esia amendment greece annex 6.1 flora and vegetation ... · pdf fileno . project title: ......

ESIA Amendment Greece

Annex 6.1 Flora and Vegetation Baseline Study

E.ON Technologies GmbH

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Project Title: Trans Adriatic Pipeline – TAP GPL00-EXG-642-Y-TAE-1006 Rev.: 00 / at09 Document Title:

ESIA Amendment Greece Flora and Vegetation Baseline Study

Table of Contents

1 INTRODUCTION 3

General Information on the Vegetation and Flora of NE Greece and the reroutings wider region 3

Relevant Legislation 3

Scope of Work 4

Concise review of the habitats and species of interest along the Tenagi area in the Philippoi Plain, the Nestos plain and Rodopi as assessed in the TAP EIA study (EIA route) 4

2 Methodology 5

Flora Sampling Methodology 5

Habitat Identification 8

Limitations – Uncertainty - Bias 8

3 RESULTS 9

Species of conservation interest within the project area 9

Habitats of conservation interest within the project area 10 3.2.1 Riparian and wetland habitats 10 3.2.2 Scrubland communities 11

4 KEY FINDINGS 12

Principal species and areas of interest 12

List of Tables

Table 2-1 Riparian sites 7 Table 2 Supplement I List of sampling / observation points of the vegetation and

flora survey 13 List of Figures Figure 1 Sampling locations at Nestos rerouting 6 Figure 2 Sampling locations Kosmio rerouting 7 Figure 3 The range-restricted Balkan endemic Dianthus tenuiflorus, Kosmio, FH-80 9 Figure 4 European habitat 92A0 “Salix alba and Populus alba galleries”, Hatisio river,

Kosmio, FH-79 11 Figure 5 Greek habitat 5340 “Garrigues of Eastern Mediterranean”, Kosmio, FH-54 12


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1 INTRODUCTION

General Information on the Vegetation and Flora of NE Greece and the

reroutings wider region

Eastern Macedonia and Thrace comprise evergreen and deciduous scrubland and forests,

grasslands, riparian forests as well as wetland and coastal habitats by the seashore. Although

lowlands have been transformed into cultivations, the vegetation in mid and high altitudes is little

affected by agricultural activities.

The Nestos plain which comprises a section of the rerouting area covers 500,000 acres and

partially lies within the National Park of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. The Nestos Delta has

gone through major changes in the 20th century: during 1945 – 1960 the size of cultivations

expanded while forest and wetlands areas decreased. Τhe river course was re-aligned to its

present position, swamps were drained and irrigation infrastructures were developed, thus

changing the river’s flow regime. During the period 1960 - 1992 an irrigation and regulatory dam

was constructed in the Delta’s neck. During this period, agricultural activities would be intensified

in the lowlands while land abandonment is held on in the uplands. During 1992 - 2002 the

agricultural areas shrank.

The larger parts of the study area either along the “Kosmio” or “Nestos plain” reroutings comprise

agricultural land (sunflower, corn, cotton and wheat) and a very small portion is covered by

shrubs and grasslands. Streams that pass through the valleys of the study area are dominated by

Salix alba - Populus alba galleries. Synanthropic vegetation encompasses species such as

Ulmus sp., Paliurus spina-christi and Rubus ssp.

Relevant Legislation

The protection status of flora and habitats in Greece is outlined in the presidential Decree 67/81

“On the protection of wild flora and fauna” as well as Law 3937/2011 on the “Conservation of

Biodiversity”. The P.D. 67/81 (Official Gazette Issue 23/A/1981), corrected with the Official

Gazette Issue 43/A/1981, provides measures on the protection of endemic, rare and endangered

plant species. The collection, transplantation, root removal, cutting and transfer of species listed

in the P.D. 67/81 are prohibited throughout the year. The Greek Law 3937/2011 expands the

protection measures (prohibition of harvest, collection, cutting, root removal, possession and

transfer) to endemic plants in general, without, however, listing scientific or common names of

specific species or stating precise endemism levels (local, Greek, Balkan or other). According to


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Law 3937/2011, a national catalogue of endemic plant species is being elaborated by the Ministry

of Environment, Energy and Climate Change (MEECC).

