This came from Monya Noelke, a Seattle birder, who just traveled and
birded in Greece. If anyone would like to sign this petition and email
it back to pvaddasl at otenet.gr, please do so. If not, please erase.

Cheers,
Adam Sedgley

Science Associate
Seattle Audubon
206-985-6993
adams at seattleaudubon.org

www.birdweb.org



________________________________

From: Monya Noelke [mailto:monya at mail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2007 5:36 AM
To: Adam Sedgley
Subject: Greece help --again

Hi Adam,


While in Greece on the island of Lesvos in September I birded a
fantastic wetlands and salt flat area with Carol Christ. Carol is one of
the folks involved in trying to save this wetland area and restrict it
from hunting. They are a small group on a small island. The island of
Lesvos has 60% of the Aegean Sea's wetlands.

While birding this area I saw 10 Black storks, 1 white stork, 18 white
pelicans, 100's flamingoes, 3 broad-billed sandpipers, 1 gray herons,
crested larks, little egret, great white egret, American avocet,
kingfisher, black-headed gull and 8 spoonbills - all in the salt flats
in the area they are trying to preserve.

If any Tweeter is willing to write a letter of support or collect
signatures for the petition for this wildlife refuge proposal it would
be terrific. At the bottom of their email are the petition and the
proposal translation.



Letters, faxes and emails in English are OK

Deadline Oct 31.



Send email response to: pvaddasl at otenet.gr



Greek Democracy

Perferia Northern Aegean

Department of the Forests

Department of the Forests of Southern Lesbos

20-08-2007

protocol # 3151/26572

Office for Wildlife

Kountourou 79

81100

22510-28605 tel.

22510-37604 fax

Information: L. Gribilakou

pvaddasl at otenet.gr





From: "Carol P. Christ" <cpc at otenet.gr>
Date: Sat, 29 Sep 2007 17:06:53 +0300
To: Monya Noelke
Subject: Wildlife Refuge



The Friends of Green Lesbos has been working for a number of years to
protect the wetlands of the island of Lesbos.

We are writing to inform you that the Forestry Department in Lesbos,
Greece has recently published a proposal to establish a Wildlife Refuge
in the wetlands of the Gulf of Kalloni, Lesbos. As you may know, this
area is one of the Natura 2000 protected areas in the European
Community. Implementation of the Natura law has been left in the hands
of the member states. To date, no permanent measures have been taken to
protect this important area which is a refuge for migrating and resident
birds. Unfortunately the protected areas have been degraded
significantly since the year 2000. We believe that the establishment of
a Wildlife Refuge is an important step toward the protection of the
area.

We ask you to read the attached translation of the proposal, and if you
agree with it to help us by sending (preferably) a written response by
mail or fax or alternatively an email response (to the address on the
proposal) supporting the creation of a wildlife refuge. If appropriate,
you might add your opinion of the value of the area. It is not
necessary to have visited the island to support this proposal. You may
submit your response in English. Deadline is October 31, 2007.

In case you are able to collect signatures, we enclose a sample
petition.

It goes without saying that strong opposition to the proposal (which
includes no-hunting provisions) will be offered by the hunting lobby.
Therefore, we are hoping to collect as many opinions as possible
supporting the proposal. The adoption of this proposal is by no means
certain!

We are available to answer any questions you may have.

Thanking you in advance for your help.

Yours sincerely,

John K. Bowers, President, Friends of Green Lesbos
Carol P. Christ, Vice President, Friends of Green Lesbos
www.greenlesbos.com



The Proposal - translated:

Translation of Proposal to Create Wildlife Refuge in Lesbos (trans. by
Friends of Green Lesbos)

Greek Democracy

Perferia Northern Aegean

Department of the Forests

Department of the Forests of Southern Lesbos

20-08-2007

protocol # 3151/26572

Office for Wildlife

Kountourou 79

81100

22510-28605 tel.

22510-37604 fax

Information: L. Gribilakou

pvaddasl at otenet.gr



Regarding: Opinions in relation to the creation of a Wildlife Refuge
(KAZ) in the wetlands of the salt pans of Kalloni-Noutzaria-Kantri-Mesa
in Agia Paraskevi and Kalloni, Lesbos



Referring to:

a. the document with protocol # 104269/4631/18-10-00 d/gi of the
Ministry of Farming

b. the document with protocol # DY 30-07-07 describing the Wildlife
and Wild areas under our supervision



With (b) we propose the creation of a Wildlife Refuge (KAZ) in the
wetlands of the saltpans of Kalloni-Noutzaria-Kantri-Mesa in Agia
Paraskevi and Kalloni, Lesbos. We ask you to submit written opinions on
this as soon as possible (at the lastest 31 October 2007). The
description (b) is available for perusal.

