The biodiversity in the Ionian Islands, but also in Greece in general, is under strong degradation pressures, with the main being land use changes, intensification of agriculture, pollution of territorial and water resources, uncontrolled use of water, tourism development and the lack of knowledge and awareness of citizens. Another serious pressure factor, with a particular upward trend in the future, is climate change, the effects of which in the Mediterranean countries - with their particular climatic and morphological characteristics - are expected to be significant, mainly in terms of soil erosion and available water resources.
Managing and controlling Ionian Islands Region areas by integrating several digital thematic maps related to biodiversity.
Networking related ecosystems, landscapes and natural beauty elements, highlighting ecotourism routes of the Ionian Islands Region.
The Ionian Islands are characterized by a special geomorphology, a rich biodiversity and a large number of protected areas and species. However, like most areas of Greece, they are also characterized by lack of recorded, mapped and evaluated information regarding the resources they support and are the habitat of biodiversity, i.e. land and water.
Mapping these natural resources will allow the Ionian Islands Region (PIN) to know and prevent the risks of degradation and the pressures mentioned, in order to design and implement sustainable strategies in areas related to land and water (e.g. soil quality in protected areas, agricultural production, pasture management, water use in agriculture, etc.) adapted to the particular climatic, soil and hydrological characteristics of these areas.
The project lasts 42 months and will feature several digital thematic maps, such as soil, soil erosion and degradation hazards, fertility, crop selection and restructuring, soil suitability for reuse of liquid and solid organic additives/waste, soil quality as habitat for soil, plant and animal biodiversity, assessing the risk of degradation of groundwater and surface water resources, land cover, geomorphological formations, agricultural lands, forest areas, pastures, water resources, aquatic habitats, geomorphometric characteristics, assessment of risk zones from natural hazards, e.g. erosion, flooding and biodiversity-related factors such as disease dispersal, as well as temporal maps of geo-diversity and biodiversity.
Actions to inform and raise awareness of the public and the production companies of PIN will be organized in all Ioanian Islands.