BYRON I Shipwreck in Kaloi Limenes / Image by Dimitris Poursanidis - terraSolutions m.e.r.
Dive in Crete
The project “DIVE IN OUR ISLANDS” is an attempt to show the attractiveness of our islands-areas, Lesvos, Dodecanese and Heraklion for Greece, Larnaca and Famagusta and Lemesos for Cyprus, under a common transnational cooperation project.
The diving areas and diving routes are indicative and those interested in visiting the areas should do so with their own responsibility, following the standard practices and legal terms of each area.
We undertook the implementation of six diving paths in Crete, in collaboration with the HERAKLION DEVELOPMENT AGENCY.
The results of the project are publicly available https://www.diveinourislands.com/en-us/Information at the relevant tabs for each geographic area.
Funding: Dive in our islands
Dr. Vasilis Papathanasiou, working in the seagrass meadow of Kos / Image by Dimitris Poursanidis - terraSolutions m.e.r.
The conservation status of seagrass meadows (1120*) in the Natura 2000 of Kos (GR4210008)
Kos or Cos is a Greek island, which is part of the Dodecanese island chain in the southeastern Aegean Sea. Kos is the third largest island of the Dodecanese by area, after Rhodes and Karpathos; it has a population of 37,089 (2021 census), making it the second most populous of the Dodecanese, after Rhodes. The island measures 42.1 by 11.5 kilometres (26 by 7 miles). Administratively, Kos constitutes a municipality within the Kos regional unit, which is part of the South Aegean region. The principal town of the island and seat of the municipality is the town of Kos.
The Natura 2000 site is located on the eastern part of the island of Kos from cape Louros including lake Psalidi, covering the massif of mountain Dikaios and extending to the north to include the salt-marsh (Alyki). The marine area is delimited by the depth curve of 50 m (2% of the site). Lake Psalidi is actually a coastal slat-marsh, permanently flooded by salt or brachish water. It supports halophilous or semi-halophilous vegetation and permanently inundated reed-beds with Phragmites australis and Typha spp. (a habitat type not included in Annex I, CORINE 91 code 53.111). The mountain Dikaios (with maximum altitude 843 m) is located in the southern part of the site and is characterised by extensive coniferous woodland of Pinus brutia, phrygana at a good conservation state, inland cliffs, screes, chasms and small gorges. At the southern foot of the mountain, there are craggy coasts and vegetated sea cliffs which are very steep. In the eastern part of the site there is Alyki, a small lagoon with a salt-pit, with halophytic vegatation, reedbeds, and Tamarix spp. Around it there are sand dunes and sand beaches. Small villages, with cultivations all around, are dispersed all over the site.
The project aims at the estimation of the conservation status of the Neptune's segrass meadows, for the first time after the establishment of the site, the use of new technology for the estimation of the area of the meadows, the production of bathymetry product using space technology and the identification of the pressures and threats.
The project has a 12 month duration.
Funding: N.E.C.C.A. – Natural Enviroment Climate & Change Agency