News Release: Project ‘’LIFE Natura2000Value Crete’’ organised workshop at Fragkokastello, Municipality of Sfakia on the 29th of August 2016

A workshop of the project "LIFE Natura2000Value Crete" was held with great success on Monday, the 29th of August 2016 at Fragkokastello. The workshop's title was:"NATURA 2000 sites: Opportunity or obstacle for the development" and aimed at the information of the general public on the value of NATURA 2000 sites, their designation as areas of great developmental potential, as well as the presentation of ideas and examples of proper exploitation practices, with respect to the environment. It was the sixth of a series of 26 workshops that are to be held in the context of the communication strategy of the project.   

The workshop was hosted at the castle of Fragkokastello, Municipality of Sfakia. It lasted 2 hours and the turnout was about 20 people. Representatives of the Municipality, school teachers, residents and visitors - tourists participated in the event. 

The presentations accompanying the workshop designated the NATURA 2000 sites on a European, national and local level and focused on the protected areas characterising the Municipality hosting the event. The main topic covered was the ecosystem services. More specifically, the following issues were addressed: benefits wildlife offers to people, alternative stockbreeding practices and ecotourism, as an emerging professional and scientific domain, which combines the purposes of tourism with the protection of biodiversity and the designation of the local products and values. During the workshops and at the conclusion of them, the speakers were at the disposal of the participants to clarify anything and answer to various questions. 

The participants were provided with a folder containing printed communication material of the project (leaflet, sticker, schedule of the workshop), t-shirt and hat. 

The schedule of the workshop is the following:

• 20.00-20.20: Arrival - registration 
• 20.20-20.25: Greetings
• 20.25-20.40: Michalis Promponas, Physicist - Environmental Scientist, PhD (University of Crete – Natural History Museum of Crete): "NATURA 2000 Network of Protected Areas in the European Union, Greece and Crete"
• 20.40-20.55: Tania Ploumi, Environmentalist MSc (University of Crete – Natural History Museum of Crete): "Socio-economic benefits from the Natural Environment" 
• 20.55-21.10: Manousos Stavrianoudakis, President of the Stockbreeders' Association of Chania: "Alternative Opportunities of Development in Stockbreeding"
• 21.10-21.20: Coffee break
• 21.20-21.35: Stavros Xirouchakis, Biologist - Ornithologist, PhD (University of Crete – Natural History Museum of Crete): "Ecosystem services of Wildlife" 
• 21.35-21.50: Roula Trigkou, Forester MSc, Senior Conservation Communication Officer, Hellenic Ornithological Society: "Ecotourism in Natura 2000 sites: opportunities, possibilities and requirements"
• 21.50-22.00: Questions - open discussion