GREECE IN THE GRIP OF WORST FOREST FIRES
29 July, 1998
Athens, Greece - WWF today urged the Greek
Government to take immediate action to put out the forest
fires raging in Taygetos in the Peloponnese peninsula in
southern Greece.
The Taygetos forests, one of the 100 forest hotspots in
Europe selected by WWF in need for special conservation
attention, have been ablaze for the last three days.
Taygetos is the richest Greek forest in terms of biodiversity
and represents the most southern distribution point of
black pine and fir forests within Europe. Over 160 Greek
endemic plant species can be found there, 21 of which grow
exclusively on Taygetos. Moreover, 36 species of fauna in
the area are listed as internationally rare or endangered.
"Already over 100.000 hectares of forest are reported to
have been engulfed by fires during this summer throughout
Greece," said Dr. Aristotelis Papageorgiou, forest officer at
WWF Greece. "More damage is feared before the season is
over because of strong summer winds and limited
fire-fighting capabilities. Arsonists, wanting to clear land for
settlement and development, are the direct cause."
WWF had warned the Greek government of the forest fires
which have now equalled the all-time record of the year
1988.
"The Greek government must take immediate action to stop
the fires from spreading," said Dr. Papageorgiou. "Beyond
that it must put its house in order by implementing an
effective environmental policy for forest conservation."
WWF urges the Greek government to take action to:
- Formulate and implement an integrated forest policy
within which forest fires will comprise a central component;
- Establish a special Forest Fire Service in accordance with a
proposal recently submmitted by the Greek Parliament;
- Clarify land tenure rights by establishing adequate forest
tenure maps;
- Increase the allocation of funds and personnel to the
Forest Service;
- Improve environmental education and public awareness
on associated issues.
The hundreds of forest fires that have been set throughout
the Greek countryside over the last month are the most
direct and painful evidence of the lack of an effective
environmental policy, said WWF. If Greece wants to
protect its forest heritage, the action plan put forward by
WWF Greece must be taken seriously.
Contacts:
Aristoteles Papageorgiou, email: a.papageorgiou@wwf.gr;
or Alexandra Chaini, email: a.chaini@wwf.gr;
tel for both : +30 1 331 4893, fax +30 1 324 7578>
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