Samaria (Lefka Ori) National Park

The National Park of Samaria (Lefka Ori) is an important area, which has received many distinctions (CoE Diploma of Protected Areas, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Natura 2000 site, etc.), due to its intense geomorphological profile, the biodiversity it hosts, but also because of the “mountain culture” that it preserves. It represents a mosaic of different terrestrial & marine habitats set in an altitude range that starts at 2,453 m and ends at the sea. The main landscapes of the area include pine and cypress tree forests, phryganas, alpine ecosystems, riparian ecosystems, caves and other karstic formations, steep cliffs, coastal & marine habitats. It is home to a large number of flora species (1090 recorded species & subspecies) many of which are endemic. Emblematic species of fauna include Capra aegagrus cretica, Gypaetus barbatus, and Monachus monachus. The protected area has a size of 58,484 ha. It includes the mountain range “Lefka Ori”, which is also the main watershed of Western Crete. There are not many human settlements in the area, and the permanent population is less than 4,500 people. Today’s local economy is mostly based on pastoralism and tourism.

The official declaration of the new National Park (Lefka Ori) is pending. However, the core zone of the National Park (Gorge of Samaria) is a National Woodland Park since 1962. The new National Park is divided into five different management zones: core zone, species-habitats, ecological landscape, traditional landscape, natural resources (transition zone).

The operation of the Management Body of the Samaria-Western Crete National Park (MB) began in 2008. The MB is a legal entity of private law supervised by the Ministry of Environment and Energy. The information provided below refers to projects implemented by the MB.

Site Details
Short name: SAM
ILTER ID: LTER_EU_GR_007
Year est.: 1962
Location: Chania, Crete, Greece
Area (sqkm): 584.84
Elevation (m.a.s.l.): 2453

Contact Info
Dr Petros Lymberakis
info@samaria.gr
Chania, Crete, Greece
www.samaria.gr
+302821045570

Research Topics

Atmospheric Chemistry

Atmospheric Physics

Climate Change

Air quality

Meteorology

Chemical oceanography

Biogeochemistry

Ecotoxicology

Environmental health

Partners

In order the MB to conduct its legally described responsibilities, as well as to accomplish the main purpose of the establishment of the National Park—the preservation of the natural and man-made environment and the support of the local sustainable development-, in many cases, consultation and cooperation is needed/seeked with all the relevant stakeholders of the National Park (eg, authorities, educational & research institutions, local enterprises, etc).

Apart from that the National Park is a member of several international networks of protected areas:

Natura 200 site (SCI GR4340008 & SPA GR4340014)
Diploma of Protected Areas—CoE
Biosphere Reserves of the Program “Man & the Biosphere” (MAB) of UNESCO
Network of Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves

Finally, the MB is a member of the following networks:

Key Scientific and Societal Questions

The Management Body of the Samaria-Western Crete National Park (MB) is a legal entity of private law supervised by the Ministry of Environment and Energy. Its legally prescribed responsibilities are described in Law no. 4519/2018 and include:

Implementation of the Management Plan of the protected area
Monitoring of environmental parameters
Auditing of the implementation of the environmental legislation
Providing expert opinion in the process of the environmental licensing of projects and activities in the protected area
The conduction of studies, research & projects for the protection, preservation, restoration & enhancement of the protected elements
Public awareness & environmental education activities
Promotion of new local sustainable development models
Promotion & support of ecotourism activities & local products of the prime sector

Success Stories

Monitoring Habitats, Species, Air Monitoring Forest Disease Support Sustainable Tourism Sustainability Indicators APP TOOL

Monitoring of Important Habitats, Species and Meteorological Parameters

Through the funding of the Operational Program (OP): “Environment and Sustainable Development”, NSRF2007-2013, and the cooperation of expert scientists (through contract assignments), the MB designed & established in 2013 a recording and monitoring program of habitats & species in the National Park. The program’s outputs which ended in 2015 were: (i) the establishment of 156 permanent sampling plots for the monitoring of the 17 different terrestrial habitat types of the National Park, (ii) the establishment of 135 sampling plots for the monitoring of 32 important plant species, (iii) monitoring of terrestrial fauna species: 19 mammals, 7 reptiles, 2 amphibians, 3 invertebrates, (iv) monitoring of 3 marine habitat types, (v) monitoring of all species of avifauna and (vi) monitoring of 4 marine species.

Through the funding of the OP: Crete, NSRF 2014-2020, and the cooperation of expert scientists, the 2^nd monitoring period is currently under implementation and will last until 2023.

The data collected focus on the information needed for the compilation of the Standard Data Forms for the Natura 2000 sites of the National Park (GR4340008 & GR4340014).

