LIFE ATIAS: Management of the American Mink in Northern Greece

December 22, 2023

“Lever – Development Consultants S.A.”, a member of the “Samaras & Associates Group”, supported the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace (DAMT), a partner in the project, in organizing the Final Workshop of the LIFE ATIAS project, titled “Management of the American Mink in Northern Greece.” The project LIFE ATIAS – “Addressing the threat of invasive species in Northern Greece through the development of early warning and information systems for mammals” is part of the broader European LIFE Programme.

The event took place successfully at the amphitheater of the Technical Chamber of Greece in Thessaloniki, with speakers representing the project’s partners, including the DAMT, the Department of Forestry and Natural Environment of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the Decentralized Administration of Epirus – Western Macedonia, the Democritus University of Thrace, the Hunting Federation of Macedonia and Thrace (KOMATH), the Hellenic Fur Federation, and the environmental management company TECHNOMIOSTATIS.

Also invited to the event were representatives from management bodies, local authorities, universities, research institutions, stakeholders from related projects, and other relevant organizations.

The event was opened with remarks by Mr. Ioannis Savas, Secretary of the DAMT, who explained the administration’s role in the project and its contribution to the actions carried out. He thanked the partners for their active and substantial involvement and emphasized their continued role in disseminating the project’s results post-completion.

Additional opening remarks were given by:

Professor Georgios Tsantopoulos of the Democritus University of Thrace, President of the Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, who stressed the urgent need to manage invasive species in Northern Greece.

Mr. Ioannis Fragidis, President of the Hunting Federation of Macedonia and Thrace (KOMATH).

Mr. Charilaos Nikokavouras, from the Directorate for Natural Environment and Biodiversity Management of the Ministry of Environment and Energy (YPEN), who congratulated the partners on completing the LIFE ATIAS project and underlined the importance of its results for local communities.

The Final Workshop was divided into two parts.

In the first part, presentations focused on the project itself, its actions, and the outcomes, with detailed data collected during the implementation phase.

In the second part, the workshop explored techniques, methodologies, and technical solutions for mapping and managing the American Mink population, using field data and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The event concluded with a discussion among attendees regarding the difficulties encountered during the project and future challenges, with the goal of better understanding how to manage alien species in Northern Greece.

The LIFE ATIAS project marked the first organized effort to monitor, address, and manage the spread of the American Mink in Northern Greece. Its primary goal is to establish an early detection and rapid response system for invasive alien species (IAS) in the region, to develop technical and management frameworks for local eradication—both within and beyond NATURA 2000 protected areas—and to reduce the population of American Mink (Neovison vison) across Western and Central Macedonia.

Specifically, the project focuses on the management of the American Mink, listed among the most harmful invasive alien species in natural environments, due to its significant negative impact on biodiversity and ecosystem services.