11
Dec
2018

Organisation of 2 Training Seminars for the staff of the Forestry Directorate of the Decentralised Administration of Crete

The Decentralized Administration of Crete organised two training seminars on the "Protected Areas of the Natura 2000 Network - Law Enforcement Offenses" addressed to the staff of the Forestry Directorates of Crete. 

The two events were organised under the framework of the LIFE + Information & Communication Project titled "The ecological services, social benefits and economic value of ecosystem services in the areas of the NATURA 2000 Network in Crete" ("LIFE Natura2000 Value Crete"), and they were held on Tuesday 27 November 2018 in Heraklion at the premises of the Decentralized Administration of Crete and on Monday 3 December 2018 in Chania at the International Conference Center of the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAIC). 

The scope of the two seminars was to disseminate specialized information regarding the ecosystem services of the NATURA2000 Network and support the capacity building of the staff of the Department of Forests of Crete in effectively applying Forestry Law with regards to the protection of the NATURA2000 sites. 

The capacity building events were attended by foresters all around the 4 prefectures of Crete who were informed about the protected areas of the Natura2000 Network, their protection and management, as well as the critical issues to address the delinquency within them.

Invited speakers from the Decentralized Administration of Crete and its Forest Directorates, the Natural History Museum of Crete and the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania informed the employees who participated in the 2 meetings on topics such as:

  • The ecological services, social benefits and economic value of ecosystem services in the areas of the NATURA 2000 Network in Crete
  • The ecosystem services of wildlife.
  • Presentation - Management of Protected Areas of the Natura 2000 Network of Crete
  • Important and Protected Cretan Flora.
  • Protecting Ecosystems & Types
  • Forest Law, Criminal Procedure, Agricultural and Forestry Misconduct.
  • Thira - Protection of theatrical wealth

The two meetings highlighted the importance and necessity of life-long learning and training for the staff of the Forest Directorates, especially on issues related to the legislative framework relevant to the protected areas of the NATURA2000 Network and the usefuleness of coordination among forestrey services when they have to deal with the violation and/or application of Forestry Law.