European priority habitats are protected under Law 3937/2011, according to which any actions or

activities that may cause destruction, damage or alteration in European priority habitats are

prohibited. The implementation of the Directive 92/43/EEC in Greece started with the execution

of the project Inventory, Identification, Evaluation and Mapping of the Habitat types and Flora and

Fauna species in Greece. During this Project, a significant number of other important species

which occur in Greece, not included in Annex II, i.e. endangered, rare, endemics and/or protected

species under several international conventions were also identified and recorded. The list of

“Other important plant species” includes 1,852 taxa of conservation interest of the Greek flora

(Kokkini et al., 1996), which however, are not under any legal status of protection.

Scope of Work

The flora and habitats assessment has focused on:

the identification and documentation of populations of plant taxa (species and subspecies)

of high conservation interest, i.e. protected, rare, endemic species in selected habitats

along the route, and

the identification and mapping of European habitats (as defined in the Directive 92/43/EEC)

along the route, in order to locate habitats of conservation interest (priority, protected, rare,

threatened or hosting rare and protected species).

The project area comprises a 500m corridor along the corresponding reroutings at Nestos plain

(IP 374-4 to IP 374-24 approx. of the ESIA basecase) and the Kosmio region (IP 251 to IP 251-

15 of the ESIA basecase).

Concise review of the habitats and species of interest along the Nestos plain and

Komotini as assessed in the TAP EIA study (EIA route)

The vegetation and flora baseline studies referring to the ESIA basecase route indicate that the

following taxa of conservation interest are present along the particular sections, therefore are

likely to occur in the nearby regions as well:

Ruscus aculeatus protected under Annex V of the Directive 92/43/EC


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Platanus orientalis and Digitalis viridiflora, protected under the Greek law (P.D. 67/81)

the Balkan endemics Bromus cappadocicus, Erysimum crassistylum and Verbascum

phoeniceum subsp. flavidum. Common habitat types in the area are 92A0 (Salix alba and

Populus alba galleries), 6420 (Mediterranean tall humid herb grasslands (European

habitat)) and 72A0 (Reedbeds (Greek habitat)).

2 Methodology

In order to gain a high understanding of the habitats and flora existing along the proposed

reroutings, a field survey was conducted in June 2014. This survey was undertaken by a survey

team consisting of botanists Anastasia Stefanaki and Christina Adamidou. .

The survey was conducted in June 2014 in order to describe the existing habitat types and

identify population characteristics of flora species of interest from an international and national

perspective. The main tasks included:

Ground truthing of the habitats cartography (from satellite imagery, forestry maps, GIS data

and from previous surveys data);

Provide details of Protected Areas;

Provide a description and distribution of main vegetation types and habitats along the

reroutings, and;

Identify populations of a few flora species of interest; the field survey concentrated its

efforts within a buffer zone of 500 m around the proposed reroutings (250 m on each side

of the pipeline axis).

Flora Sampling Methodology

During the field survey, focus was put on assessing whether the most likely taxa already

recorded in the nearby areas are present along the reroutings. These taxa are:

Taxa recorded along the ESIA basecase (Ruscus aculeatus, Platanus orientalis,

Digitalis viridiflora, Bromus cappadocicus, Erysimum crassistylum and Verbascum

phoeniceum subsp. flavidum)


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The rare willow tree Salix xanthicola which is known to grow along main watercourses

(even road ditches or streams of temporary flow) in Nestos, Ardas and Evros

waterbasins (Christensen 1991, Christensen & al 2006)

Salvinia natans (floating fern) and Trapa natans (water chestnut), two hydrophytes

listed in the “Other important plant species” of the Natura 2000 network in Greece

(Kokkini et al., 1996) and protected under the Bern convention. Both grow in stagnant

or low- flow water in wetland systems, and have been reported from wetlands of NE

Greece, the first from Kerkini lake and Richios river (Rentina) and the latter from

Aspropotamos river (E side of Vistonida lake), and the lakes Mitrikou, Volvi and

Kerkini (Papastergiadou & Babalonas, 1993)

A total of 49 locations were sampled along the reroutings. The sampling locations are listed in

Table 2-1 and are shown in Figures 1 and 2 focusing on areas outside cultivations and locations

with riparian vegetation. 17 sampling points in particular referred to watercourses.

