Sekoia

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Celebrating European Geoparks Week 2011Celebrating European Geoparks Week 2011

in the Lesvos Petrified Forestin the Lesvos Petrified Forest

9th European Geoparks Conference

Lesvos, October 2010

Newsletter of the Lesvos Petrified Forest European and Global Geopark published by the:

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF THE LESVOS PETRIFIED FOREST

Special Issue

Spring 2011

350 delegates350 delegates

from 41 countriesfrom 41 countries

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i

@

ditor in cheefickolas ouros

Executive editorKaterina Vasileiadou

Contributors:Contributors:

. Bentana

I. Valiakos

. Vasileiadou

D. Batsios

V. Plousaki

D. Barna

. Georgiou

. Gkogkos

P. Ampoulos

Photos:Photo Gallery

Natural History Museum

of the Lesvos Petrified Forest

Editing:. Georgiou

EQUO AEQUO APUBLISHED BY:

THE NATURAL HISTORY

MUSEUM

of the LESVOS PETRIFIED

FOREST

ISSN 1109-3676

European Destination

of Excellence 2009

Lesvos - Petrified forest

The Natural History Museum of the Lesvos

Petrified Forest has been established inSigri, in 1994, and acts under the super-

vision of the Greek Ministry of Culture and

Tourism. Its main objectives are the study,conservation, promotion and exhibition of

the unique Lesvos Petri fied Forest, a designated Protected

Natural Monument of special environmental, geological, palaeonto-logical and educational value, included in the West Peninsula-

Petrified Forest NATURA 2000 Site.

Museum Opening Hours

E-mail address: [email protected]: www.lesvosmuseum.gr

www.petrifiedforest.gr

Postal Address:Sigri, GR-81103, Lesvos, Greece

el. - Fax: +30 22530 54434

Summer period1 July - 30 September:Daily: 09:00 - 20:00Winter period1 October - 30 June:Tuesday - Sunday: 09:00 - 17:00

Mytilene Information Centre:17, 8th November & Papayiannis Street,

GR 811 00 Mytilene, Lesvos, Greeceel. - Fax: +30 22510 47033

Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 08:00 - 16:00

Cover Photo: Participants in the 9th European Geoparks Conference, held in Lesvos inOctober 2010, during their visit in the Lesvos Petrified Forest Park.

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Newslet ter - Lesvos Pet r i f ied Forestewslet ter - Lesvos Pet r i f ied Forest

A Window to the World...Using the slogan think globally - act locally towardsthe promotion of the Lesvos Petrified Forest, theNatural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Foresthas been focusing its attention not only on the Greekterritory, but also on the great global community. Sinceits opening in 2001, it has contributed decisively to theestablishment and development of the European andGlobal Geoparks Networks, participated in dozens ofInternational and Greek conferences and meetings,developed collaborations with museums and parks,exchanged exhibitions with other museums, hosteddozens of delegations from foreign protected sites andmuseums, participated in international tourism fairs,held training seminars for geopark staff, organizededucational visits for universities and schools from thewhole Europe.

For its success in turning the rural area of West Lesvosinto a pole of sustainable economic and cultural develop-ment, the Museum has won several European andinternational awards; awards that might have beenreceived as recognition of the achievements, but havealso been interpreted as an even greater responsibilitytowards the local community and the visitors of the area.

During 2010, as the negative signs of the global eco-nomical crisis became more intense, the Museumsought the strength and ability to continue the pro-motion of the Lesvos Petrified Forest and Greece,through the organization of large-scale events, such asthe 9th European Geoparks Conference, the 4th

International Intensive Course on Geoparks, the meet-ing of UNESCOs Global Geoparks Network Bureau

and the 26th

European Geoparks Network CoordinationMeeting, and through its participation in global confer-ences, its celebration of international events andanniversaries, the organisation of the EuropeanGeoparks Week and its important stage program offer-ing work experience to young people from around theworld.

The year 2011 is the 10 th year of the Museums opera-tion since its official opening. In the dawn of its 2nd

decade, as the group of international friends of theMuseum constantly grows, the need for closer contact

became apparent. One of the most important tools ofcommunication with our Greek friends for the past 10years, the Newsletter Sequoia is thus from now onavailable also in English, offering to its internationalreaders news on activities, programs and upcomingevents in the Lesvos Petrified Forest, in the eastern-most border of Europe. We hope that you will all warm-ly embrace our new idea and contribute with your ownsuggestions.

