CONSERVE CONNECT Phase IΙ

Connectivity Conservation Initiative for Fresh Drinking Water

The continuation of the project «Connectivity Conservation Initiative for Fresh Drinking Water» aims at maintaining ecological connectivity in the long term, allowing the free movement of wolf and brown bear among their habitats, considering climate change adaptation objectives. The approach delivered concentrates on the research and analysis of both Structural and Functional Connectivity, as the physical arrangement of habitat affects the movement of wildlife between habitats. In addition, the established Local Action Group will expand knowledge through the continuation of the Citizen Science activities and will contribute to the planning and the implementation of an interpretive trail of natural and cultural heritage along the historic footpaths of the villages Monastiri, Molista, Ganadio, Pournia, and Kerasovo. Also, the engaged stakeholders will advocate in Local Development Plans and Spatial Planning.

Key results encompass the monitoring of basic abiotic environmental parameters that document climate change in mountainous regions, the enhancement of the linkages between local communities and ecosystems, the support of local economic development by offering capacity building on green jobs and by offering incentives for the elimination of the human-wildlife conflict, the synergies for conservation, the restoration of two traditional fountains, the establishment of a Nature-Heritage Knowledge Hub and the implementation of a Summer Camp for Ecological Connectivity and Restoration.

Info

Location

Mastorochoria, Konitsa, Epirus

Date

09/2025 - 08/2028

Status:

All, Open

Pillars:

Education, Practice, Public dialogue, Research

Tags:

Clay, Mountain, Stone, Water

Supporters

Municipality of Konitsa

Funding

PONT (Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust), The A. G. Leventis Foundation

Partners

Environmental Organization for Wildlife and Nature "Callisto"

Collaborators

Panagiotis Kostoulas, Ilias Boikos, Christoforos Theocharis, Ioanna Ntoutsi

Coordinators

Georgia Kanellopoulou, Grigoris Koutropoulos

Photography

Georgia Kanellopoulou

Related Resources

Agricultural and Traditional Livestock Grazing Practices

Documentation

Since Boulouki has been working for years in Epirus, it has come close to the needs of local communities. In the framework of this project it aims at enhancing their livelihood and well-being by mapping ecosystems and the services they offer to the sustainable conservation of natural resources with the aim of social and economic well-being and delivering important information and skills for the management and sustainable development of the area focusing on biodiversity-related knowledge, agricultural, traditional livestock grazing practices, landscape and cultural values, traditional water infrastructures and related knowledge on sustainable use of natural resources.