News

The project was selected by the EU campaign #EUinmyregion to be promoted through a video case study. #EUinmyregion is a co-created communication campaign that aims to increase the visibility of EU-funded projects across Europe. Using the communication tools and support, managing authorities and project beneficiaries are invited to engage with citizens to show what they achieve together with the EU in the region. https://youtu.be/2OhlF8dYw6s

The interventions in the delta of Vori that are carried out in the framework of the LIFE Andros Park project have initiated a change to its appearance and regenerate the area’s alder forest. During the last 50 years, at Vori, where the river of permanent flow ends, the only alder forest of the South Aegean and the southernmost of the Balkans has formed. The presence of alders in the area was known from the past, as they grew along the river. However, the abandonment of crops in the river’s delta about half a century ago led to the spreading of trees and from the clusters that followed linearly the course of the water, a forest formed. However, the torrential rains of 2012, combined with the successive wildfires on the slopes…

The Field Team of MOm visited the broader area of Andros and the sea caves used by the Mediterranean monk seal at Andros, Tinos and Gyaros islands and cleaned, among others, one of the most polluted sea caves, located at Mantilou islet. The islet of Mandilou is on one of the main pathways of marine litter transport in the Aegean Sea which passes Kafireas Straits transporting marine litter originating mainly from North Aegean. As a result, the sea cave of the islet is particularly exposed to pollution. Researchers who visited the cave collected nets, crabs, tree trunks and plastics, covering entirely its beach, making it unsuitable for seals and especially dangerous for those using it. Marine litter could injure the seals and even trap them. The collected marine litter was…

Kaireios Library initiates the operation of the Botanical Garden that was created as part of the LIFE Andros Park project at Agadaki Estate. At the same time, a photograph exhibition is organized on the species and the habitat the project is trying to protect and promote. Agadaki Estate is located in Apatouria and includes a stone Tower built in the 18th century, a traditional olive mill, as well as an orchard of about eight acres that has two natural springs. It was the residence of the Andrian family Tzortzi or Agadaki. Kaireios Library has recently restored the Tower and the olive mill. The Botanical Garden hosts 150 species of Andros’ native plants planted on the terraces of the Estate and in various locations depending on their requirements. The first terrace…

Research concerning the diversity of macrofungi in Andros started approximately 25 years ago; however, it was the LIFE "Andros Park" project which provided the framework allowing intensification of pertinent studies in forests and stands of black alder (Alnus glutinosa) on the island. In total, 106 mushroom species associated with alders (by either forming specialized symbiotic relationships with the trees, or by growing on wood and litter residues) were recorded. It is noteworthy that 21 of these species constitute new national records, and many other are reported for the first time on this particular host-plant. The initial idea of inventorying the mushrooms of Andros belongs to the founder of the Kaireios Library, the late Dimitrios I. Polemis, who encouraged Elias Polemis to start working on this subject back in 1993. Soon…

On Andros, our love for the island and its environment brings us closer! On Sunday, June 14, 2020, teams from all over Andros cleaned four beaches, Mylos at Korthi, Paraporti at Chora, and Fellos and Ateni at Hydrousa. Volunteers of all ages, residents of Andros - among them elected representatives - and holidaymakers, participated in the cleaning, with the support, coordination and provision of material by the Andros Port Authority, LIFE ANDROS PARK and HELMEPA. The cleaning was organized by Andrion Club, Hydrousa Volunteer Team, Korthi Yacht Club, Katakoilos Cultural Association “Agios Ioannis Theologos”, Andros Yacht Club, LIFE Andros Park project – with the participation of the Municipality of Andros and Kaireios Library -, Port Authority of Andros, Association of Volunteer Firefighters of Andros, Women Association of Korthi Andros, Andros…

Following the successful cleaning of Paraporti beach last year, island’s entities expand their actions to more beaches of the island and invite you to participate in the cleaning of the beaches of Mylos, Fellos, Ateni and Paraporti. The cleaning will take place at the same time on all beaches on Sunday 14 June starting at 11.00. As part of the action, the participants will be informed by the organizers about the plastics that end up in our seas and the ways through which we can contribute in tackling the problem. The beach cleaning will follow and the collected waste will be removed from the beaches by the team of the LIFE Andros Park project. It will be an opportunity to meet again after a long time and to take action…

For the second consecutive year, the project receives co-financing from the Green Fund for the implementation of the actions of MOm / Hellenic Society for the study and protection of the Monk Seal within the framework of its Funding Program "EUROPEAN LIFE PROGRAM 2020".  

Today is the International Day for Biological Diversity and news from the shady and cool riparian alder forests of Andros confirms that even in well-studied areas biodiversity can still surprise us. In the understory of alder stands at Vourkoti, Dr. Panagiotis Trigas discovered a new-to-science plant species. It is a species of wild onion of the genus Allium, one of the richest genera of flowering plants in the northern hemisphere. Mr. Trigas named the species Allium stamatiadae, in honour of the Andriot botanist Elli Mandaraka-Stamatiadou (Andros 1933 - Athens 2015). He told us: "Elli Mandaraka-Stamatiadou was curator of the herbarium of the Goulandris Natural History Museum from 1965 to 2009. She was the greatest contributor to the Museum's botanical collections and one of the most important collectors in the long history…

  A large part of the island, as well as of its surrounding marine environ­ment, is of particular value for biodiversity, not only at local and nation­al, but also at European level, and is part of the Natura 2000 network. Three Natura 2000 sites have been established for the protection of Andros’ special characteristics and the protected species and habitats it hosts. Among them are: The vast Posidonia sea-grass beds found along its entire coastline in depths from 5 to 40 meters, as well as the rich in biodiversity coral for­mations at greater depths, The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), which is one of the most endangered marine mammal species in Europe, Protected bird species, the most important of which are the Eleono­ra’s falcon (Falco eleonorae), the Mediterranean shag (Phalacrocorax…