Enjoy reading

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9 thh European Geoparks Conferenceuropean Geoparks Conference

Focused on "Learning from the Past -Building a Sustainable Future", the9th European Geoparks Conferenceheld in Lesvos, at the premises of theUniversity of the Aegean in Mytilene, high-

lighted topics related to the promotion andprotection of natural monuments and thedevelopment of qualitytourism. The Conference wasattended by 350 delegatesfrom 41 countries, amongwhich were representativesof UNESCO, the European andGlobal Geoparks Networks,

the International Union of GeologicalSciences, the International GeographicalUnion and the International Union for

Conservation of Nature, academics andmembers of scientific institutes, as well asrepresentatives of the state and localauthorities of Greece and many othercountries.The Conference was the largest in the his-tory of Geoparks, during which 10 keynotetalks were given, 138 papers were present-ed orally and 12 on posters. Attendanceexceeded all previous, in terms of countryrepresentation and of presentation quality.In particular, the speakers came from sev-

eral European countries, i.e. Austria,

Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, France,Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary,Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Norway, Poland,Romania, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia,Slovenia, Sweden and United Kingdom, but

also from Australia, Brazil, Chile, China,Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Korea,Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay, andVietnam.The Conference was organized under theauspices of UNESCO, after a decision by theDirector-General Irina Bokova. It was co-organized by the Lesvos Petrified Forestand the Geography Department of theUniversity of the Aegean, and was support-ed by the Greek Ministry of Culture andTourism and the General Secretariat for the

Aegean and Island Policy. In particular, theissues that the 24 Conference sessionsdealt with were: the development ofGeoparks in Europe and globally, the roleof geoparks in the protection of geologicalheritage, the impact of climate change andthe role of geoparks in its understanding,the development of geotourism, the eco-nomic benefits and local development, thepromotion of geological heritage and com-munication to the public, presentation andpromotion of Geoparks as a quality tourist

destination, the future of Geoparks.

9th European GeoparksConference in Lesvos Geopark

4

350 delegatesfrom 41 countries

The deputy minister of

environment, energy and

climate change,

. Sifounakis, delivers to

the Chairman of the

Museums Board, Prof.

A. Kelepertzi, the

certificate for the 10-year

anniversary of the Lesvos

Petrified Forest Geopark

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Opening CeremonyThe official opening ceremony of theCongress was held in the MunicipalTheatre of Mytilene in the evening of the1st October. The ceremony was attend-ed by the Greek Deputy Minister ofEnvironment, Energy and ClimateChange, N. Sifounakis, the Deputy Mayorof Mytilene Mr. P. Paterellis, the Vice

Rector of the University of the Aegeanand Professor in the Geography Dept. Dr.N. Soulakellis, the representative ofUNESCO's Division of Ecological andEarth Sciences Dr. M. Patzak, the VicePresident of the International Union ofGeological Sciences Prof. J. Charvet, theHead of the World Heritage Programmeat the International Union forConservation of Nature T. Badman.The Deputy Minister of Environment,Energy and Climate Change, N.

Sifounakis, opening the conference,referred to the need for enhancement ofnatural and geological monuments andthe efforts of the Greek state for the pro-motion of the Lesvos Petrified Forest.He also referred to the contribution ofUNESCO's Global Geoparks Network andthe European Geoparks Network for thepromotion and protection of our naturalheritage, since "geoparks study thepast and face the future..." , as he stat-ed. The next speaker, Dr. M. Patzak,

stressed the importance of Geoparks tothe protection of natural heritage andthe development of local communities.For UNESCO, the operation of theEuropean Geoparks Network is anexample for developing similar net-works in other continents. Following,

Prof. J. Charvet, stressed that geoparksare an excellent opportunity for cooper-ation between the scientific communityand local communities for the enhance-ment of natural resources and utiliza-tion of the potential of local communi-ties. The last speaker, Dr. P. McKeever,Vice Coordinator of the European

5


The first day of the 9th European Geoparks

Conference in the Municipal Theatre of Mytilene,

Lesvos

Liao Xiaojun, Mayor of

Ningde city in China and

delegates from the Ningde

Geopark with the

President of the

Organising Committee of

the 9th European

Geoparks Conference,

Assoc. Prof. N. Zouros

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6

Geoparks Network (EGN), referred tothe role of the EGN for the promotion ofprotected natural monuments and itscontribution to the development of qual-

ity tourism throughout Europe, andstressed that Lesvos is a perfect exam-ple of successful development for allGeoparks, both in Europe and world-wide.Wishes for the success of the Congresswere sent by the General Secretary ofthe Ministry of Culture, Ms. L. Mendoni,the General Secretary of the NorthAegean Region, Ms. S. Theologitou, andthe Rector of the University of Aegean,Prof. of Tourism at the Business

Administration Dept., Dr. P. Tsartas.During the opening ceremony, a specialcelebratory event was held, as this yearmarks 10 years since the establish-ment of the European GeoparksNetwork, and special certificates wereawarded to the 42 members of theNetwork by the Deputy Minister Mr. N.Sifounakis.

