Volunteering - Protection of Gialova Lagoon - Greece Hellenic Ornithological Society

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Protection of Gialova Lagoon - Greece Hellenic Ornithological Society
International Location

Why we want you
If you are interesting in wildlife, from bird observation, protection of sensitive habitats, protection of chameleon's to public awareness activities, this project is for you! The Gialova's lagoon is the most important southern migratory birds' station in the Balkans. Also, the lagoon is the only European habitat for the African Chameleon.
Gialova which is at the south part of Peloponnese is 6 km away from Pylos.

What’s in it for you?
- gain experience in the protection and conservation of endangered species and protected areas, especially in birds and chameleon
- acquire knowledge and experience in environmental awareness and education on the field
- cooperate with other people who share the same passion in an international environment in a beautiful village
(possibility recommendation letters from H.O.S.)

The skills you need
Highly motivated, prepared to work in hard hours (summer nights, early mornings), team working spirit, responsibility, following the schedule, have experience in working or being in nature. Bird identification skills, such as experience in public awareness actions are more than welcome!

Your time
Minimum commitment: 3 weeks minimum
Duration: 1st June to 30th October
Period: June to October

Who to contact
Rhoda Ludford
Tel: 01767 680551
E-mail: volunteers@rspb.org.uk

Notes
Appropriate training will be provided, supervision and help at all times. Participation fee is 60 Euro. Accommodation: In an organized camping on the beach at the village of Gialova, near the project's area (http://www.navarino-beach.gr).

Transportation, accommodation and meals are extra, but consider that the camping costs approximately 4 Euro/day and that in a restaurant a good and abundant meal is only 10 Euro. Most of the local stores give HOS volunteers a discount of 10-20%. In general, life is cheap over here.

For reference:
Contact Is: Giorgos Maneas (gialova@ornithologiki.gr). webpage: http://www.ornithologiki.gr/page_in.php?tID=2689&sID=187

The RSPB has placed this advert on behalf of Greece H.O.S. For more information please contact gialova@ornithologiki.gr

The RSPB is the UK charity working to secure a healthy environment for birds and wildlife, helping to create a better world for all of us. We belong to BirdLife International, the global partnership of bird conservation organisations.

Reference number: 4488

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http://youtu.be/cosJRofbhT8

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Vassilis Konstantakopoulos - Messinian Hero

Vassilis Konstantakopoulos, one of Greece's best-known shipowners and the man behind one of the country's biggest tourist resorts, Costa Navarino in the Peloponnese, has died at the age of 76.

Konstantakopoulos, also known as "Kapetan" (Captain) Vassilis, had been fighting cancer.

After spending two decades as a seaman and captain in merchant shipping, Konstantakopoulos established the Costamare Shipping Company in 1974.

Today it has a fleet of 46 Greek-flagged ships, making it the largest independent cargo fleet in the world, according to the Athens News Agency.

With the Chinese state shipping group COSCO as its biggest charter client, Costamare set the pace for Greek owners entering the "China trade", which is credited with making billionaires out of dozens of Athens-based operators in the mid-2000s.

Konstantakopoulos - known in Beijing as Captain Vassili - kept ahead of the pack, forming an early joint venture with Chinese interests and building a series of container vessels at Chinese yards considered high risk at the time by more conservative owners.

When China started looking towards commercial expansion in the Balkans, he facilitated a 4bn euro concession deal between COSCO and the Greek government to develop a container terminal at Piraeus port as a hub for regional trade.

After his two sons, Costis and Achilleas, took over the day-to-day running of Costamare's shipping and tourist operations respectively, he had plenty of time to build cultural bridges.

Costamare opened Greece's first golf resort - Costa Navarino - last year close to the family's ancestral village in the Peloponnese.

Konstantakopoulos and his family had spent more than 25 years buying land in the Peloponnese so the complex could be constructed. The cost of the whole project exceeded 1 billion euros.

"This unit was not built just so we could make money," he told Skai Radio in a recent interview. "It took 28 years to buy all this land. Whatever land I bought, I bought there, I don't own any other land. If I'd wanted to make money, I would have invested in other things.

Protection of Nesting activity in Peleponisos

Peloponnesus is situated at the southernmost part of the Greek mainland. The largest town in the area is Patra (170,000 inhabitants), one of the most important ports in Greece. ARCHELON works in the three most important Caretta caretta nesting areas, the Bay of Kyparissia, Koroni and the Bay of Lakonikos.

Having been inhabited since the Neolithic period (6000-2600 BC), Peloponnesus is rich in history and culture. It has been the focal point of many ancient civilisations like Mycenaean and the Spartans. Its rich cultural activity continued during the Byzantium Age. Peloponnesus played a key role during the Greek Independence againts from the Ottoman Empire. All civilisations have left their mark in the area, which is rich in archaeological sites and architecture.