The MB, also, installed three meteorological stations in the National Park in 2012, which operate since then on a continuous basis (https://www.samaria.gr/el/meteorologikoi-stathmoi1/). The meteorological parameters monitored follow the standards set from the National Observatory of Athens, with whom the MB collaborates.

Monitoring of the Disease of the Pine Tree Forest at Agios Ioannis, Sfakia

In the frame of the OP: “Environment and Sustainable Development”, NSRF2007-2013, and the cooperation with a team of researchers-foresters, a study was conducted, in order to examine the causes of the tree necrosis that is recorded at the pine tree forest located at the S-E part of the National Park. The study results involved proposals for management actions and monitoring activities. Currently, through the OP: “Transport Infrastructure, Environment and Sustainable Development”, NSRF 2014-2020, the MB is implementing monitoring of the phenomenon at 10 sampling plots, and has received funding (through the same OP) for small-scale pilot management actions.

Support-Promotion of Local Sustainable Tourism

In the frame of the “Mediterranean Experience of Ecotourism Network” (MEET) project (www.meetnetwork.org/), the MB (as a subcontractor of MedPAN), formed a cluster of local enterprises and designed the pilot action called ”A snorkel on the mountain” – a holistic eco-tourism package in the National Park of Samaria, that was evaluated and considered as “ready” to be promoted to tour operators abroad.

The MB, later, (as a subcontractor of WWF Med), participated in the DestiMED (Interreg MED) project https://destimed.interreg-med.eu/. A cluster of local ecotourism enterprises was again created, which designed the pilot action called “Follow the landscape”. The ecological footprint of the proposed ecotourism package was, also, estimated through a specific methodology “Ecological Footprint Calculator” applied in the frame of the project.

The MB has also developed a quality agreement leading to the awarding of a quality label to enterprises operating within its jurisdiction area. The award of the quality label indicates an enterprise that carries out its operations with respect to these elements of the environment, and to the culture and traditions that make the region appealing to visitors, consumers and service users. The quality agreement is addressed to enterprises of catering, accommodation, food & drinks, tourism services and wholesale and retail trade. The quality label bears the name “ΝΗ ΖΑ” which literally means “By Zeus”, an ancient oath of the shepherds, and has three levels of distinction, for enterprises meeting the minimum, average & all criteria respectively. So far, 15 quality labels have been granted.

Sustainability Indicators

Through the funding of the OP: Crete, NSRF 2014-2020, the MB is currently developing a project to determine key indicators in the main sectors (natural environment, population, economy, research) that should be monitored in order to assess long-term effectiveness of the protected area’s management.

Pilot Application of an App Tool for the Comprehensive and Timely Information of Managers and Visitors

The project Xenios Project (OP: Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, NSRF 2014-2020) aims to develop services for the short-term, medium-term and long-term forecast of extreme natural phenomena and natural disasters, in areas of touristic interest, which are vulnerable to natural hazards. In the frame of the project, that the MB participates as a partner, the Gorge of Samaria has been selected as one of the two pilot areas in Greece to test a platform of web applications predicting and managing risks (fires), aiming to provide information/forecasts to site administrators, whereas visitors are informed through a mobile application, which also interacts with the platform. https://xenios-project.eu/

Publications

Books

“LEFKA ORI-Natural History”, Kontakos D., Publisher: Samaria National Park Management Body, 1st publication 2015 (in Greek), 1st reprint 2018, 1^st publication in English 2018
” The Gorge of Samaria: Shelter for Life, Den of Freedom”, Collective work, Editorial team: Papavasileiou E., Kargiolaki C., Zotou A., Chaniotaki-Smirlaki A., Publisher: Samaria National Park Management Body, Prefectural Administration Of Chania, 1st publication 2008 (Greek, English), 1st reprint 2015 (Greek, English), 1st publication in French 2015
“To Αλφαβητάρι της Σαμαριάς”, Kargiolaki C., Editor: Papavasileiou E., Publisher: Samaria National Park Management Body, Prefectural Administration Of Chania, 2008 (in Greek)

