Dry grasslands management in Greece. Crucial points and proposals for a new sustainable policy: a case study of Epirus
Greece has a rich heritage in grasslands which significantly contribute to the national economy. This paper examines the necessity of developing a new land use policy, under the CAP framework, focusing on the sustainable dry grasslands management. We studied the national and European legal frame concerning grasslands management, the current grasslands management and the main points of agricultural subsidies system relating with grassland management in five representative areas of Epirus, northwestern Greece. The results pointed out the complexity of the law in grasslands management providing evidence that more importance has been given to the economic management, in terms of tax payment (grazing right) and agricultural subsidies payment rather than to the proper application of critical factors such as grazing capacity and stocking rate. Finally, a conceptual framework, in very broad lines, for a new grasslands agreement addressing grasslands sustainability is presented. The agreement will be applied by “managers of grasslands” and can be financed by the Green Fund or even from a new agri-environmental measure within the CAP framework.
Investigation on health promoting medicinal plants to breeding animals
Herbivores prefer certain substances for self-medication whereas avoid others. Traditionally in many parts of Greece, breeders used to provide specific plants to their livestock for medicinal purposes. This knowledge and wisdom is getting extinct as young farmers prefer the use of the fast-acting medical substances rather the traditionally used medical plants. The purpose of this study was to investigate and record all traditionally used plants for medical purposes by farmers as well as the grazing preference of certain plant species by animals. For this aim an adequate number of questionnaires was prepared and distributed in livestock breeders of many rural parts of Greece. The results suggest that breeders from diverse areas react differently concerning the use of certain feed and plant species as medicine to face health problems of their livestock. Young farmers are more willing, but less aware than the elder ones in the use of plants for medicinal purposes to their livestock. The use of certain plants is related to the location of the farm. However, there are certain plants that are commonly used throughout different areas. Plants are used for many purposes such as tumours, bloating, cold, fever, intestinal problems, respiratory infections, inflammation, and birth complications as well as to improve the animal welfare.
Grey wolf (Canis lupus) predation on livestock in the Prefecture of Trikala, central Greece
The Grey wolf (Canis lupus) is the top predator in Greek ecosystems and the largest species of the Canidae family. The decline of wild ungulate populations has resulted in changing the wolf food habits, with livestock being its main food resource. In this study we analyzed wolf predation on livestock of Trikala Prefecture for the period 1999-2010. The total number of verified attacks recorded by HFIO (Hellenic Farmers Insurance Organization) and the Forest Service of Trikala is 2,561. The livestock is divided into 3 categories (goats, sheep and cattle) and the killed animals are 9,770. Most of the attacks occurred in areas with an altitude of 800 to 1,200 m. Autumn is the season with the largest number of attacks. Highest predation was recorded on sheep with 1,041 attacks. The presence of wolves in Greece is closely related to livestock animals and traditional farming. In order to estimate the effect of wolf predation on livestock a longitudinal monitoring is required as well as an analysis of all attacks at a national scale.
Determinants of extensive sheep production systems in Central Greece
Sheep breeding is regarded as an important activity for a large part of rural population in Greece. For this reason, the determinants of sheep production systems were investigated based on standardized questionnaires and in-depth interviews with all sheep breeders at the six districts of the Municipality of Kilada, Larisa, in Central Greece during 2010. The data were processed using Pearson’s test (p≤0.05). Farmer’s age, holding structure (family, individual) and flock size were considered as independent variables (determinants). Such results are expected to be useful for rangeland managers and policy makers. It was found that the older farmers avoid using temporary pastures and use more stubble fields during autumn. They also prefer to practice hand milking. On the other hand the younger farmers establish temporary pastures utilizing agricultural land of small size and tend to make higher investments in establishing and fertilizing them. They also use these pastures as long as possible during spring and appear to be willing to insert more milk-productive races such as “Chiotiko”, to keep bigger flocks and to apply mechanized milking. Age- independent variables appear to be the use of rangelands, the practicing of transhumance and the grazing in snowing days. Cultivation cost/ha also seems to be an age-independent variable, either as self-made or as employed service, as well as watering of temporary pastures. Owners of family holdings are willing to lead their flocks in a long distance in order to secure natural forage but mainly during summer and autumn. The holdings which employ only family members invest more financial means for purchased feedstuffs such as hay of legume as they are not so willing to pasture on the rangelands during the winter days in contrast to the non-family shepherds. Farmers practicing transhumance seem to employ non family members for this purpose and return in October, later than farmers which employ only family members. The owners of big flocks have a tendency to keep longer transhumance period during autumn and they are also more willing to spend longer time on rangelands during winter. As a result, they use less condensed feedstuffs in autumn. Also, they do not have sheds in residential areas.
Evaluation of the infrastructure development in Mediterranean Greek typical mountainous dry grassland
In the past few year on account of the one-dimensional economic development activity that destroys thoughtlessly the environment, gains ground, directly or indirectly, the notion that the development whether will be completed, that is to say simultaneously economic, social, technological and cultural, in harmony and with respect in the particular natural and cultural environment, which part of it is the man, or will not exist by no means. The following environmental resources (components) were identified: the fauna, the flora, the water capacity (water resources, water saving), the soil, the disturbance of soil and rocky lands, the landscapephysiognomy and the acoustic environment. However, the construction of a technical work can have negative impacts on the environment. These may be defined as changes of the environmental resources (natural and social), with a temporary or permanent character in respect to the time horizon within which these changes take place. The environment-friendly planning and design of a technical work must consider not only technical or economic parameters but also the effect of the construction (direct or indirect) upon the natural and social environment. This paper deals with the construction of a technical work in dry grassland, the environmental resources were identified, the impacts were evaluated and the criteria of estimating the alternative solutions were set out following the grouping of the environmental resources. The results proves that this method provides a way to evaluate the compatibility of the existing infrastructural works with the natural environment, and offers the possibility to choose the most compatible solutions for the environment in future.