Peloponnesus is also known for its natural heritage. Due to the large number of species of fauna and flora (some of which are endemic) included in the appendices of the 92/43 Habitats Directive of the European Union, a large proportion of its surface is included in the NATURA 2000 network of protected areas. The main source of income in Peloponnesus has been agriculture and fishing, although there is increasing tourist activity.

Kyparissia and Lakonikos Bay have been included in the European "Natura 2000" network under the codes "Thines Kyparissias" (GR2550005) and "Evrotas Delta" (GR2540003) respectively. ARCHELON runs conservation projects in these areas since 1983. In the framework of two LIFE Nature projects, co-funded by the European Union in 1999 and 2002, Management Plans for the coastal zones were completed, promoting a model of sustainable development that will be beneficial to the local people. ARCHELON has been working for their implementation in co-operation with the local authorities and the local community.

Peloponnesus hosts 900 nests per year (24.3% at national level) in the Bays of Kyparissia and Lakonikos and in Koroni. The nesting season commences at the end of May and lasts until August. During this period, with the participation of 130 volunteers ARCHELON implements the following activities:

Morning and Night Survey recording daily nesting activity
Nest Protection against human activities and predation by mammals (foxes, etc)
Sand dune restoration against the degradation of this sensitive ecosystem
Public awareness through the operation of seasonal Information Stations, slide shows in tourist resorts and beach patrols in order to inform beach users.
During the whole year permanent ecotourist structures are operated: the Environmental Scientific Centre of Evrotas with the adjacent "Nature Trail" in the sand dune zone of Evrotas mouth and the Scientific Environmental Centre of Agiannakis with the "Forest Trail" in the coastal forest of Neda mouth. Guided tours are operated for individual visitors and organised groups. Great emphasis is given to children through special environmental education programmes.

Kyparissia Bay

Kyparissia Bay is located in West Peloponnesus and extends as far as Katakolo cape to the north and Kounelos cape to the south. It is an open bay with a north-western direction and therefore exposed to strong north-westerly winds that mainly occur in the Ionian Sea, during the summer. Kyparissia Bay consists of a sandy beach backed by one of the most extensive dune systems in Greece, reaching 10 meters of height. A large river called Alfios and two smaller rivers called Neda and Arkadikos run into the sea. The southern part of Kyparissia Bay, which lies between the port of Kyparissia and the mouth of Neda, hosts the second largest nesting population of the loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta in the Mediterranean with an average of 600 nests. In the context of a Life Nature project, co-funded by the European Commission, a nest management plan for the area has been drafted.

Lakonikos Bay

Every year, around 200 nests are protected on the 23.5 km of beach monitored by ARCHELON in Lakonikos Bay, in south Peloponnesus. Nesting occurs on Evrotas beach, from Kokkinia to Trinisa. Sea turtles can also be found nesting on the beaches of Vathi, Mavrovouni, Selinitsa and Valtaki and sporadic nesting has been noted on other beaches of the Bay.

Lakonikos Bay is important as a loggerhead nesting area, but also provides refuge for many other species within the Evrotas Delta region, one of the last remaining important wetlands in southern Greece. The extensive sand dune system backing Evrotas beach is largest in southern Peloponnesus and is inhabited by rare and endangered plant species, such as the Sea Daffodil (Pancratium maritimum). The marine ecosystem in Lakonikos is characterised by some of the most extensive Posidonia sea grass beds in Greece. The Posidonia ecosystem provides a home to many species of fish, as well as shelter to the eggs of many organisms and sea turtle hatchlings. Furthermore, the local Posidonia sea grass beds have been identified as development habitat of juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas).

In 1989, the first pilot project with fishermen in Greece was launched in the Bay of Lakonikos. This work was the starting point for the activities of ARCHELON towards the implementation of collaborative programs with fishermen in other areas.

