Greece Olympus Declared Tender

The maximum institutional and legislative protection of Olympus is ensured by the issuance of the Presidential Decree entitled Designation of the land and water area of Mount Olympus as a National Park delimitation and determination of its protection zones land uses conditions and permitted activities signed by the President of the Republic Ekaterini Sakellaropoulou and the Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy George Amyras.Olympus the mythical mountain of special ecological geomorphological historical aesthetic and scientific value was the first National Park to be established by Royal Decree in 1938 and has always been subject to strict protection regimes. With the PD however it is declared a National Park and is shielded by the strictest legal framework according to which its protection zones are defined in full compliance with the EU directives on nature. The uses and restrictions within the National Park are predicted in detail as it is the top mountain in Greece in terms of flora with unparalleled variety and rarity of species. There are more than 1700 species of mountain plants of which about 30 are locally endemic and 85 are endemic to the country. The mountain is also a paradise for birdsAccording to the P.D. The land and water area of Mount Olympus is characterized as a National Park located in the off-plan and outside the settlements before 1923 and under 2000 inhabitants area of the Municipalities of Dion-Olympus of the Prefecture of Pieria Elassona of the Prefecture of Larissa and Katerini of the Prefecture of Pieria.As defined in the PD an extensive area with a total area of 235620 acres is divided into three scalable protection zones and a fourth regional zone that extends to the area with specific boundaries within the Municipality of Elassona.The AD zone covering an area of 34710 acres is the core of the National Park which is characterized as a nature protection area which translates into an absolute ban on anthropogenic activity except for forestry maintenance upgrading and operation of the European path E4 as well as and scientific recording and research.The NW zone with a total area of 55700 acres includes the three mountain refuges without providing for the creation of new ones and allows sustainable tourism development excavations and visits to archeological sites ecotourism activities and mountain sports except those that cause disturbance to ecosystems. In addition off-road vehicles are not allowed to cross and park along the protected area.Further construction activity is allowed only in the DG protection zone with a total area of 145210 acres where the construction of rest infrastructure and mountain shelters is foreseen. In this area agriculture is allowed with integrated management systems grazing beekeeping logging and hunting by decision of the competent authority and with the consent of the Management Body which strictly defines the hunting species the harvest and the hunting season.The DP regional zone with an area of 138420 acres is placed under the supervision of anthropogenic activity with the opinion of the competent Management Body for the licensing of each proposed project and activity.The Minister of Environment and Energy Costas Skrekas stated Olympus today acquires the strongest shield of protection. The new institutional and legislative framework for the National Park is the most important safety valve for the environmental protection of the mountain and the harmonious coexistence of man and nature in the process of achieving the sustainable conservation and management of the rare natural wealth of the area. The environment needs clear and meaningful initiatives plans and actions. To tackle holistically and effectively the effects of the climate crisis and to improve the quality of life of all our fellow citizens while delivering a more sustainable and green world to future generations.The Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy George Amyras stated With the P.D. we now know clearly what and where is allowed on Olympus a fact very important for the protection conservation and management of the nature and the landscape of the mythical mountain. We now have a tool in our hands fully in line with EU directives that allows us to protect the rare ecosystems found along the National Park. Local communities are the first to benefit from sustainable management and sustainable tourism development. The P.D. strengthens the initiative of the Ministries of Environment and Culture with the contribution of the Organization of Natural Environment and Climate Change OFYPEKA for the inclusion of Olympus in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites .