Project Description

Water resources are necessary for the sustenance and development of local communities as they affect in numerous ways the economic life of a given place and conversely economic activities effect on water and soil ecosystems. The economic well being that is related to the use of water resources must be done in agreement with environmental and health standards so as not to pose risks for local populations. An effective way to insure the safety of local communities is to systematically monitor the water quality and quantity in relation to the impact assessment of the economic activities in the area and the corresponding water use and to develop guidelines and strategies for water and soil ecosystem management. In the case of the project’s test sites i.e. Lakes Volvi & Koronia Wetland in the Region of Central Macedonia, Greece, the mainly economic activities that take place inside or around the protected areas are agriculture, livestock, and industry.

Sites demand the development of water and soil ecosystems management plans and actions for the protection of environmental and public health, as recent years have been recorded increased water pollution events, flood events, increased population of insicts that transmit diseases. Within this context the proposed project aims at the development of guidelines and action plans for the protection of human life and environmental health through water and soil ecosystem monitoring and management.

The project’s direct beneficiaries are all the inhabitants of the local communities that will benefit through the monitoring and of their local water resources and the protection of their health from possible environmental hazards. The local administration authorities are also targeted since they will be tools for decision making and administrative planning. Lastly, the project granted with useful may also attract bodies, groups and individuals from other geographical areas which may find guidance for future similar project implementations.

The main actions of the project include:

• Implementation of water and soil monitoring actions (quality and quantity) in the test sites of the project and carrying out a subsequent environmental evaluation of the system’s performance
• Impact assessment of economic activities around protected areas (Wetland of Lakes Koronia and Volvi) and development of monitoring indicators
• Supply, by FLP1, of a state of the art unmanned aqueous vehicle with autonomous water quality monitoring equipment
• Ecohydrological modelling of water resources in Mygdonia basin for the protection of environment from natural resources contamination and public health from natural risks
• Landuse and soil ecosystem common management guidelines
• Action plan and studies which contain regional strategies for the conservation and protection of environment and public health in agrarian landscapes in protected areas
• Increase of public awareness of local communities in water quality and quantity issues and landuse practices and increase of public health protection from environmental hazards.