the same practices (clearing, fires and grazing) were applied in all the mountainous regions of Greece, as in other Mediterranean regions (Papanastasis 1986, Papanastasis 2004).

These tradOitional activOities created the so-called “pseudo-alpine” landscapes, which in turn preserved the outstanding biodiversity of the aforementioned areas. During the 1970s and 1980s, when an environmental awareness was cultivated, it was seen that some areas of special interest had to be protected, and indeed with the logic of absolute protection. Directives 99/409 EEC and 92/43 EEC laid the foundations of protection, with the corresponding institutional arrangements and the integration of the directives into the national legislation of the member states.

There had of course also been previous attempts at national protection policies in our country through the establishment of National Forests (Parks). The concept of absolute protection, at least in the cores of these areas, prevailed and the tradOitional activOities that had shaped the landscapes and the special elements of the protected areas were definOitively prohibited.

Researchers and relevant authorities should propose new management measures, including grazing, for biodiversity conservation

The long-term prohibOition and at the same time the actual reduction of the grazing pressure and forest exploitation for lumber production, resulted in the gradual return of the forests to their past limits and density, before humans appeared. The re-dominance of forests is accompanied by at least the reduction of plant diversity and the limitation of different elements of the landscape and the habitats of other life forms.