We remind you that the reasons for the creation of a Wildlife Refuge
are:

1. * it is a place of rest and refueling for many species
of birds, some of which are under worldwide threat, species which are
given priority and which are named in direction 79/409/EOK for the
protection of wildfowl (see paragraphs 6 and 7 of the explanation of the
Office for Wildlife) and also other documents submitted relative to the
creation of the Wildlife Refuge

* it is part of Natura 2000 and the Plan (EPM) which is nearing
completion considers it an area designated as an A1-zone for the
protection of nature (Mandilas and Kardakari, 2000)

* it is characterized as a Zone of Special Protection (ZEP, SPA)
of the directive for birdlife with the code SPA: GR 4110007 "Protected
Wetlands of the Gulf of Kalloni" and it also belongs to the protected
Areas of Common Value with the code SCI: GR 4110004 "Gulf of Kalloni and
Xersaia Protected Areas"

* it is designated according to the documentation of Greek
wetlands as a natural heritage by the Greek Center for National Wetlands
(EKBY) which names the following important wetlands which are found in
the area of their research, namely (1) the seafed lake of the Salt Pans
of Kalloni, (2) the seafed lake of Mesa, and (3) the marshes of Vouvari
and ...

* within it there are also regions of grazing and farming in
which swamps and wetlands are found; this environment provides a place
for many types of wild plants which are threatened as well as a stopping
place for migrating birds and wildfowl.



On the attached map provided by GYS you will see the area defined by
yellow lines as the proposed wildlife refuge totaling 8,300 stremata (1
strema = 1000 sq. meters), the boundaries of which are as follows:



"It begins from the crossroads of the motorway from Mytiline to Kalloni
with the river Krioneri to its southern end and afterwards follows the
shoreline up to the river Tsikia including the areas of Noutzaria,
Kantri, Mesa, the mouth of the Milopotamo and Kalami and follows the
farm road as far as the building that houses the sewerage treatment
plant and continues north on the asphalt road parallel with the "tafo"
of the Salt Pans up to the seasonal road that goes on to the river
Krioneri."



Signed:

George Hatziemmanuel

Forest Manager



Cc:

1. Municipality of Agias Paraskevi-Office of the Mayor

2. Municipality of Kalloni-Office of the Mayor

3. B Hunting Group-Mytiline

4. Hunting Club of S. Lesbos

5. University of the Aegean, Department of the Environment, Mr.
Akriotis

6. ETh.IAGE-IDE Hot Baths, 57006 Basilika, Thessaloniki, Mr.
Kazantzidi

7. Greek Bird Society-Bas. Herakliou 24, 10682 Athens, Mr.
Dimalezi

8. WWF Ellas, Filellinon 26, 10558, Athens

9. EKBY-14th kilometer Thes. Mixanionas 57001, Thermi, TTh. 60394

10. Envir. Group: Nautilos en Drasi, Ag. Apostolon 3, Mytiline

11. Envir. Group: Friends of Green Lesbos

12. Research Office of Christopher Mandilas and Others



Places to view the exhibits:

1. Gr. K. Gen. Grammatea PBA
2. Office of Forests PBA
3. Gr. of the Nomarchia A.L.







The Petition to support with signature collection

To:

Greek Democracy

Perferia Northern Aegean

Department of the Forests

Department of the Forests of Southern Lesbos

20-08-2007

protocol # 3151/26572

Office for Wildlife

Kountourou 79

81100

22510-28605 tel.

22510-37604 fax

Information: L. Gribilakou

pvaddasl at otenet.gr





We the undersigned fully support the creation of a Wildlife Refuge Zone
(KAZ) as proposed by the Office for Wildlife on 20-08-07 in the area of
the wetlands of the saltpans of Kalloni-Noutzaria-Kantri-Mesa in Agia
Paraskevi and Kalloni Lesbos.



This area is within the protected zone of Natura 2000 and therefore by
law must be protected from degradation. We believe that the creation of
a Wildlife Refuge Zone is an important way to begin to protect this
important natural heritage.



Name Address



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