Figure 1 Sampling locations at Nestos rerouting

Source: Google Earth


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Figure 2 Sampling locations Kosmio rerouting

Source: Google Earth

Table 2-1 Riparian sites

Nr. GPS point Area Route IP

number Riparian vegetation Water flow status

1 FH_2 Nestos rerouting IP-374-4 Reeds and willow galleries Permanent

2 FH_6 Nestos rerouting IP-374-12 Reeds Permanent






8 FH_16 Nestos rerouting IP-374-24 Reeds, willow and poplar galleries Permanent

9 FH_70 Kosmio rerouting IP251-14 Reeds and willow galleries Permanent


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Nr. GPS point Area Route IP

number Riparian vegetation Water flow status

10 FH_76 Kosmio rerouting IP251 Reeds and poplar galleries Permanent

11 FH_77 Kosmio rerouting IP251-1 Sedges seasonal

12 FH_78 Kosmio rerouting IP251-1 Reeds seasonal


14 FH_81 Kosmio rerouting IP251-11 Reeds seasonal




The taxonomic identification proceeded with standard floras and taxonomic papers (Tutin et al.,

1964; Tutin et al., 1968-1980; Strid & Tan, 1997, 2002)

Habitat Identification

For the identification of habitats the basic manuals for the identification of European Habitats in

Greece (Dafis et al., 2001; EC, 2007) were used. The mapping of habitats within the 500 m zone

has been based on orthophoto maps. In sites without vegetation or in cases where vegetation

was highly anthropogenic, the definition of habitat types was based on information related to the

geologic substrata or on land uses.

Limitations – Uncertainty - Bias

The sampling survey referred to late spring and summer flowering species and did not take into

account taxa in blossom exclusively in early spring or autumn.

Floristic analysis took place in habitats and landscape spots selected by means of expert

judgment and not randomly: this is due to the fact that reroutings cross mainly agricultural areas

and therefore random sampling would end up taking place mostly in cultivations.


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3 RESULTS

The project area mostly comprises annual crop cultivations (corn, sunflower, cotton and wheat)

as well as a few scattered sites where perennial species (Populus, Actinidia) are cultivated.

Habitats and species of interest are discussed below

Species of conservation interest within the project area

With regards to the targeted flora taxa discussed in Section 2.1 “Flora Sampling Methodology”,

there has been no sighting of a single population or even individual in any sampling point.

One sole species of conservation interest, Dianthus tenuiflorus (Figure 2), was recorded within

the project area. D. tenuiflorus is a range-restricted Balkan endemic species flowering in June

and July. It grows locally in NE Greece in open pine forest, deciduous scrub and roadsides, at

50-1100 m a.s.l. (Strid & Tan, 1997; Dimopoulos et al., 2013). It is also reported from neighboring

areas in Bulgaria and FYR of Macedonia (Strid & Tan, 1997). It was found within the Kosmio

optimization rerouting project area between IP251-8 and IP251-9 (FH-80). A few individuals were

observed growing at the vicinity of a dry stream in a small patch of Paliurus spina-christii

garrigues among cultivated land.

Figure 3 The range-restricted Balkan endemic Dianthus tenuiflorus, Kosmio, FH-80

Source: EXERGIA field survey (June 2014)


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Habitats of conservation interest within the project area

3.2.1 Riparian and wetland habitats

Reed formations dominated by Phragmites australis (Greek habitat 72A0 “Reeds grow around

the shores forming part of the fen system. Both remnant fens were characterized by almost

monotypic dominance of the common reed Phragmites australis and despite the historical

evidence about presence of the 7210 EU priority habitat locally (see Section 1 “Introduction”),

there were no records of the corresponding species in these surveys.

Fens in general are known to have a role in water purification, flood prevention and global

warming regulation due to their ability of carbon storage (Raeymaekers, 2000; Šefferová Stanová

et al., 2008). Nevertheless, alkaline fens have been selectively drained in the past and have

become very rare and threatened at a European level. In Greece, they are also rare and

considered of high conservation priority (Dafis et al., 2001; Dimopoulos et al., 2006).

Natural or semi-natural water bodies crossed by the pipeline are few and as follows:

Kosmio at Aspropotamos (FH-83, x: 608266,3185, y: 4551478,14)

Hatisio river (FH-79, x:613685,0488 y: 4549028,235)

Well-developed riparian galleries belonging to the European habitat 92A0 “Salix alba and

Populus alba galleries” were observed at the Hatisio river crossing in Kosmio (Figure 6).

