Did you know that every spring wild birds make a courageous thousands of kilometers journey in order to migrate with almost no stops to sleep, rest, feed or drink?
Did you know that a significant percentage of them never make it to their destination due to exhaustion and starvation?
Did you know that, every spring, the birds that survive to land in the most beautiful stop over sites in Greece, the Ionian islands, get shot and never reach Northern Europe in order to reproduce?
Did you know that hunting during spring has been banned since 1985, but it is still not properly enforced in Greece?
Well… If you help us raise sufficient funds for our “A Safe Ηaven for Wild Birds” campaign you and thousands of others will find out and put this illegal and catastrophic activity where is belongs: in the past!
Why Wild Birds need Your Help
Illegal killing during spring migration has taken place for decades in the Ionian Islands (more intensely in Zakynthos, Strofadia, Corfu, Paxoi and Othonoi), as these are situated along a major bird migratory route. This illegal activity is deeply engrained in the local culture. It also represents an economic benefit for the local community, as land in the best “spots” is rented out expensively during about three weeks between end of March and the early April. The illegal activity in the Ionian Islands is particularly severe: HOS surveys indicate that gunshot numbers may reach up to 15,000 per day during a day with “good” south winds.
The main species targeted is the Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur), whose conservation status is classified as ‘Unfavourable’ in the EU. According to BirdLife International (2004, Birds in the European Union), its populations have declined by 10% since 1980. Moreover, the negative trend was caused by the ongoing habitat destruction and unsustainable levels of exploitation, part of which is illegal killing. During the illegal spring killing, several other species of migratory raptors and herons are shot as well such as Hen harrier (Circus cyaneus), Marsh harriere (C. aeruginosus), Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus), Kestrel (F. tinnunculus), and herons.
Killing of migratory birds takes place during the return of the birds from Africa to the breeding grounds in Europe. The Ionian Islands are the first stopover for rest on route towards Northern Europe. They provide refuge and food for the arriving birds which are particularly vulnerable. Recent research by the Technological Educational Institute of the Ionian Islands and HOS has shown that the Turtle Doves that land in the Ionian Islands have below average body masses compared to those occurring in other parts of the Mediterranean in the same period, due to the longer distance they have to cover for reaching the east Mediterranean.
The main problem this campaign is tackling is the almost total lack of awareness among the general public, the authorities and the younger generation regarding the EU’s spring hunting ban, which was imposed in the 1980’s. Even though three decades have passed, Greece is not implementing the ban properly.
A Safe haven for Wild Birds objectives
The aim of the campaign is to reduce illegal killing of migratory wild birds in Greece during spring and this is happening in coordination with another two Mediterranean countries where illegal killing is still fairly common: Italy and Spain.
Our specific objectives of the campaign are:
To change the socio-cultural attitudes towards illegal killing in the younger generation.
To raise the awareness of local communities, local authorities, hunters and the wider public along the migratory flyways of the species affected by the illegal activities.
To improve law enforcement, through increased awareness and better coordination among law enforcement authorities.
Who are we?
Hellenic Ornithological Society (HOS) is an environmental non-governmental organization for the protection of wild birds and their habitats in Greece.
We were founded in 1982 by passionate bird lovers and scientists and our mission is to ensure a sustainable natural environment for birds and people.
As evidence to the continuous efforts and contributions of HOS to the protection of Greece’s natural environment, it was awarded the Environmental Protection Award by the National Academy in 1993.
Since 1994, the Hellenic Ornithological Society has been a partner of Birdlife International, the world’s largest organization concerned with the protection of birds and their habitats.
A significant result of our partnership was the inclusion of the Important Bird Areas in the European ‘ Natura 2000’ Network of protected areas.
HOS’ main focus is on:
Research on birds and their habitats, in order to implement actions of protection and conservation
Raising of public awareness regarding the natural environment, through operation of information centers throughout Greece, public awareness events, environmental education in schools and campaigning for crucial environmental issues and the effective implementation of environmental law
Site intervention advocacy and policy making for crucial environmental issues
Protection of birds and management of their habitats (monitoring of protected areas, population census, enhancement of the natural environment, habitats management and restoration)
Our capacity
During the last decade HOS has implemented successfully 8 LIFE Nature projects aimed at the protection of priority bird species and their habitats. We are also responsible for monitoring and updating the Important Bird Areas network in Greece and have achieved the designation of the majority of these IBAs as SPAs of the Natura 2000 Network. Recently, it has scanned Greece’s seas in order to designate the marine IBA network!
There is therefore a strong, committed and experienced team at HOS that has taken on the task of implementing the campaign.
What we have done so far against illegal killing
HOS has campaigned against illegal killing of wild birds throughout its work since 1983. More specifically, HOS has applied pressure to the national and local authorities in order to improve the transposition of the EU’s Birds Directive (that is, the oldest European legislation tool for the protection of biodiversity!) and to actually implement it on the ground.
Illegal killing in the Ionian Islands has been a key media action of HOS every year for the last four years, as we are seeing the Turtle Dove population rapidly reducing. However, more recently HOS has undertaken a series of data collection, lobbying, capacity building and media actions in order to create a clearer and realistic picture of what is happening on the ground, as well as find what are the exact reasons for not tackling the problem are.
This work has lead us to decide to launch the “Safe Ηaven for Wild Birds” three-year campaign in August 2012, in order to address the problem in a more coordinated, effective and targeted manner.
The campaign’s overall budget in Greece is 120.000 €. The EU will partially finance the project with the amount of 60.000 €. The remaining amount (60.000€) is self-financed. This is of course a very difficult task due to the economic crisis in Greece and the dropping out of potential greek funders. So, your contribution is absolutely necessary for the continuation and the completion of this campaign!
What we will do with YOUR help!
1) A “Safe Haven for Wild Birds” national campaign. HOS will deliver a three-year campaign that targets hunters associations, visitors, decision makers and the younger generation. The campaign will go through stages of growing level of involvement of the target audiences using a number of different channels and tools: press adverts, TV spot, radio spot, engagement in social networks, and printed materials such as posters and pins.
ESTIMATED COST: 21.000 €
2) Local campaign in the Ionian islands: a series of local events and information kiosks in Zakynthos and Corfu throughout the summer months of the three years of the campaign aim to engage local communities and our volunteers. We will also organize a “training the media” session in Zante in order to increase sensitivity around spring killing in the local media.
ESTIMATED COST: 29,000 €
3) Production of a short documentary in Greece regarding the spring killing of wild birds in the Ionian islands. The documentary will analyze the roots of this illegal activity and give voice to those negatively affected by it. The video will be presented at numerous environmental film festivals and will be available on the project website.
ESTIMATED COST: 13,000 €
4) Environmental education campaign at local level in Greece. The younger generations will be informed though an environmental education package for 250 schools in the Ionian Islands and the local Environmental Education Centers.
ESTIMATED COST: 17,000 €
5) International workshop on Bird Crime in Greece. The workshop will raise the awareness of the law enforcement agencies and the decision makers about the extent of illegal killing of birds in the Mediterranean and will facilitate the exchange of best practices in persecuting the illegal bird killers across the Mediterranean.
ESTIMATED COST: 12,000 €
6) Mobile exhibition in the Ionian Islands: all results of the campaign and the schoolchildren’s paintings that will be produced during the environmental education campaign will be toured in the Ionian Islands during the summer of 2015.
ESTIMATED COST: 5,000 €
The Impact
Your contribution is essential for the continuation of this campaign. Without it HOS might not be able to secure the amount needed for the self-financing of the campaign and therefore not implement the campaign fully.
Bear in mind that this is in line with the most important and ambitious European Commission’s initiatives to stop the loss of biodiversity and to conserve the European ecosystems. It is also an important initiative in order to promote and achieve the European Council’s Larnaka Declaration, to “recognise the significance of the illegal taking and trade of birds as a risk to the achievement and maintenance of favorable status of bird populations […]and resulting in adverse impacts on the conservation, legal hunting, agriculture and tourism sector”.
What You Get
The thread between us, the local communities and the younger generation is YOU! Your contribution will guarantee we will reach the hearts and ears of people through this campaign.
In return, we have thought of some rewards to show our gratitude (see the perks listed in the right)!
Other Ways You Can Help
YOU can wear the campaign’s pin and become an advocate for the “Safe Haven for Wild Birds” campaign.
YOU can talk about this campaign with your family, friends, colleagues... everyone in your local community and spread the message around to as many people as you can using your social media accounts.
YOU can become a member of HOS and receive our magazine and all events updates.
Help us defend bird migration by visiting:
Campaign’s website www.leavingisliving.org
Facebook page (in greek) http://www.facebook.com/safehavenforwildbirds.
You’ll look at the sky with different eyes...
Did you know that, every spring, the birds that survive to land in the most beautiful stop over sites in Greece, the Ionian islands, get shot and never reach Northern Europe in order to reproduce?
Did you know that hunting during spring has been banned since 1985, but it is still not properly enforced in Greece?
Well… If you help us raise sufficient funds for our “A Safe Ηaven for Wild Birds” campaign you and thousands of others will find out and put this illegal and catastrophic activity where is belongs: in the past!
Why Wild Birds need Your Help
Illegal killing during spring migration has taken place for decades in the Ionian Islands (more intensely in Zakynthos, Strofadia, Corfu, Paxoi and Othonoi), as these are situated along a major bird migratory route. This illegal activity is deeply engrained in the local culture. It also represents an economic benefit for the local community, as land in the best “spots” is rented out expensively during about three weeks between end of March and the early April. The illegal activity in the Ionian Islands is particularly severe: HOS surveys indicate that gunshot numbers may reach up to 15,000 per day during a day with “good” south winds.
The main species targeted is the Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur), whose conservation status is classified as ‘Unfavourable’ in the EU. According to BirdLife International (2004, Birds in the European Union), its populations have declined by 10% since 1980. Moreover, the negative trend was caused by the ongoing habitat destruction and unsustainable levels of exploitation, part of which is illegal killing. During the illegal spring killing, several other species of migratory raptors and herons are shot as well such as Hen harrier (Circus cyaneus), Marsh harriere (C. aeruginosus), Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus), Kestrel (F. tinnunculus), and herons.
Killing of migratory birds takes place during the return of the birds from Africa to the breeding grounds in Europe. The Ionian Islands are the first stopover for rest on route towards Northern Europe. They provide refuge and food for the arriving birds which are particularly vulnerable. Recent research by the Technological Educational Institute of the Ionian Islands and HOS has shown that the Turtle Doves that land in the Ionian Islands have below average body masses compared to those occurring in other parts of the Mediterranean in the same period, due to the longer distance they have to cover for reaching the east Mediterranean.
The main problem this campaign is tackling is the almost total lack of awareness among the general public, the authorities and the younger generation regarding the EU’s spring hunting ban, which was imposed in the 1980’s. Even though three decades have passed, Greece is not implementing the ban properly.
A Safe haven for Wild Birds objectives
The aim of the campaign is to reduce illegal killing of migratory wild birds in Greece during spring and this is happening in coordination with another two Mediterranean countries where illegal killing is still fairly common: Italy and Spain.
Our specific objectives of the campaign are:
To change the socio-cultural attitudes towards illegal killing in the younger generation.
To raise the awareness of local communities, local authorities, hunters and the wider public along the migratory flyways of the species affected by the illegal activities.
To improve law enforcement, through increased awareness and better coordination among law enforcement authorities.
Who are we?
Hellenic Ornithological Society (HOS) is an environmental non-governmental organization for the protection of wild birds and their habitats in Greece.
We were founded in 1982 by passionate bird lovers and scientists and our mission is to ensure a sustainable natural environment for birds and people.
As evidence to the continuous efforts and contributions of HOS to the protection of Greece’s natural environment, it was awarded the Environmental Protection Award by the National Academy in 1993.
Since 1994, the Hellenic Ornithological Society has been a partner of Birdlife International, the world’s largest organization concerned with the protection of birds and their habitats.
A significant result of our partnership was the inclusion of the Important Bird Areas in the European ‘ Natura 2000’ Network of protected areas.
HOS’ main focus is on:
Research on birds and their habitats, in order to implement actions of protection and conservation
Raising of public awareness regarding the natural environment, through operation of information centers throughout Greece, public awareness events, environmental education in schools and campaigning for crucial environmental issues and the effective implementation of environmental law
Site intervention advocacy and policy making for crucial environmental issues
Protection of birds and management of their habitats (monitoring of protected areas, population census, enhancement of the natural environment, habitats management and restoration)
Our capacity
During the last decade HOS has implemented successfully 8 LIFE Nature projects aimed at the protection of priority bird species and their habitats. We are also responsible for monitoring and updating the Important Bird Areas network in Greece and have achieved the designation of the majority of these IBAs as SPAs of the Natura 2000 Network. Recently, it has scanned Greece’s seas in order to designate the marine IBA network!