Impressed by the Lesbian natural andcultural heritageDuring their stay, the participants hadthe opportunity to participate in twofield trips around the island, duringwhich they visited protected areas andparks of the Lesvos Petrified Forest, aswell as other impressive geotopes ofLesvos (e.g. the volcano ofLepetymnos, the Vatoussa caldera, thevolcanic centres of Eressos andMesotopos, the columnar lavas ofOrdymnos, the volcanic neck of Petra,

the Agia Paraskevi fault) and importantnature reserves of the island (e.g. theGulf of Kalloni, important wetland where68 bird species can be found).

They were also guided to many culturalmonuments of the island, such as thearchaeological site of Mesa, where theydiscussed the use of geologicalresearch in the identification of monu-ment structural materials, the Museumof Industrial Olive-Oil Production in AgiaParaskevi, the church of the Archangelin Mantamados, the castle of Molivos,the church of Virgin Mary in Petra andByzantine monasteries of the island.The delegates were welcomed to the

NHMLPF in Sigri by the President of theLocal Sigri Council and member of theDirectory Board of the NHMLPF, Mr. A.Athanasiadis. During their visit to theMuseum, the delegates were informedabout the Museum's activities regard-ing fossil research and conservation,environmental education and naturalheritage promotion, and they had thechance to experience the results of theMuseum's contribution to geotourismdevelopment in the area.The participants, many of whom arespecialists in themes regarding conser-vation and promotion of naturalresources, noted the very high level ofthe existing infrastructure, but also theexemplary promotion tools of theLesvos Petrified Forest; they acknowl-

Left: The participants of the

Conference lived a magical

experience in the Castle of

Mytilene, where they were

introduced to the Lesvos

traditional music by the

Agiassos musical group

"Santouria of Anagnostirio"

Right: Admiring the beauty

of the fossil trees in the

Lesvos Petrified Forest

Geopark

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7

edged that great potential for the devel-opment of quality tourism in Lesvos isoffered through the multi-level action ofthe NHMLPF. They indicated that the

uniqueness of the monument world-wide can offer much more to the devel-opment of the island, however for thispurpose the promotion within the scien-tific community is not enough, but thecommunication and interpretation ofthe Lesvos Petrified Forest to the widerpublic is required, since the impressivegeo-monument possesses all thepotential required for be establishmentnot only of Lesvos but also of Greece asa major tourist attraction. They further

acknowledged the progress made inrecent years, with the completion of thepermanent exhibitions of the Museum,and highlighted the uniqueness of theMuseum among similar museumsworldwide. They were impressed by thequality information service availablefree of charge to all visitors, through theuse of the new Museum's eGuide.Finally, they were overwhelmed duringtheir experience on one of the mostimportant educational tools of theMuseum, the earthquake simulatordesigned as a school classroom, whichacquaints visitors of the LesvosPetrified Forest to the seismic risk,which is particularly high in Greece andthe wider Mediterranean region.At the closure of the conference, partic-ipants warmly congratulated for theexcellent organization, and also for theinfrastructure available in the Museumand the University of the Aegean for the

realization of such high-level confer-ences. The beauty of the lesbian land-scape, the quality of local products, thedelicious dishes prepared by thewomen's agrotourist cooperatives ofParakoila, Mesotopos, Skalochori andPetra and the lesbian hospitality haveundoubtedly contributed decisively tothe success of the organization.


Above: Guided tour in the Lesvos Petrified

Forest Geopark

Middle: Experiencing an earthquake on the

seismic table in the Natural History Museum

of the Lesvos Petrified Forest, in Sigri

Below: During the guided tour in the Natural

History Museum

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26th European Geoparks Network - Coordination MeetingSeptember 26 - 30 2010Molyvos, lesvos Island

European Geoparks Networkuropean Geoparks Network

Avery important meeting for thefuture operation of the EGN, the26th Coordination Meeting, washeld from the 28th to the 30th ofSeptember, in Molyvos of Lesvos. The

main subjects of discussion were thecloser cooperation among Networkmembers in terms of management andpromotion of natural heritage, the devel-opment of alternative tourism andespecially geotourism through jointactions, the effects of the promotion ofmonuments to local communities andthe spur in the economy and employ-ment in areas with natural monumentsin Europe.The meeting was attended by more than

70 representatives of protected areas

and natural monuments. Specifically,present were representatives of the 37members of the EGN distributed across17 European countries (Austria, Croatia,Czech Republic, Finland, France,

Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary,Ireland, Italy, Norway, Portugal,Romania, Slovakia, Spain, UnitedKingdom), as well as the representativeof UNESCO, Dr. M. Patzak, of theInternational Union of GeologicalSciences, Prof. J. Charvet, and theInternational Union for Conservation ofNature, T. Badman. Coordinator of themeeting, but also of the EGN, which thisyear celebrates 10 years of operation,was Assoc. Prof. N. Zouros, also Director

of the NHMLPF.During the meeting, the delegatesdiscussed cooperation on protection,conservation, promotion and manage-ment of geo-monuments, organizationand operation of Geoparks, creation ofeducational activities and specific inter-pretation tools through the operation ofthematic groups within the Network,and the new policy of the EuropeanUnion on the development of tourism inthe EU countries. Alongside the meet-

ing, the delegates were engaged withevaluation of European Geoparks,targeted to the continuation of theirhigh standards in service, infrastruc-ture and facilities offered to their visi-tors. The process of evaluation takesplace every three years for each mem-

Earth heritage promotionand geotourism developmentin Europe

8

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ber of the Network, under the supervi-sion of UNESCO.Finally, eight new candidacies for inclu-sion in the EGN were considered (from

Greece, Bulgaria, Finland, Italy andSpain). After careful study of the sub-mitted application dossiers, the integra-tion in the Network of the followingareas was decided: Basque Coast Geopark, Spain Parco Nazionale del Cilento eVallo di Diano, Italy Rokua Geopark, Finland Tuscan Mining Park, Italy Vikos-Aoos Geopark, GreeceThe inclusion of a geopark in the EGN

has highly demanding criteria and fol-lows thorough process inspections, asnew members are included simultane-ously in both the European and theGlobal Geoparks Networks. The processdemonstrates the high level of trust andcooperation between UNESCO and theEGN.

9

European Geoparks Networkuropean Geoparks Network

The Coordination Meeting was

attended by 37 representatives ofthe European Geoparks Network

and UNESCO, who were welcomed

to Molyvos by the Mayor or the

town, Mr. Stelios Karantonis

Panoramic view of Molyvos town, in North Lesvos

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Global Geoparks Networklobal Geoparks Network

10

On the sidelines of the 9th European GeoparksConference, the Global Geoparks NetworkBureau met on the 3rd October, for the first

time on the island of Lesvos, in the Senate Hall of theUniversity of the Aegean, and, in a marathon session,it assessed application dossiers of aspired geoparksfor their admission in the Global Geoparks Network.

In the meeting, the 11-memberedBureau also discussed the guide-lines for the operation and coordi-nation of the Global Network forthe following two years, aimingto protect and promote the worldnatural heritage. Assoc. Prof. N.

Zouros, also Director of the NHMLPF, represented theEuropean Geoparks Network within the internationalbody of the GGN Bureau.

11 New Members in the Global Geoparks NetworkVikos-Aoos: the 4th Greek GeoparkIn the frames of the 9th European GeoparksConference, a special celebratory event was held inthe evening of the 3rd October at the Auditorium of theGeography Dept. of the University of the Aegean.During the event, the new members of UNESCO's

Global Geoparks Network, following the meeting of theGGN Bureau, were officially announced. The GlobalGeoparks Network, created under the aegis of UNESCOin 2004, now comprises 77 Geoparks in 24 countriesaround the world! Specifically, the Bureau admitted inthe GGN 11 new members in nine countries:

Basque Coast Geopark, Spain Parco Nazionale del Cilento e Vallo di Diano, Italy Rokua Geopark, Finland Tuscan Mining Park, Italy Vikos - Aoos Geopark, Greece Stonwhammer Geopark, Canada Leye-Fengshan Geopark, People's Republic of China Ningde Geopark, People's Republic of China San'in aigan Geopark, Japan Jeju island Geopark, Republic of Korea

Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark, Vietnam

The special admission certificates were handed overto the delegates of the new GGN members by the rep-resentative of UNESCO Dr. . Patzak and the co-ordina-tor of the European Geoparks Network, Assoc. Prof. N.Zouros.

Meeting of UNESCO'sGlobal Geoparks Network Bureau

The UNESCO'sGGN Bureau

in Mytilene, Lesvos

The members of the UNESCO's Global Geoparks Network Bureau Sylvie Giraud, Marie-Luise Frey, Prof. Ibrahim Komoo,

Prof. Long Changxing, Guy Martini, Margarete Patzak, Denise Gorfinkiel, Assoc Prof. Nikolas Zouros, Patrick McKeever

and Tim Badman convened on the 3rd October 2010 in the Senate hall of the University of the Aegean, in Mytilene,

Lesvos

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11

Global Geoparks Networklobal Geoparks Network

New members of UNESCO's

Global Geoparks Network

78910

11

Leye-Fengshan Geopark - ChinaNingde Geopark - China

San'in aigan Geopark - JapanJeju island Geopark - KoreaDong Van Karst Plateau Geopark- Vietnam

1

23456

Basque Coast Geopark - SpainParco Nazionale del Cilento e Vallodi Diano - ItalyRokua Geopark - FinlandTuscan Mining Park - ItalyVikos - Aoos Geopark - GreeceStonwhammer Geopark - Canada

Foto 1: Mr. Pham Sanh Chau, Secretary General of the

Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, leader of

the delegation from the Dong Van Karst, receives the

certificate of the park's inclusion in UNESCO's Global

Geoparks Network

Foto 2: Mr. Booil Kim, Vice-Governor of the Jeju

Province of South Korea, and the delegation of the Jeju

Island Geopark receive the certification of the park's

membership in the GGN by Margarete Patzak, repre-sentative of UNESCO

Foto 3: Delegation from the Tuscan Mining Park in Italy

receive the certificate of the park's inclusion in the

European Geoparks Network by the Greek Deputy

Minister N. Sifounakis

1

2

3

4

Foto 4: The delegation of the Sanin Kaigan Geopark

in Japan, consisting of the Mayor of Toyooka city and

President of the Geopark, Muneharu Nakagai, theDirector of the Geopark, Yoshio Hanmanishi, the pro-

fessor in the University of Osaka and leader of the sci-

entific team of the Geopark, Muneki Mitamura, and the

responsible for international relations of the Tottori

prefecture, Alexander Ginnan, discussed with Mr. N.

Zouros about collaboration possibilities between the

two Geoparks

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4 thh Internat ional Intens ive Coursenternat ional Intens ive Course

12

Alongside the 9th European GeoparksConference 2010, the 4th InternationalIntensive Course on "Evaluating Earth Heritage

Management" was organized in Lesvos, with greatsuccess, from the 1st tothe 6th October 2010.The Intensive Course washeld in the GeographyDept. of the University ofthe Aegean and theNHMLPF, with the sup-port of UNESCO's Global

Geoparks Network andthe European GeoparksNetwork, under the auspices of UNESCO.The seminar was attended by 29 MSc and PhD stu-dents, distinguished scientists experts in managingnatural heritage, state and local government offi-cials, university professors, researchers and

Geopark staff members from 14 countries(Australia, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Greece, Hungary,Iran, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain,Switzerland and Vietnam). The purpose of theCourse was the training of the participants onissues of Geopark creation and management, man-agement and promotion of natural heritage, geocon-servation, development of alternative forms oftourism, as well as on evaluation issues, so that theparticipants can in the future coordinate scientificresearch, natural heritage protection and promotionattempts in Geopark areas, in accordance with the

qualitative criteria set by UNESCO's Global GeoparksNetwork and the European Geoparks Network.The program of the Intensive Course included thepresentations of the 9th European GeoparksConference. Initially, 1 - 3 October, the participantsattended lectures on: Geoparks - Global Geoconservation Strategy and

"Evaluating Earth HeritageManagement"4th International Intensive Course

on Geoparks

Lesvos,1 - 6 October 2010

under the auspices ofUNESCO

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4 thh Internat ional Intens ive Coursenternat ional Intens ive Course

sustainable deve-lopment

Geoconservation best practices andprinciples for the development of

Geoparks Global Geoparks Network - RegionalDevelopment and International

Cooperation

Development of alternative forms oftourism

Geoparks and World Natural Heritage Policies and practices of protectionand conservation of natural heritage

Methodologies for assessment of nat-ural heritage sites and management

practicesMonitoring and evaluation of operatinggeoparksMoreover, during the 9th EuropeanGeoparks Conference, the participantspresented their work on assessing naturalheritage and Geoparks, geoconservation,methods of attracting visitors and raisingawareness, environmental education, pro-tection, promotion and management ofnatural monuments.Afterwards, from 4 to 6 October, the pro-gram of the Course was differentiatedfrom that of the Conference; the partici-pants of the former had the opportunity toattend special lectures by Geoparkexperts, to participate in workshops ongeoheritage interpretation and geoher-itage management in Geoparks, to be

guided in field exercises and thematic vis-its in Lesvos.

ResultsThe organization of the Intensive Coursecontributed significantly, not only to theknowledge and experience gaining of theparticipants, but also to the social andcultural development of the island ofLesvos. The participants had the uniqueexperience of an educational visit to theLesvos Petrified Forest open parks andthe NHMLPF, where they came in contactwith the tools of information and aware-ness raising, research activities, protec-

tion and conservation methods, environ-mental educational programs and volun-tary actions designed and materialized bythe Museum.The 4th International Intensive Course onGeoparks was completed with theannouncement of the organisation of the5th International Intensive Course onLesvos in September 2011. The partici-pants to the 4th course stated that theywill leave Lesvos excited and fascinatedby the natural beauty and cultural rich-

ness of the island, and full of knowledgeand experiences. All participantsexpressed their intention to come back toLesvos, which they described as an exem-plary destination that uniquely combinesthe promotion of the Petrified Forest, thequality services and the production ofquality local products.

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Internat ionalnternat ional Year of Forests 2011ear of Forests 2011

14

31% of the total land area of the planet isat present covered by forests, which arehome to 80% of our terrestrial biodiversi-

ty, as well as 300 million peo-ple, while the livelihoods ofover 1.6 billion people dependdirectly on forests.Considering the role of forestsin sustaining life on Earth, aswell as their significance forthe lives and welfare ofhuman societies today, the

United Nations GeneralAssembly proclaimed 2011as the International Year ofForests. The celebration of

the International Year, with the mottoforests for people, includes events,contests, lectures and conferences onissues related to forests, the biodiversitythey house and the risks they face,which are organized worldwide, with the

aim to raise awareness on sustainablemanagement, conservation and sustain-able development of all types of forests.The Petrified Forest of Lesvos, partici-pating in the celebration, has started,since the beginning of the year, an origi-nal campaign concerning the pupils ofThessaloniki, the second largest city ofGreece. Pupils participating in the pro-gram have the opportunity to be intro-duced to a forest different than all theothers, in a forest that has been

destroyed many years ago, but stillexists until today; in a forest that can"narrate us" the history of life in ourcountry and also throughout the world!With the help of technology and the useof interactive educational tools andgames, children navigate through thevirtual subtropical forest that was cover-ing Lesvos 20 million years ago and isnow world famous as the Petrified Forestof Lesvos, without leaving their class-rooms.

The awareness campaign includes thepresentation of the digital educationalapplication of the Museum The PetrifiedForest of Lesvos. Pupils of Thessaloniki,during the program, have the opportuni-ty to explore the impressive geologicalmonument of the island and learn aboutthe plants and animals that lived in theAegean area 20 million years ago, as wellas the volcanic eruptions that led to theirfossilization. Responsible for the pro-gram is Dr. K. Vasileiadou, Geologist

Palaeontologist of the Museum.Dozens of schools have alreadyexpressed great interest for the pro-gram. During the first two months sinceits launch, about 1600 pupils have par-ticipated, coming from one kindergarten,four elementary schools, and three high

Awareness campaign on the LesvosPetrified Forest in schools of Thessaloniki

in the frames of the International Year of Forests 2011 celebration

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Internat ionalnternat ional Year of Forests 2011ear of Forests 2011

schools.The action, which will run throughout thewhole year, aims at students of both pri-mary and secondary education in the

wider region of Thessaloniki. Its target isto introduce the unique geological andnatural monument of our country to chil-dren and teachers of Thessaloniki and toinform them on its importance in under-standing environmental changes andevolution. Furthermore, the promotion ofthe Petrified Forest outside the bound-aries of Lesvos Island will provide moti-vation for school groups to visit Lesvosand explore, this time directly, thePetrified Forest and the many natural

beauties of the island.Children, during the program, activelyand enthusiastically participate in thepresentation, discussing, and puttinginteresting and relevant questions relat-ed to the Petrified Forest, the geologicalmonuments of the island, on issuesrelated to volcanoes, to fossil excavationand conservation, the evolution of life onour planet and life in forests. Many stu-dents, after their participation in the pro-gram, state that they would like tobecome palaeontologists when theygrow up!It is characteristic that, after the partici-pation in the program of the pupils of the5th High School of Stavroupoli, Ms. P.Tsitiridou, Deputy Director of the HighSchool, informed the Department ofEducation that: Such programs con-tribute to the acquisition of knowledge,to the pupils awareness raising on cul-tural and natural heritage and on envi-

ronmental education; we hope that thecampaign of the Petrified Forest will con-tinue and give the opportunity to otherschools to participate.

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Newsews

The "Friends of the Petrified Forest" association is alegal non-profit organization established in Mytilene, in

2002, on the initiative of citizens interested in the pro-tection and promotion of the Lesvos Petrified Forest.

Aims:) the ethical and material support and general assis-tance to the Natural History Museum of the LesvosPetrified Forest for the achievement of its purposes;b) the diffusion of knowledge on the Lesvos PetrifiedForest and the natural history of Lesvos and theAegean;c) the communication and cooperation with similarGreek and international organizations;d) the sensitisation on the protection of the natural

environment, flora, fauna, ecosystems, biotopes, geot-opes and ecological characteristics of the Lesbiannature;e) the support of activities relevant to the Museumsaims, such as research, education, organisation ofseminars, conferences, exhibitions, etc;f) the promotion of environmental education and theparticipation in educational programs;

g) the participation in research and development pro-grams as well as the participation and assistance of

institutions with similar aims.Examples of the associations actions: development of two educational museum-kitson "The Plants of the Petrified Forest" and "The VolcanicRocks"; creation of a database of volunteers; realisation of voluntary work programs foryoung people in the Petrified Forest; organisation of the annual summer festival"Celebrating Earth" in collaboration with the NaturalHistory Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest.Become a member!If you are interested in the activities of the Association

Friends of the Petrified Forest", you can see more andalso download the registration form from theMuseums website:www.lesvosmuseum.gr/site/home/ws/secondary+menu/friends/somatio.cspSend us your filled form to [email protected] and wewill add your email address to the list of recipients ofall our news and electronic publications!

Assosiation"The Friends of the Petrified Forest"

On Friday, 14th January 2011 the Hellenic GeoparksForum is founded in Athens.Representatives from the four European Geoparks inGreece (The Lesvos petrified forest Geopark, PsiloritisGeopark, Helmos - Vouraikos Geopark and Vikos Aoos

Geopark) and national organizations theGreek National Commission for UNESCO,the National Geological Survey -IGME, theGeological Society of Greece Commission on GeologicalGeomorphological Heritage and theGeothechnical Chamber of Greece which

gathers all the scientific associationsthat deal with Earth Sciences in Greece;attended the meeting.The Hellenic Geoparks Forum founding declaration wassigned.Forum Coordinator for 2011 is elected Babis Fasoulasfrom Psiloritis Geopark.The Hellenic Geoparks Forum Secretariat will operate inthe Lesvos Petrified Forest Geopark (e-mail : [email protected] ).The first open event of the Hellenic Geoparks Forumwill be organized during EGN week 2011.www.hellenicgeoparks.gr

Hellenic Geoparks Forum

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The European Geoparks Week, taking place

at late May early June each year, is a

European - wide festival of Geoparks aimed

at raising public awareness of

geoconservation and promotion of the

geological heritage as well as events aimed

at informing the wide public about

geotouristic and educational activities in

geoparks.

Events are varied and include public talks,

activity days for schools, guided walks,

exhibitions, workshops ,etc.

While these activities may be common geo-

park activities for this one week the activi-

ties are coordinated and promoted in the

same week across the whole European

Network.

It provides the Network with the opportunity

to demonstrate to our communities that they

are part of a wider European Network whichis promoting that the sustainable use of our

geological heritage can bring the economic

benefit for local people.

