✔ The Axios Delta National Park (11th P.S. of Evosmos

T Th he e A Ax xi io os s D De el lt ta a N Na at ti io on na al l P Pa ar rk k

West of Thermaikos Bay lies the Axios National Park , which also includes the Axios Delta. There, in the spring and summer, in the woods by the riverfront and on its isles, thousands of birds gather to reproduce. Among other species, one comes across night crows, spoonbills, white egrets, silver egrets, the grey heron, hounds, and copper hens. In its meadows, horse herds roam free, descendants of the horses that the farmers had deserted in the 60s. On its northern banks we find one of the last remaining parts of the riverside forest, where weeping willows, aspens and the alder can be found.

Did you know that the Haliacmon is the longest river flowing entirely in Greece? Moreover, did you know that Haliacmon possesses an extensive delta where, due to the fact it’s not easily accessible and also due to limited human presence, many wildlife species find shelter? Among those is one of the rarecouples of whitetailedeagles that can be found in Greece.

Here there are over 370 plant species which various animals feed on, and of course I do, too. Lots of animal and plant species are protected and safe at the Axios delta. Itofferssupport by the river banks and creates the necessarynaturalpathways for the wildcat and the wolf. 299 bird species nest there, that is a 66% of whathasbeenobserved to thisday in Greece. Did you know there are over 370 plant species? Some of those are considered protected species, suchas the sealilly, the waterfern and the waterchestnut.

11th Primary School Of Evosmos Thessaloniki, Article of class 5th grade

Translated from the Greek text: Lia Simitzidou

The good visitor’s guide!

We mustn’t litter and generally speaking we mustn’t interfere with nature. We do not allow our doggies to fool around freely. We hold them by their leash while we are enjoying our stroll through the forest by the river!

The Axios-LoudiasHaliacmon delta is a precious habitat for many animal species, some of which, in fact, are faced with extinction, such as the groundsquirrel ( Spermophiluscitellus ) and the otter. (Lutralutra)

Threats to the Axios Delta habitat

Garbage, burnt trees, endangered species! Felled trees, illegal sand mining carried out in the dark...A greatmenacefacing the greekfauna is poaching (illegal hunting). Anotherthreat is climatechange, for examplerisingtemperatures , sea levelrise and extremeweatherconditions such as floods. What is worse is that the water levels of the rivers are lowering. All of the above constitute a problem for water abstraction.

There is, however, something which gives our wetlands an unpleasant image. Most people throw away their rubbish here as well as their cigarette stubs, thus polluting the flora and fauna.

Otherwise, it’s my personal opinion that each person should pay a 250 euro fine- or even 300! You mustn’t pollute these lands because significant populations of rare birds stay through the winter and nest here. In this area 299 bird species have been recorded! One of them is me, the pied a v o c e t . ( R e c u r v i r o s t a avosetta)

Articles and sketches of 5th class students:

Fotini Paouktsi, George Varsamis, Evelina Touli, Sofia Bentiki, Sofia Vakali, Nefeli Boikli, Dimitra Vasiliou, Alexandros Vasilef,Stefanos Ntontis, Charalampos Korexenidis, George Tsologlou, Fotini Konstadinidou, Elena Tselikoglou, Odysseas Martidis, Stathis Tsompanis, Evaggelos Tzampos, Nantia Dimitrova, Politis Rados

Teacher in charge:

Constantia Gavriel

Sources:

http://axiosdelta.gr/

www.youtube.com/watch ? v=PFTA7O8fSzg