Excluding the Hatisio site, riparian vegetation in the study area is considered to be poor,

consisting mainly of reeds (Phragmites australis) and scattered single black poplar (Populus

nigra). Riparian galleries belong to the most threatened habitats at a global and European level

as well as in Greece. Intensive human activity, such as river impoundment, channelization and

drainagesets high pressure in riparian habitats, with the willow (Salix) and poplar (Populus)

communities to be the most affected (Wenger et al., 1990; Dafis et al., 2001; Fernandes et al.,

2011; Clerici et al., 2013). It is important to note that within the project area, extermination of

riparian vegetation in comparison to its past state as depicted in satellite images was observed in

several streams crossed by the pipeline along the Kosmio rerouting as follows:

FH-76 (x:621999,507 y: 4547725,508)

FH-77 ( x: 621314,1363 y: 4547783,103)

FH-78 ( x: 620413,9101 y: 4547578,357)


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FH-80 ( x: 611839,1113 y: 4549881,191)

FH-81 ( x: 611429,5087 y: 4550114,125)

FH-82 (x: 611010,132 y:4550266,468)

FH-83 (x: 608266,3185, y: 4551478,14 Aspropotamos crossing).

Channels at Nestos and Kosmio reroutings are dominated by reed stands (Nestos, Kosmio) or

black poplar (Populus nigra) as well as white willow (Salix alba) and elm (Ulmus spp.) stands

(Kosmio).

Figure 4 European habitat 92A0 “Salix alba and Populus alba galleries”, Hatisio river, Kosmio, FH-79


3.2.2 Scrubland communities

Semi-natural vegetation consisting of garrigues with Paliurus spina-christii was observed among

cultivated fields at two locations in Kosmio rerouting (FH-54, FH-80, Figure 8), possibly as a

result of long abandoned cultivations re-colonized by woody format ions. They belong to the

Greek habitat 5340 “Garrigues of Eastern Mediterranean” which refers to shrubby, often low and

poor in species formations growing usually in dry, poor soils in continental and insular Greece

mostly at low elevations, occasionally up to 1200 m (Dafis et al., 2001). In these stands, woody

species were rather few and loose while numerous common species of grass and herbs were

observed to grow among them: Avena sterilis, Salvia verbenaca, Eryngium campestre,


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Cardopatium corymbosum, Thymus sp., Cichorium intybus, Teucrium capitatum, Delphinium

peregrinum, Prunella laciniata, Asphodelus ramosus etc. The Balkan endemic Dianthus

tenuiflorus was observed in this habitat type at FH-80.

Figure 5 Greek habitat 5340 “Garrigues of Eastern Mediterranean”, Kosmio, FH-54


4 KEY FINDINGS

Principal species and areas of interest

The reroutings cross an area of extensive agricultural activity. Natural or semi-natural vegetation

is scarce.

One (1) species of conservation interest, Dianthus tenuiflorus, has been recorded at the Kosmio

rerouting. Although a species of narrow geographic range, D. tenuiflorus is not protected under

any national or international legal status.

The main areas of interest in the project area are:


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Riparian stands with black poplar (Populus nigra) and white willow (Salix alba) which

develop along a dense network of drainage channels.

The crossing with Hatisio river along the Kosmio rerouting where natural riparian galleries

of the European habitat 92A0 are found (FH-79).

Table 2 Supplement I List of sampling / observation points of the vegetation and flora

