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Population reinforcement of the threatened plant Datisca cannabina L. in Nea Roumata (Crete)

16 May 2017

Thumb plant resized

Datisca cannabina is characterized as vulnerable in the Red Data Book of Greece (Phitos et al., 2009), since it is found in only few localities. In Crete it is found in two localities; in the abandoned village of Samaria (halfway through Samaria George) and in the center of Chania Prefecture, close to Nea Roumata village. The latter population was discovered in 1998 and is located in a moist area near a waterfall, where some other protected and threatened plants are also found, such as Woodwardia radicans, Sibthorpia europaea and Campanula cretica. The subpopulation of D. cannabina in Nea Roumata is under major threat, since it is found at the edge of the road, not only lacking any conservation practices, but also partly being removed and replaced by non-native ornamental species. In the future, additional actions at the site by the local authorities (such as road expansion or abstraction of the surface water for other uses, e.g. irrigation) could threaten the subpopulation even more severely. For ex situ conservation of the species, seeds from this population were collected and conserved in the Seed Bank of MAICh.

Within the framework of CARE-MEDIFLORA certain conservation actions took place. The in situ actions for Datisca cannabina were conducted in two phases. Firstly, the local authorities and stakeholders were informed about the rarity and importance of this species, as well as about the reinforcement actions that were planned for the area. The community (local residents) also contributed and supported the conservation actions, by removing the ornamental plants. Next, seedlings originating from the same population, which were produced in the Seed Bank of MAICh, were planted at the site. The area across the road was marked with light fencing and informative labels were placed on the site.

The activities were disseminated and covered also by the local press (click here to see local press article in Greek).

Datisca cannabina seedlings

Light fencing 

Planting of seedling

Natural regeneration and planted seedling

Information sign

Information sign

 

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MAVA Foundation

Mediterranean Plant Specialist Group (IUCN/SSC) Sóller Botanical Garden Foundation, Balearic Islands Office of the Environment of Corsica - National Botanical Academy of Corsica Hortus Botanicus Karalitanus, Sardinia University of Catania, Sicily Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, Crete Agricultural Research Institute, Cyprus Department of Forests, Cyprus