Title of the project

Gamekeepers Body of Hunting Organizations in Greece and their participation in scientific research

Description

The main aim of their participation in research programs such as the “ARTEMIS I”, “ARTEMIS II”, “Phenology of bird migration” and “Wildlife Habitat Improvement”, is the continuous and consistent monitoring of various game species’ and non-game species’ populations, in order to take advantage of this specialized personnel which is working all day (24/7) in the field, throughout Greece, and has the unique capability to collect valuable raw data which will produce the adequate knowledge for rational, solid-based management of game species and hunting in the country.

The Gamekeeper Body of Hunting Organizations in Greece is comprised by a total of 260 Gamekeepers working in posts throughout all continental and island Greece (permanent personnel), and an additional 100 Gamekeepers who work partially for certain months per year.
Apart the main work that Gamekeepers perform in Greece which is the control of all illegal activities and crimes related to hunting activity and wildlife conservation in Greece, as well as to control for all kinds of environmental illicitness, they also participate to several scientific and research programs funded by Hellenic Hunters Confederation and other research programs funded by the Hunting Federations.

No information about what especially do the hunters

Results

A large number of observations are gathered each year for the various research programs in which the Gamekeepers participate, which are then directed to specialized scientific teams for data analysis. The produced results indicate game species population trends, harvest trends, sustainability of harvest, dates of pre-nuptial and post-nuptial migration, and the specialists are then able to locate possible problems and give insight to possible solutions which are then proposed and implemented from the Hunting Organizations. The results are also submitted officially each year in the form of a complete annual study to the Ministry of Environment in Greece, and the administrative authorities take under consideration these data in order to publish the annual regulation for hunting each year before the opening of the season.

Location

Country	Greece
Level	National

Habitat Types

Farmland, Forest/Woodland, Scrub/Grassland, Wetland, Coastal, Island, Mountains, Suburban

Protection status of the areas

Natura 2000, Emerald Network, Ramsar, Regional protected area, National protected area, Areas with voluntary or mandatory hunting ban, Hunting reserve, No protection status

Species

Species Caracteristics	Huntable species, Protected species, Threatened species
Species Type	Birds, Mammals
Name(s) of main species	All game species and various non huntable avian species : Eurasian spoonbill- Platalea leucorodia, Red-breasted goose - Branta ruficollis, Common shelduck - Tadorna tadorna, Ruddy shelduck - Tadorna ferruginea, Red-crested pochard - Netta rufina, Ferruginous duck - Aythya nyroca, Pied avocet - Recurvirostra avosetta, Black-winged stilt - Himantopus himantopus, Grey plover - Pluvialis squatarola, White-headed duck - Oxyura leucocephala, Eurasian Oystercatcher - Haematopus ostralegus

Conservation action(s)

Research and data collection (e.g. monitoring, bag data), Communication and education (for different target audiences e.g. hunters, the wider public)

Partners

Leading partners	The Hellenic Hunters Confederation (Κυνηγετική Συνομοσπονδία Ελλάδας). The website (http://www.ksellas.gr) will soon be available in 3 languages (Greek, French, English).
Other partners	• Hunting Federation of Crete & Dodecanese (www.akokd.gr), • Hunting Federation of Archipelago (www.bkoa.gr), • Hunting Federation of Peloponnese (www.gkop.gr),• Hunting Federation of Sterea Hellas (www.dkose.gr), • Hunting Federation Epirus (www.ekoepirus.gr), • Hunting Federation of Macedonia and Thrace (www.hunters.gr)• Hunting Federation of Thessaly (www.komthes.gr)

Estimation of the budget (total or annual)

The total cost of Gamekeeper Body of the Hunting Organizations reaches an annual cost of 7,000,000 euros, and is totally covered by Greek hunters’ annual fees.

Estimation of Human Resources needed

350 Gamekeepers

Publication(s)

1) The case of Gamekeepers in Greece (PowerPoint presentation) FACE Members Meeting - Athens 29-31 March 20122) Title: How Hunting Organizations contribute to the protection and conservation of wildlife species and their habitat. The case of Gamekeepers in GreecePublished date: FACE Members Meeting, Athens 29th -31st of March 20123) Title: Summary of actions and positions of Hellenic Hunters Confederation for hunting management, environmental protection and protection of Amvrakikos bay.Published date: 1-day seminar The Hunting Activity in the Context Management & Protection of Amvrakikos Greece, Arta 27-6-20124) Title: How do Hunting Organizations in Greece effectively confront and control poaching.Published date: European Conference: Illegal Killing of Birds. Cyprus, Larnaka, 6 – 8 July 2011. (Presentation)http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/cultureheritage/nature/bern/documents/072011_IKB/Presentations/KSE_Cyprus_July2011.pdf (Abstract)http://www.ambientum.com/documentos/pdf/Report_IKB_FINAL-captura-ilegal-matanza-aves-Europa.pdf 5) Title: Contribution of Greek hunting associations to low enforcement for the wildlife protectionPublished date: XXXth IUGB Congress (International Union of Game Biologist) and Perdix XIII. Barcelona Spain 5-9 September 2011. http://www.iugb2011.com/social/ExtendedAbstractsv2.pdf

Weblinks

http://www.ksellas.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=73&Itemid=168&lang=en