survey

WP_number Site_Code Date Geographical Coordinates_WGS84Greek Grid

POINT_X POINT_Y

WP016 FH-1 20.6.2014 N40 59.891 E24 41.139 557667,0058 4538782,149

WP017 FH-2 20.6.2014 N41 00.383 E24 41.439 558079,218 4539695,462

WP018 FH-3 20.6.2014 N41 00.382 E24 41.418 558051,129 4539692,431

WP019 FH-4 20.6.2014 N41 00.567 E24 41.519 558189,9308 4540037,464

WP020 FH-5 20.6.2014 N41 00.857 E24 41.769 558535,2573 4540575,281

WP021 FH-6 20.6.2014 N40 59.507 E24 40.689 557040,7022 4538066,092

WP022 FH-7 20.6.2014 N40 59.427 E24 40.581 556891,6624 4537917,301

WP023 FH-8 20.6.2014 N40 59.140 E24 40.213 556378,5617 4537383,244

WP024 FH-9 20.6.2014 N40 58.739 E24 39.725 555701,2126 4536635,949

WP025 FH-10 20.6.2014 N40 58.313 E24 39.146 554894,2984 4535841,129

WP028 FH-11 20.6.2014 N40 57.952 E24 37.862 553098,7836 4535159,244

WP029 FH-12 20.6.2014 N40 57.768 E24 36.351 550982,6891 4534805,2

WP031 FH-13 20.6.2014 N40 57.755 E24 35.036 549137,3195 4534767,68

WP032 FH-14 20.6.2014 N40 57.774 E24 34.008 547695,9028 4534793,236

WP068 FH-47 22.6.2014 N41 04.208 E25 25.557 619799,5216 4547521,608

WP069 FH-48 22.6.2014 N41 04.180 E25 25.438 619633,838 4547468,374

WP070 FH-49 22.6.2014 N41 04.026 E25 24.759 618688,3205 4547167,274

WP071 FH-50 22.6.2014 N41 03.847 E25 24.249 617979,1293 4546824,056

WP072 FH-51 22.6.2014 N41 04.011 E25 24.139 617819,6672 4547125,282

WP073 FH-52 22.6.2014 N41 03.996 E25 23.925 617521,8109 4547092,588

WP074 FH-53 22.6.2014 N41 04.056 E25 23.481 616896,8798 4547194,056

WP075 FH-54 22.6.2014 N41 04.315 E25 23.254 616572,5537 4547668,815

WP076 FH-55 22.6.2014 N41 04.243 E25 22.926 616115,0991 4547527,726

WP077 FH-56 22.6.2014 N41 04.506 E25 22.755 615867,9557 4548009,819

WP078 FH-57 22.6.2014 N41 04.474 E25 22.667 615746,0042 4547950,08

WP079 FH-58 22.6.2014 N41 04.524 E25 22.297 615225,3319 4548032,971

WP080 FH-59 22.6.2014 N41 04.788 E25 22.206 615090,2307 4548519,198

WP082 FH-60 22.6.2014 N41 04.802 E25 21.534 614149,4999 4548531,649

WP083 FH-61 22.6.2014 N41 04.905 E25 21.187 613660,2396 4548714,369

WP084 FH-62 22.6.2014 N41 04.782 E25 21.159 613625,3824 4548485,775

WP085 FH-63 22.6.2014 N41 04.945 E25 21.041 613454,838 4548784,395


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WP086 FH-64 22.6.2014 N41 05.408 E25 20.552 612756,6624 4549630,743

WP087 FH-65 22.6.2014 N41 05.313 E25 20.318 612432,7122 4549450,082

WP088 FH-66 22.6.2014 N41 05.208 E25 20.327 612447,0278 4549256,758

WP089 FH-67 22.6.2014 N41 05.709 E25 19.029 610616,6656 4550156,144

WP091 FH-68 22.6.2014 N41 06.153 E25 17.886 609004,529 4550952,105

WP093 FH-69 22.6.2014 N41 06.301 E25 17.187 608023,3293 4551211,754

WP094 FH-70 22.6.2014 N41 06.349 E25 17.122 607930,4161 4551298,888

WP095 FH-71 22.6.2014 N41 06.598 E25 15.813 606090,9896 4551734,021

WP096 FH-72 22.6.2014 N41 06.594 E25 15.584 605771,809 4551721,051

WP097 FH-73 22.6.2014 N41 06.566 E25 15.128 605134,237 4551660,112

WP098 FH-74 22.6.2014 N41 06.435 E25 16.523 607089,2346 4551446,801

WP099 FH-75 22.6.2014 N41 06.450 E25 16.606 607205,137 4551475,776

WP100 FH-76 23.6.2014 N41 04.298 E25 27.130 621999,507 4547725,508

WP101 FH-77 23.6.2014 N41 04.336 E25 26.641 621314,1363 4547783,103

WP102 FH-78 23.6.2014 N41 04.233 E25 25.996 620413,9101 4547578,357

WP103 FH-79 23.6.2014 N41 05.075 E25 21.208 613685,0488 4549028,235

WP104 FH-80 23.6.2014 N41 05.551 E25 19.899 611839,1113 4549881,191

WP105 FH-81 23.6.2014 N41 05.680 E25 19.609 611429,5087 4550114,125

WP106 FH-82 23.6.2014 N41 05.766 E25 19.311 611010,132 4550266,468

WP107 FH-83 23.6.2014 N41 06.443 E25 17.364 608266,3185 4551478,14

WP108 FH-84 23.6.2014 N41 06.615 E25 16.561 607137,6913 4551779,847

WP110 FH-85 23.6.2014 N41 06.764 E25 15.547 605714,7215 4552035,759


Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG-Greece (Branch Office)

21st floor, Athens Tower, 2-4 Mesogion Ave.

11527 Athens, Greece

Phone: +30 210 745613

Fax: +30 210 745300

[email protected]

www.tap-ag.com

Date 12/2014

Copyright Reserved: This document may not be copied, shown to or placed at disposal of third parties without prior consent of TAP AG. The latest version of the document is registered in the TAP Project’s Database.

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