Restoration actions and monitoring in a Mediterranean floodplain wetland: the
Amvrakikos case-study.
M. Theocharis1, S. Zogaris2, A.N. Economou2, V. Kapsimalis3, T. Arapis4, &
P. Dimopoulos5
Abstract
Ecological restoration projects in Mediterranean wetlands have a very recent history and
careful monitoring of completed projects is necessary to evaluate their ultimate success.
Very few and isolated examples of the management of restoration projects in riverine
wetlands exist in Greece. This presentation describes the establishment of restoration
infrastructure in a Greek wetland and presents a practical scheme to monitor its effects on
wetland ecological quality. The study site is situated in the Amvrakikos Wetland in
Western Greece, and focuses on a restoration action in the Louros river floodplain and its
adjacent Rodia Swamp (2700 ha), the largest reed-dominated swamp in Greece. The
Louros river was totally embanked in the ‘60s and upstream floodplains were drained
with associated overexploitation of surface and groundwater for agriculture. After the
river embankment completely disrupted natural river flooding of Rodia Swamp, increases
in salinity in the swamp degraded the freshwater vegetation. Since the late ‘70s the
swamp’s varied reed communities deteriorated, water salinities increased both in the
swamp and the adjacent lagoons, with declines in wetland biodiversity and biological
productivity.
A recent outcome of increased public conservation concern fuelled specific infrastructure
funding in order to restore the connection between the river Louros and Rodia Swamp
and its adjacent lagoons – primarily to enhance habitats for threatened waterbirds and to
restore ecosystem integrity. Despite very limited initial hydrological data, the
infrastructure was completed on July 1st 2003, but no monitoring was funded after
September 2003. The infrastructure consists of a simple sluice-canal system, constructed
13 Km upstream from the river’s outlet to the sea. Two canals through the swamp, each
1000 meters long, can transport water from the river without disturbing intervening
floodplain water meadow habitats. The canals can transport 134000 m3/day of water from
the river to the swamp effectively increasing swamp water levels. However, it is not yet
possible to assess the ultimate success of the project since long-term monitoring has not
taken place. An ecological monitoring program for the site is proposed in this
presentation. This is based on bioindicators; monitoring of vegetation, fish and birds. The
design and approach of the monitoring takes into consideration demands proposed by the
EU Water Framework Directive 2000/60 and may help to assess the specific results of the
restoration action and define unmet needs. This case study provides an analysis of the
proximate and ultimate goals of ecological restoration and monitoring research in a large
Mediterranean wetland.
1
Dep. of Plant Production, Technological Educational Institution of Epirus, GR-47100, Arta Greece. Email:
theoxar@teiep.gr
2 Hellenic Centre For Marine Research, Institute of Inland Waters, P.O. Box 712, GR-19013, Anavyssos,
Attiki,
Greece. Email: zogaris@ncmr.gr
3 Hellenic Centre For Marine Research, Institute of Oceanography, P.O. Box 712, GR-19013, Anavyssos, Attiki, Greece
4 OIKOS- Nature Management LTD, 14 Ermou str. GR-14121 Iraklio Attiki, Greece.
5
Dep. of Natural Resources and Management, University of Ioannina, Seferi 2, Agrinio.