Greece fails to protect the second most important habitat of Griffon Vulture

Mt. Akarnanika (Akarnanika Ori) in Western Greece, an Important Bird Area (IBA GR090) and a Special Protection Area (SPA, NATURA 2000 site GR2310011), is the second most important site for the Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) in the country after Crete, and the most critical one for the species in continental Greece. Mt. Akarnanika IBA hosts the largest Griffon Vulture colony in continental Greece [1] (approx. 15 breeding pairs, Table 1), with almost 95% of its area falling within the highest sensitivity (Critical) zone for the species [2] (Map 1). It is also a foraging and wintering site of great significance for the species at Balkan level (Picture 1 and Peshev et al, 2021 [3]), as several vultures from other Balkan countries travel here to spend the winter: up to 70 individuals have been recorded in the area during the species roosting sites censuses each year, accounting for 40-50% of all individuals recorded in continental Greece [4] (Table 2).

The above data have  been obtained mainly through the implementation the European LIFE IP 4 NATURA Project (LIFE16 IPE/GR/000002), in the framework of which the Vulture National Multi-species Action Plan [5] (MsAP) was drafted, approved (in the form of a Ministerial Decision!) and is currently being implemented. The main objectives of the MsAP include halting the population decline of the species, as well as the conservation and improvement of its critical habitats.

However, the Greek state shows complete indifference (and this is a modest characterization) to protect the Mt. Akarnanika from wind turbine construction, one of the most significant threats for Griffon Vultures. Several years ago, twelve wind turbines were licensed and installed right next to the highest peak of the mountain range, none of which followed the correct legal procedure. According to Greek legislation, a Special Ecological Assessment must precede the construction of any wind farm, assessing the environmental impacts of the proposed project and establishing strict mitigation measures for after its construction. As a direct result of this law infringement, at least three Griffon Vultures have been found dead under wind turbines and their deaths were attributed to collision, with the most recent one taking place only two months ago [6].

Even worse, however, is the present case with 16 new wind turbines that have been licensed with controversial procedures [7] by the Region of Western Greece as 16 (!) independent “small” wind farms (consisting of 1 wind turbine each!), despite the fact that behind the "separate" energy communities there is one single operator. For ten of them, located within the IBA but outside SPA, the local protected area management unit’s input was not even sought, even though the Ministry of Environment had made it clear (with an official document to the licensing authority) that Management Units must be consulted during the licensing processes of all wind farms within IBAs. Additionally, another document from the Ministry of the Environment states that these projects have not been subject to an Appropriate Assessment, and requests that the projects should not start before the completion of the LIFE IP 4 NATURA Project. In the remaining six projects, the Management Unit was indeed consulted, but despite providing a negative answer to their construction, this input was bypassed by means of legislation ‘windows’ and justified as political -as opposed to scientifically based- decisions.

A revealing fact is that, as soon as the so-called local "energy communities" secured the necessary permits, a large company based in Athens suddenly appeared as part of their administration! Of course this may be technically legal, but it is completely contrary to the purpose for which the institution of "Energy Communities" was created in the first place, which is to ensure wider public participation and democracy in energy production from Renewable Energy Sources. At the same time, the suspicion that the 16 "independent" projects are part of an overall larger plan and were sliced purposefully (in order to bypass the need for a cumulative impact evaluation) is thus confirmed.

Despite multiple irregularities in the entire process, the construction works for the installation of the wind turbines have already started. BirdLife Greece is trying in every possible way to prevent Mt. Akarnanika from becoming an ‘ecological trap’ for Griffon Vultures, a very difficult mission with little chance of success unless the mobilisation of competent authorities for the prevalence of legality - and common sense- is achieved.

Table 1: Number of Griffon Vulture breeding pairs in continental Greece (period 2020 – 2024)

Table 2: Number of Griffon Vulture individuals recorded during winter roosting site counts (period 2020 – 2023)

Map 1: Wind farms at Mt. Akarnanika in relation to the protected areas for birds (SPA – IBA) and the sensitivity map produced by LIFE IP 4 NATURA project for the needs of Vulture Multi-species Action Plan (MsAP): all wind turbines permitted fall within the highest sensitivity zone (Zone A, Critical significance)

Seasonal home ranges in the Western Greece Griffon Vulture key zone for the entire Balkan Griffon Vulture population (from Peshev et al 2021). Mt. Akarnanika is indicated with a red square

[1] https://edozoume.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/LIFE-IP-4-NATURA-Monitoring-report-vultures-2022.pdf (in Greek, with English summary)

[2] https://edozoume.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/LIFE-IP-4-NATURA-Del.C.1.5-Vulture-MsAP-Griffon-Vulture-sensitvity-map.pdf

[3] Peshev H., Grozdanov A., Kmetova–Biro E., Ivanov I., Stoyanov G., Tsiakiris R., Marin S., Marinković S., Sušić G., Lisichanets E., Hribšek I., Karić Z., Kapelj S., Bonchev L., Stoynov E. 2021. New insight into spatial ecology of Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) on the Balkans provides opportunity for focusing conservation actions for a threatened social scavenger. Biodiversity Data Journal, 9.

[4] See footnote 1

[5] https://edozoume.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/LIFE-IP-4-NATURA-Del.A.1.3.2-Action-Plan-Vultures.pdf (in Greek, with English summary)

[6] https://ornithologiki.gr/el/enhmerwsh-ekpaideush/enimerosi/ta-nea-mas/1872-apokefalismos-gypa-apo-anemogennitria-sta-akarnanika-ori (in Greek)

[7] https://ornithologiki.gr/el/oi-draseis-mas/politiki/ekstrateies/1899-synagermos-gia-ta-akarnanika-ori (in Greek)