The “Smart Forest” concerns the Butterfly Valley, an area belonging to the Natura 2000 network
The Minister of Environment and Energy, Thodoros Skylakakis, and the CEO of Nova, Panagiotis Georgiopoulos, visited Rhodes on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, where they announced an important initiative to protect the natural environment and biodiversity of the island, entitled: “Smart Forest Rhodes”.
In particular, it is a project implemented within the Nova program totaling 1 million euros, for restoration and regeneration projects after the natural disasters of 2023. It concerns the installation in the Butterfly Valley – an area belonging to the Natura 2000 network – of an intelligent fire prevention and management system, through artificial intelligence tools. The selection of the specific area was made following Nova’s cooperation with the General Directorate of Forests & Forest Environment and the relevant Directorate of Forests of the Dodecanese.
The project has an implementation time horizon of five months, will be developed and financed entirely by Nova and will be delivered to the Ministry of Environment and Energy. For this purpose, the know-how from the implementation of the company’s project, entitled: “Digital Actions for the Protection and Highlighting of Imittos”, which was successfully tested in the field, will be used.
It is noted that within the framework of this program, Nova, a member of the United Group, the leading telecommunications and media provider in Southeast Europe, has already delivered the major restoration projects to the General Directorate of Forests and Forest Environment of the General Secretariat of Forests of the Ministry of Environment and Energy and rehabilitation of fire-damaged areas in the Dadia National Park in Evros, as well as in Rhodes. The above very critical projects for the protection of the lands, function both as a basis for the anti-flood shielding of the area and as a starting point for the natural regeneration in the burned areas of Evros and Rhodes, with the results already visible. They were implemented, based on the approved studies of the Forestry Departments and in collaboration with the Evros and Dodecanese Forest Directorates, while certified foresters from the respective Forestry Labor Cooperatives cooperated for their implementation.
The Minister of Environment and Energy, Thodoros Skylakakis, stated: “The timely prediction of fires and the timely intervention to deal with them are at the core of the specific, private initiative “Smart Forest Rhodes”, with a field of action in the Valley of Butterflies, which is a protected area of the Natura 2000 network. And it is extremely important the fact that we have at our disposal and use new technologies to achieve this difficult task. The climate crisis requires the intensification of prevention initiatives to protect the natural environment and preserve biodiversity, like this one, and like many other initiatives that we take at the Ministry of Environment and Energy. Characteristic examples are the AntiNero programs, which are in full development in various regions of the country and concern the creation of mixed fire protection zones, the initiative, with resources of 30 million euros from the Green Fund, for the creation of fire protection zones, 10 meters wide, perimeters of settlements located in or near forests and forest areas of high risk for the occurrence of fires, the introduction of new specifications for the preparation of forest management studies, etc..
The CEO of Nova, Panagiotis Georgiopoulos, noted: “Nova takes advantage of the possibilities provided by Artificial Intelligence in Civil Protection, contributing to the protection of the environment. In this context, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Energy and the General Secretariat of Forests, we offer the island of Rhodes an advanced intelligent system for the prevention and management of crises in the Butterfly Valley. After the restorations in the Dadia National Park, and in Rhodes we are continuing the 1 million euro program for the protection and regeneration of our forests, improving the lives of citizens”.
The Regional Governor of South Aegean, Giorgos Chatzimarkos, noted: “In one of the most emblematic parts of Rhodes, from the Valley of Butterflies, I express my thanks to the Nova company for the “Smart Forest Rhodes”, a very useful and important project for the benefit of the landmark and the destination in general. Government and the Ministry of Environment and Energy, with the Minister Thodoros Skylakakis, the South Aegean Region, the Municipality of Rhodes and local bodies, together with the private initiative, we are joining forces, once again, towards a common path: a sustainable tomorrow. We are turning Rhodes and the South Aegean Region as a whole into a great example of how sustainability and sustainability issues are not just topics of discussion at workshops and conferences, but actions and programs that make a difference in practice”.
The Mayor of Rhodes, Alexandros Koliadis, underlined: “It is very important that the private initiative, the central state and the state join forces in the fight to protect not only the environment, but also all citizens. The company Nova deserves congratulations for its initiative in the Valley of Butterflies in Rhodes. These actions and collaborations of the state and the private sector help to solve issues, but also prevention, so that events like the ones we experienced last year do not happen.”
Source: Skai
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