Paranesti Drama: From the “Iron Curtain” to the European Green Belt

Crossing a path through clover and corn crops that continues on a riverside route, crowned with trees and wild nature, next to Nestos, it was completed last Saturday, in Paranesti of Drama, a conference on highlighting the value of biodiversity and cross-border cooperation in the Rhodopes mountain range. A conference that, according to its organizers, had as its goal its importance European Green Beltas it is now called ex “Iron Curtain”which divided Europe into East and West for nearly 40 years.

There, a separate “green” zone has developed, an ecological corridor that crosses 24 countries and, as a strictly monitored military area, has been a refuge for many endangered species. Thus, the areas included in the imaginary line between the Barents Sea on the Russian-Norwegian border to the Black Sea and the northern border of Greece in the Balkans were renamed the European Green Belt, while the network of the same name was established in 2003.

The southernmost part of the European Green Belt is the Balkan Green Belt which mainly includes the mountain ranges, as well as lakes and rivers of the Balkans.

“The entire national park of the Rhodope mountain range, as well as the path that connects Xaghnados with Paranesti, are considered part of the European Green Belt. This is an attempt, where there used to be the “Iron Curtain” and it was a border that separated the countries, to now be a green bridge that unites people and also man with nature”, Giorgos Theodoridis explains to APE-MPE from the environmental organization “I’m fine”.

The Path of Coexistence, as it is called, has existed for years and starts next to fields of farmers who grow corn and clover for animal feed. Through the LIFE ARCPROM project, members of the environmental organization have created and propose environmental education activities so that schools and families can visit the path and learn about the environment, the region, its inhabitants and how man coexists with nature. wildlife, and more specifically with the bear.

“The route, 2.2 kilometers long, starts from Xaghnados, near Paranesti. A little below the center of the village, we follow a small rural road, which smoothly descends towards the river. After 800 meters, we reach the riverside path. For the rest of the route, we follow the flow of the river, walking through the riverside forest, until we reach the railway line and a recreation area, outside Paranesti”, explains Efi Gelastopoulou from “Kallisto”.

From the “Iron Curtain” to the European Green Belt

As Loukia Argyriadou from “Kallisto” clarified, speaking at the conference, the European Green Belt symbolizes the global effort for joint cross-border actions to preserve biodiversity and sustainable development. The task of the Union for the European Green Belt, which consists of non-governmental organizations, government agencies and expert groups, is to maintain and promote its sustainable development with cross-border cooperation at all levels and in all sectors of society.

“The European Green Belt, our common natural heritage along the line of the former “Iron Curtain”, must be preserved and restored as an ecological network linking high value natural and cultural landscape, respecting economic, social and cultural needs of local communities,” he explained.

It is noted that the European Green Belt connects 16 EU countries, five candidate countries (Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Turkey), Kosovo and two non-EU countries (Russia and Norway).

Proposal for the creation of a cross-border Rhodope Park

In the proposal for the creation of a cross-border Regional Park within the Balkan Green Belt, in the Rhodope Mountains, submitted for discussion by environmental organizations, Simeon Arangelov and Ina Lazarova from the Union of National Parks of Bulgaria were mentioned.

As they said, speaking at the conference, this is an ecosystem with rare endemic and endangered species and great biodiversity. However, in Bulgaria, there is a fragmentation of protected habitats and a different protection policy compared to Greece. “For this reason”, they clarified, “a cross-border regional park must be created that will include the entire Rhodope with the same protection status”.

Elpida Grigoriadou from the Management Unit of the Nestos-Vistonidas and Rodopi National Parks also mentioned the problems created by the lack of a common cross-border policy in matters of nature protection, stressing that it is necessary to sign a common monitoring protocol for all cross-border species of fauna and flora. Important problems, according to Ms. Grigoriadou, are also the pollution and imported garbage in Nestos, the existence of obstacles and the fragmentation of fish populations by the dams, the lack of communication between the competent services and the cross-border crime of poaching, citing 7 incidents of poaching that occurred between 2015-2020, in the area of ​​Fraktos.

The day was organized by the environmental organization “Kallisto” in collaboration with the Management Unit of Delta Nestos – Vistonida – Ismarida and Rodopi National Parks of OFYPEKA, the Union of Bulgarian Parks, the Greek section of the European Green Belt, and the project LIFE ARCPROM.

RES-EMP

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