2013 Europe and Africa Water Ski Championships were finally held at Lake Pamvotis, Ioannina, despite the protests of the local community, scientists and environmental organizations about the excavations at the reed bed of Amfithea area. The activities for the construction of a main –as it turned out– and not “secondary” water skiing track, where the Championships took place from 4 to 8 September (1), were conducted within the protected area and, more specifically, within the habitat of globally threatened species.
Under the guise of two constantly breached permits (2) for “water resources utilization” issued by the Water Directory of the Decentralized Administration of Epirus – Western Macedonia, the so-called “reed cutting” in order to make things easier for “thousands of gulls” was violating the environmental legislation (3) that makes express provision for a former Environmental Impact Assessment (ΕΙΑ) and the approval of Environmental Conditions by the competent authorities for recreational projects.
Separated from the main body of Pamvotis by an embankment built during the Greek dictatorship, Amfithea reed bed enjoys fresh running water from the nearby Mitsikeli karst ponds, whereas the rest of the water body imperils public health and recreational activities due to high seasonal concentrations of cyanotoxins (4).
Furthermore, Amfithea reed bed is a critical nesting habitat of the Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca), a Globally Threatened Species. With no reed bed management plan, that could indicate the usefulness of digging and filling activities, a water ski track was constructed. The project has been characterized as destructive to Lake Pamvotis, while until now no one knows which Department carried out the above-mentioned project, and on what budget and funding (5).
The multitude of violations of environmental legislation along with the systematic attempt to cover up the on-going violations, despite the double interruption of the project by the administration (8) and the negative recommendation of environmental inspectors (9), who stigmatize both Region and Municipality for lack of environmental license for the project, led to the unanimous resignation of the Board of Ioannina Environment Protection Association (10).
The scheming for flagrant violations of environmental legislation, the threats against the defenders of public interest and public health, as well as the announcements of local authorities regarding the construction of long forgotten pharaonic projects, such as rowing and golf courses at the periodically flooded wet meadows of Pamvotis, do not constitute a local issue but a precedent for all lakes and protected areas of Greece.
Safeguarding of public health and respecting the natural capital with a proper siting of activities are both prerequisites for sustainable recreational activities at Greek lakes. In any other case, both are sacrificed without benefits, neither for the environment, nor for the local community society that has been suffering for years the consequences of Pamvotis coastline being encroached and urbanized for the sake of the narrow interests of the local political scene.
Notes:
1) https://www.ioannina.gr/p2/index.php (Press Release, 06/09/2013)
2) https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0LcyCdiSTqBd0xiM3lxN3E4ekU/edit
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0LcyCdiSTqBMWFYalBCQjVLMUE/edit
3) https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0LcyCdiSTqBQXUtd1FCSkh4U2M/edit?pli=
4) https://www.ecoioannina.gr/pamvotismeeting2013/?page_id=60
5) https://sppi1976-study.blogspot.gr/2004/12/2004.html
6) https://www.ecoioannina.gr/mpe-ski/
7) https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0LcyCdiSTqBakxYdGZ5V3o3MWs/edit?usp=sharing
8) https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0LcyCdiSTqBUXFZUjlPaGxNZHc/edit?usp=sharing
9) https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0LcyCdiSTqBNnlkZ0xJYnh2U2s/edit?usp=sharing
10)https://www.ecoioannina.gr/%CF%80%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%B1%CE%AF%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%83%CE%B7-%CE%B4%CF%83-%CF%83%CF%85%CE%BB%CE%BB%CF%8C%CE%B3%CE%BF%CF%85%CF%80%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B1%CF%83%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%82-%CF%80%CE%B5%CF%81/