Koroni

The importance of the nesting beach in the area of Koroni, in south west Peloponnesus, has been noted since the end of 1980's. It is a relatively small beach (2.7 km in length) which hosts 40-80 nests every summer, reaching a density that is relatively high for the Mediterranean standards. The systematic monitoring of nesting activity was initiated in 1995.
Two areas in the broader region of Koroni are to be included in the European Natura 2000 Network as being very important not only for the presence of sea turtles, but also for the existence of extended Posidonia beds (Posidonia oceanica) and the appearance of cetaceans in local waters.

http://www.archelon.gr/eng/habitat_pelop.php?row=row3

Why Stay In Koroni Messinia

Koroni is one of the most beautiful towns in Greece it has beautiful beaches and  is built in and around a castle,  This picture perfect town has an island feel about it, not only does it feel like an island but is also the beginning of the Ionian Islands such as Sapienza.
 These 3 islands are world heritage listed meaning no one can build or camp overnight on them, they have an abundance of wild life such as birds and reptiles.
These birds are stopping over before their flight to Africa, It is also one of the few places in euorope and Greece that you will find the logger head turtle who come to nest here especially the ones who nest beneath our propertys.
Koroni is a short drive from its sister Castles of Methoni & Pylos and only 50min drive to the largest city in the state of Messinia , Kalamata  is better known for its olives boasting some of the most fertile land in Greece, it has a population of 60,000.
Kalamata is renowned as the land of the Kalamatianos dance and the silk kerchief; of succulent dark olives, honey-eyed figs and the honey-covered sesame sweet called pasteli. The city can be reached from other Greek cities by bus and train. Furthermore, the city has an international airport and an important harbour. Ferries are available to places such as the Greek islands of Kythira, and Crete .
Kalamata has schools, lyceums, gymnasia, banks, a post office, and squares (plateia). The newly established University of the Peloponnese has a campus in Kalamata, it also has most the modern hospitals in Greece.
The name Kalamata may be related with the Greek phrase kala matia which means beautiful eyes.
Koroni is only a short drive to the best golf courses in Greece which was the brain child of the late and great Vasilli Konstkopoulos
.Koroni has something that the other castles dont have its the fact that when you look across the Messinian Gulf you are confronted by the second largest Mountain in Greece rising to 2,344 m or 7,690 feet, its is an awesome sight especially when its peak  has a snow cover.

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Things to do while staying in Koroni Messinia

see Logger head turtles nesting, swimming around the port of Koroni & maybe get involved in Conservation Koroni 

Visit  Gialova and see the endagered African Chameleon, only 200 left in all of Europe, maybe even ask about helping preserve this Messinian mascot.

Visit one of greeces largest wet land and see the pink flamingos stopping over and refueling before making there way to africa, there are as much as 270 species of birds around the Gialova lagoon. Many of these birds, who fly to Africa during autumn, stop by the lagoon one final time to refuel before continuing the 3000-kilometre trajectory over the Mediterranean and towards the Sahara. Some stay at the lagoon over winter, while others return in spring to before continuing the journey back north.

 

The temperate climate of this region makes it ideal almost any time of the year. The winter is quite mild compared to the rest of Europe, with many sunny days that require no more than a light jacket. In winter the lagoon offers many opportunities for bird watching, particularly in the early morning hours. There are three designated bird-watching spots in the area (free entrance).

 

Overall, this small wetland is not as famous as larger ones in Northern Greece and has been designated relatively recently compared to other ones. Nonetheless, its small size allows for a larger concentration of birds in one area, with one or two hours in the watch tower being enough to spot most of the fauna there. This includes bitterns which are sometimes elusive, as well as eagles.

 

Many other species are best seen between September and May. Several are there as early as August, such as black-winged stilts, golden plovers, garganeys, grey herons, squacco herons, little egrets, glossy ibises, curlews, glossy ibises, kingfishers and more. The venerable osprey, however, arrives only in early September, so do other species such as pallid harriers, marsh harriers, most terns and waders, sandpipers, spotted redshanks, dotterels and avocets.

 

It is estimated that almost 20,000 birds are present around the lagoon in winter, the majority being coots and ducks. Over 500 of these birds are herons (little egrets, white egrets, grey herons), which have learned to catch fish like cormorants. In the morning, you can see the cormorants displaying an interesting "steamroller" pattern of fishing in the lagoon and canals, where the last line in a flock comes in front to fish, followed by another. They are sometimes joined by marsh harriers and hen harriers. Before dusk, you may very well see flamingos, as well as a few bitterns.

 

By late February spring migration beings, as thousands of birds make their way to the lagoon. These include herons, harriers, terns, swallows, wagtails and others. Some like the waders (including broad-billed and marsh sandpipers) arrive at night, while others like the curlews arrive by day. The most common waders are the wood sandpipers and ruffs though. April sees the arrival of greenshanks and spotted redshanks, followed in May by curlew sandpipers and turnstones. Curiously, some large birds such as marsh harriers and grey herons look like they're making a direct drop into the lagoon in spring, as if falling directly out of the sky. Spring also brings with it some 1,800 glossy ibises who pass through. The area even witnesses many breeding birds such as peregrine falcons, eagle owls, kestrels and black-winged stilts. If you're a birdwatcher or simply a nature lover, this part of Messinia – around the Gialova lagoon – is not to be missed.