Other Publications

Lilli M.A., Nerantzaki S.A., Riziotis C., Kotronakis M., Efstathiou D., Kontakos D., Lymberakis P., Avramakis M., Tsakirakis A., Protopapadakis K., Nikolaidis N.P. 2020. Vision-Based Decision-Making Methodology for Riparian Forest Restoration and Flood Protection Using Nature-Based Solutions. Sustainability 12, 3305. doi:10.3390/su12083305
Poursanidis D., Barnias A., Lymberakis P., Giamberini M., Chrysoulakis N., Copernicus Sentinel Data for Local Scale Conservation Activities. in Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Greece 2018. In European Space Agency 2018. “The Ever Growing Use of Copernicus across Europe’s Regions”, A selection of 99 user stories by local and regional authorities. Pg 116-117.
“A guide to plan and promote ecotourism activities and measure their impacts in Mediterranean Protected Areas following the MEET approach”, Editor: Mabali M., produced by: MedPAN, Marseille, France, 2019 (In English), contribution
“Network of Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves: Gorge of Samaria”, Samaria National Park Management Body, publisher: International Center for the Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves under the auspices of UNESCO, 2017 (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese)
“Mediterranean Experience of Ecotourism -MEET MANUAL- A guide to discover the MEET approach”, authors: Drumm A., Rodríguez A., Danelutti C., Luca Santarossa L., publishers: IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation and MEET Network, 2016 (In English), contribution

Conferences

Lymberakis P., “Samaria National Park. Ecolabelling: Idea and Praxis”, Conference “Mountain areas of large Mediterranean islands European issues, national and regional policies & local mechanisms”, 28-31 January 2020, Cyprus. (oral presentation)
Lymberakis P. “Gorge of Samaria Biosphere Reserve: Overview on issues of climate change ”, Symposium: “The future of South East Europe and the Mediterranean in the context of Climate Change: a UNESCO perspective”, 6-8/11/2019, Venice. (oral presentation)
Poursanidis D., Chrysoulakis N., Lymberakis P., Barnias A., Gambierini S., Provenzalle A., “ECOPOTENTIAL: IMPROVING FUTURE ECOSYSTEM BENEFITS THROUGH EARTH OBSERVATIONS”, 9^th Panhellenic ecology conference (HELECOS), 4-7 October 2018, Heraklion, Crete (oral presentation)
Lymberakis P. “The role of Management Bodies of Protected Areas in the frame of the new law”, Conference “NATURA 2000 Sites: Protection & Sustainable Development”, 10-12/5/2018, Chania. (oral presentation)
Poursanidis D., Lymberakis P., Spaneli V., Chrysoulakis N., “Topographic factors promoting the distribution of the endemic lizard Podarcis cretensisin Samaria National park”, SEH 2017, 19th European Congress of Herpetology, 18-23 September 2017, Salzburg
Peroulaki E., debate session “Efficient use of resources, environmental protection and climate change”, 2nd Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves Managers Meeting & MEDITERRANEA 2017 – International Meeting on Sustainable Tourism in Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves, 5-7/9-2017, Castellet Castle, Barcelona, διοργ. UNESCO International Center for the Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves (oral presentation)
Kontakos D., Lymberakis P., “Monitoring program of flora species in the Samaria National Park: Experience and Conclusions after a five-year application”, 15^th Panhellenic Scientific Conference of the Hellenic Botanical Society, 14-17 September, Chania, Crete
Poursanidis D., Chrysoulakis N., Lymberakis P., “Utilizing modern satellite observations to estimate the distribution of endemic reptiles – The case of Podarcis Cretensis in the National Park of Samaria”, 8th Panhellenic ecology conference (HELECOS), 20-23 October 2016, Thessaloniki, Greece (poster)
Kontakos D., Barnias A., Lymberakis P., “Research actions by Samaria National Park Management Body”, 8^th Panhellenic ecology conference (HELECOS), 20-23 October 2016, Thessaloniki, Greece (poster)
Barnias A., Kontakos D., Lymberakis P., “New data for the distribution of the Cretan wild goat (Capra aegagrus cretica)”, 8^th Panhellenic ecology conference (HELECOS), 20-23 October 2016, Thessaloniki, Greece (poster)
Poursanidis D., Chrysoulakis N., Barnias A., Lymberakis P., “Monitoring land cover changes over National Parks with EO to identify ecosystem functions, services and assist biodiversity conservation”, Living Planet Symposium 2016, 9-13 May 2016, Prague, Czech Republic
Poursanidis D., Barnias A., Lymberakis P., “Evaluation of the conservation status of posidonia beds (Posidonia oceanic) in the National Park of Samaria (Lefka Ori) in Crete”, 7^th Panhellenic ecology conference (HELECOS), 9-12 October 2014, Mytilene, Greece (poster)
Lymberakis P., Barnias A., Peroulaki E., “Monitoring of wildlife in the Samaria – Lefka Ori National Park”, 6^th Panhellenic ecology conference (HELECOS), 4-7 October 2012, Athens, Greece (oral presentation)
Barnias A., Maria, E. A., Kargiolaki H., “Management Bodies of Protected Areas: The case study of the Management Body of Samaria Gorge (National Park, Biosphere Reserve, Natura 2000) Crete, Hellas”, XIII World Forestry Congress, 18 – 25 October 2009, Buenos Aires, Argentina, (poster).