The vision of GEOLAND is to establish a learning path for the Higher Education students and their professors so that they are able to apply their geospatial analysis knowledge in in decision-making for landscape management, planning and protection of NATURA 2000 sites across Europe. GEOLAND provides the opportunity to students, citizens and stakeholders to become interested in the definition and implementation of landscape policies and to play an active part in setting sustainability indicators of desirable landscape quality objectives (Landscape Quality Objectives/LQO). This is a case study of landscape policy in Greece

1. GEOLAND
A learning path
for HE students and professors
Case Study - Greece

2. Implementing the Landscape Convention
• Article 24 of the Constitution mandates the preservation of
the local, residential, and cultural environments
• landscape incorporated in regional and urban planning
policies
• Emphasises building a culture of respect for the
environment in society
• guidelines of a National Landscape Strategy formulated

3. Implementing the Landscape Convention
• Serious landscape deficit in common law
• Modern understanding of the environment as a setting for
living has not been developed
• Landscape included using zoning and urban planning
techniques
• Statutory guidelines for landscape protection in the General
Framework for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development
• Recently, landscapes listed as a component of Special
Protection Areas and Special Status Areas

4. National level Planning for the future
• Proposes reforms of national planning systems
• Streamline and modernise the planning process (Karimi and
Adams, 2019)
• Bring a design focus and increased sustainability
• Contribute to infrastructure
• Enable more land to be made available for development
where needed
Karimi, A. and Adams, V.M., (2019). Planning for the future: Combining spatially-explicit public
preferences with tenure policies to support land-use planning. Land use policy, 82, pp.497-508

5. Landscape Designation at national level
"the protection of the natural and cultural environment
constitutes a duty of the State and a right of every person”
• landscape is indirectly protected in the context of
environmental protection
• Greek law does not contain any special laws on
environmental protection

6. Organisations involved
• Directorate of Spatial Planning, Ministry of the Environment
and Energy of Greece has main responsibility
• Some NGOs and think-tanks active
• Universities also involved
• An Environmental Awareness and Awareness Programme for
students is in place

7. How is participation organised?
• Modest tradition of public participation
• Ministries and the Regions, seek the participation of
organisations and citizens in gathering opinions
• OpenGOV.gr is the Greek open government platform
• Policy initiatives posted to the platform prior to submission
to Parliament
• issues related to Landscape legislation, monitoring and
management are discussed and resolved

8. How is participation organised?
• Landscape Public Participation Tools (LPPT) Program
established to highlight the significance of landscape
management and citizen participation in Greece
https://med-ina.org/project/landscape-public-participation-
tools-lppt/
• MedINA created and is presently implementing a program with
the Society for the Protection of Prespa (SPP)

9. Participation steps

11. Regional/local level case study: Crete
• Largest island in Greece
• Area 8,336 km²
• Permanent population 623,065
(2011)

12. Regional/local level case study: Crete
Priorities for landscapes of value and degraded ones are:
• implementation of integrated and coordinated actions
• formulation of guidelines for their protection, management
and promotion (spatial planning)
• institutionalisation of quality objectives for each landscape
• taking accompanying measures to minimise pressures exerted
• activation of civil society at the local level for monitoring
policies and priorities

13. Regional framework: Crete
There are two basic elements of the Landscape Units:
• natural environment - geomorphology, flora, fauna,
soilsm water, climate etc.
• anthropogenic environment - constructions etc.

14. Landscape designations: Crete
Nine landscape
areas are of
particular
importance

15. Landscape designations 1: Crete
Unit 1 East Coast (PE Lasithi, Municipality of Sitia).
Unit 2 Gulf of Merabelo and wider surrounding area (PE: Lasithi,
Heraklion, Municipalities: Agios Nikolaos, Lasithi Plateau,
Ierapetra and eastern part of Hersonissos)
Unit 3 Heraklion, Dias, Knossos, Jouchtas (P.E. of Heraklion,
Municipality of Heraklion)
Unit 4 Asterousia, Gortyna (P.E. of Heraklion, Municipalities:
Gortyna, Phaistos and southern part of Archana/Asterousia)
Unit 5 Rethymno and surrounding area (P.E. Rethymno,
Municipalities: Rethymno, Agios Vasilios, Amario)

16. Landscape designations 2: Crete
Unit 6 Mylopotamos, Idi (P.I. of Rethymno, Heraklion,
Municipalities: Mylopotamos, Anogeion, Phaistos)
Unit 7 Chania, Akrotiri, Vammos (P.E. of Chania, Municipalities:
Chania, Platania, Apokoronou)
Unit 8 Western Coast to Akrotiri Krios (P.E. Chania,
Municipalities: Platania, Kissamos, Kantanou-Selinou)
Unit 9 South Coast to Frangokastelos (P.E. Chania and
Rethymnon, Municipalities: Kantanou-Selinou, Sfakion, Agios
Vassiliou)

17. Public participation
• Done through the
governmental portal
opengov.gr.
• At local level NGOs
usually provoke and
raise the dialogue
concerning landscape
protection measures

18. For more about GEOLAND
GEOLAND Web site
https://www.geolandproject.eu
GEOLAND on social media
https://www.facebook.com/GEOLANDthePROJECT