FORESTS IN EUROPE
Greece occupies an area of 130,875 km2 at the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula. Its population is approximately 10 million. Nearly half of these people live in the two largest cities, Athens and Thessaloniki. The country's topography is mostly mountainous. Small plains and valleys are interspersed between the mountains and constitute the main agricultural areas.
The climate is typically Mediterranean over most of the country, with warm-to-hot summers and mild winters. Usually there is little or no rain in the summer, but quite often the dry season may start as early as April and continue well into fall. Only some of the wettest locations at high elevations have more than 100 days of rain per year.
Yearly precipitation may exceed 2,000 mm at those locations. On the other hand, the south-eastern tip of Greece, including the area around Athens and the Cyclades Islands in the Aegean Sea, has annual precipitation of less than 400 mm, which is one of the lowest in Europe.
Mean yearly temperature varies between 14.5°C in the north and 19.5°C on the southernmost island of Crete. Absolute minimum temperatures at high elevations in northern Greece may approach –25°C. In the summer, maximum temperatures occasionally reach 42-45°C at various inland locations. The influence of the Mediterranean Sea that surrounds the country on three sides helps moderate the air temperature in most areas.
 | FOREST CHARACTERISTIC AND FOREST TYPES In order to describe vegetation in Greece, we should accept that there is a certain distribution of vegetation according to altitudinal zones related to climate changes from the warm Mediterranean regions to cooler environments of high altitudes. |
 | TYPICAL AND EXCEPTIONAL FAUNA AND FLORA SPECIES IN FORESTS Greece occupies the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula, the total land area being 131,957 km2. In Greece there are about 6,900 species and sub-species of wild-growing vascular plants. Endemic species and sub-species in Greece are over 1,300.
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 | FORMS OF NATURE PROTECTION SUCH AS NATIONAL PARKS AND NATURE 2000 SITES In Greece, there are 110 ecotypes of Annex I of the Directive, 39 plant species (flora) and 76 animal species (fauna) of Annex II. Based on the distribution of these ecotypes and species in Greece, 262 sites were recorded within which there are some of these habitats and some of these species. |
 | ORGANIZATION OF FORESTRY The main body for protecting and managing the country's state forests as well as for supervising and keeping under control the private forests, is the Forest Service. |
Greece
The report was prepared by:
Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems and Forest Technology Products
N. Chlorou & Imittou 1
T.K. 11528 Ilissia Athens GREECE:
Authors:
Researchers:
Dr. Albanis Kosmas - Forest Management and and Economics
Dr. Karetsos George - Forest ecology and Hydrology
Dr. Panos V. Petrakis - Forest Ecosystems Protection and Forest Fires - Forest Entomology
Research Assistants:
Mr. Kritikos Theodoros M.Sc. - Forest Ecology and Hydrology
Mrs Soulioti Nikoletta - Forest Pathology
Mrs Danae Panayiotopoulou - Librarian M.Sc. (Compilation and translation)
© CILP - cilp.lasy.gov.pl