There is therefore a strong, committed and experienced team at HOS that has taken on the task of implementing the campaign.
What we have done so far against illegal killing
HOS has campaigned against illegal killing of wild birds throughout its work since 1983. More specifically, HOS has applied pressure to the national and local authorities in order to improve the transposition of the EU’s Birds Directive (that is, the oldest European legislation tool for the protection of biodiversity!) and to actually implement it on the ground.
Illegal killing in the Ionian Islands has been a key media action of HOS every year for the last four years, as we are seeing the Turtle Dove population rapidly reducing. However, more recently HOS has undertaken a series of data collection, lobbying, capacity building and media actions in order to create a clearer and realistic picture of what is happening on the ground, as well as find what are the exact reasons for not tackling the problem are.
This work has lead us to decide to launch the “Safe Ηaven for Wild Birds” three-year campaign in August 2012, in order to address the problem in a more coordinated, effective and targeted manner.
The campaign’s overall budget in Greece is 120.000 €. The EU will partially finance the project with the amount of 60.000 €. The remaining amount (60.000€) is self-financed. This is of course a very difficult task due to the economic crisis in Greece and the dropping out of potential greek funders. So, your contribution is absolutely necessary for the continuation and the completion of this campaign!
What we will do with YOUR help!
1) A “Safe Haven for Wild Birds” national campaign. HOS will deliver a three-year campaign that targets hunters associations, visitors, decision makers and the younger generation. The campaign will go through stages of growing level of involvement of the target audiences using a number of different channels and tools: press adverts, TV spot, radio spot, engagement in social networks, and printed materials such as posters and pins.
ESTIMATED COST: 21.000 €
2) Local campaign in the Ionian islands: a series of local events and information kiosks in Zakynthos and Corfu throughout the summer months of the three years of the campaign aim to engage local communities and our volunteers. We will also organize a “training the media” session in Zante in order to increase sensitivity around spring killing in the local media.
ESTIMATED COST: 29,000 €
3) Production of a short documentary in Greece regarding the spring killing of wild birds in the Ionian islands. The documentary will analyze the roots of this illegal activity and give voice to those negatively affected by it. The video will be presented at numerous environmental film festivals and will be available on the project website.
ESTIMATED COST: 13,000 €
4) Environmental education campaign at local level in Greece. The younger generations will be informed though an environmental education package for 250 schools in the Ionian Islands and the local Environmental Education Centers.
ESTIMATED COST: 17,000 €
5) International workshop on Bird Crime in Greece. The workshop will raise the awareness of the law enforcement agencies and the decision makers about the extent of illegal killing of birds in the Mediterranean and will facilitate the exchange of best practices in persecuting the illegal bird killers across the Mediterranean.
ESTIMATED COST: 12,000 €
6) Mobile exhibition in the Ionian Islands: all results of the campaign and the schoolchildren’s paintings that will be produced during the environmental education campaign will be toured in the Ionian Islands during the summer of 2015.
ESTIMATED COST: 5,000 €
The Impact
Your contribution is essential for the continuation of this campaign. Without it HOS might not be able to secure the amount needed for the self-financing of the campaign and therefore not implement the campaign fully.
Bear in mind that this is in line with the most important and ambitious European Commission’s initiatives to stop the loss of biodiversity and to conserve the European ecosystems. It is also an important initiative in order to promote and achieve the European Council’s Larnaka Declaration, to “recognise the significance of the illegal taking and trade of birds as a risk to the achievement and maintenance of favorable status of bird populations […]and resulting in adverse impacts on the conservation, legal hunting, agriculture and tourism sector”.
What You Get
The thread between us, the local communities and the younger generation is YOU! Your contribution will guarantee we will reach the hearts and ears of people through this campaign.
In return, we have thought of some rewards to show our gratitude (see the perks listed in the right)!
Other Ways You Can Help
YOU can wear the campaign’s pin and become an advocate for the “Safe Haven for Wild Birds” campaign.
YOU can talk about this campaign with your family, friends, colleagues... everyone in your local community and spread the message around to as many people as you can using your social media accounts.
YOU can become a member of HOS and receive our magazine and all events updates.
Help us defend bird migration by visiting:
Campaign’s website www.leavingisliving.org
Facebook page (in greek) http://www.facebook.com/safehavenforwildbirds.
You’ll look at the sky with different eyes...