Celebrating

the European Geoparks Week

at the Lesvos Petrified ForestEuropean & Global Geopark

May 9 - June 5 2011May 9 - June 5 2011

Celebrating

the European Geoparks Week

at the Lesvos Petrified ForestEuropean & Global Geopark

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European Geoparks Week 2011uropean Geoparks Week 2011

Monday, 9 May 201109:00 Guided Walk: Geological guid-ed tour through Lesvos Island: 300 millionyears of geological history in 96 KmMetamorphic background, tectonicgraben of Gera Gulf, ophiolithic cover,

volcanic geotopes, volcanic crater ofVatousa, volcanic dome of Ordymnos andIpsilos Monastery, Lesvos Petrified ForestPark and Natural History Museum of theLesvos Petrified Forest12:00 Scientificresentation/Lecture:Petrified Forest The Pompeii of Plants

13:00 Guided tour: Guided tour atthe exhibition rooms of the Natural HistoryMuseum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest

Tuesday, 10 May 201110:00 Guided Walk: Guided Walk at the Sigri Park - Getting familiarwith the 20 million years old petrified root systems12:00 Scientific presentation/Lecture:Modern and fossilizedplants of Lesvos

13:00 Guided tour: Guided tour at the exhibition rooms of the NaturalHistory Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest The evolution of life

Wednesday, 11 May 201110:00 Guided Walk:Fossiliferous sites at Park of the Petrified Forest11:00 Educational program:Acquaintance with the Lesvos PetrifiedForest Lisvori Elementary School12:00 Scientificpresentation/Lecture: Presentation ofthe Museums interactive softwarePetrified Forest of Lesvos: The Museumand the Park of the Petrified Forest13:00 Guided tour: Interactive tour

Monday, 9 May Sunday, 5 June 2011Exhibition: Fossils in the Aegean Mammals biodiversity:

From the Lesvos Dinotherium to the Petralona Man

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From Tethys to the Aegean

Friday, 13 May 2011

9:00 Educational program:The adventures of young Dinoulis at theSequoia forest Agra Kindergarten10:00 Educational program:Natural processes on our planet. Lets

learn about earthquakes 11th Chios Elementary school12:00 Scientific presentation/Lecture:Lesvos Petrified Forest13:00 Educational program:The fossils are telling stories.

Biodiversity of the past 4th Elementary School of Mytilini

Saturday, 14 May 2011NIGHT OF THE MUSEUMS10:00 Guided Walk:Fossiliferous sites of the Sigri Petrified ForestPark12:00 Scientific presentation/Lecture: Presentation of theMuseums interactive software Petrified Forest of Lesvos: The Museum andthe Park of the Petrified Forest17:00 Guided tour: Interactive tour A 20 million years old subtropical

forest18:00 Documentary projection: Aristotels Lagoon. BBCsDocumentary on Lesvos nature

Sunday, 15 May 201110:00 Educational program:The fossils are telling stories.Biodiversity of the past12:00 Scientific presentation/Lecture:Fossils in the Aegean Mammals biodiversity

13:00 Guided tour:Guided tour at the temporaryexhibition of the NaturalHistory Museum of the LesvosPetrified Forest Fossils in theAegean Mammals biodiver-sity: From the LesvosDinotherium to the Petralona

Man14:00 Documentaryprojection:The Biodiversityof North Aegean

Tuesday, 17 May 2011

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10:00 Guided Walk:Fossiliferous sites at Park of the Petrified ForestCanakale (Turkey) University

12:00 Guided tour: Guided tour at the exhibition rooms of the NaturalHistory Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest13:00 Scientific presentation/Lecture: Presentation of theMuseums interactive software Petrified Forest of Lesvos: The Museum andthe Park of the Petrified Forest14:00 Documentary Projection:The Lesvos Petrified Forest, aunique natural monument

Wednesday, 18 May 2011

INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY 2011Museum and Memory10:00 20 years from the Digne declaration on the Rights of theMemory of the EarthFrom the Digne Declaration to the European Geoparks Celebrating Earthheritage Sustaining local communities Presentation10:30 Scientific presentation/Lecture:Fossils in the Aegean Mammals biodiversity

11:00 Guided tour: Guided tour at the temporary exhibition of theNatural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest Fossils in the Aegean Mammals biodiversity: From the Lesvos Dinotherium to the PetralonaMan11:40 Educational program:The fossils are telling stories.

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Biodiversity of the past13:00 Documentaryprojection:The Biodiversity

of North Aegean

Friday, 20 May 201110:00 Educational pro-gram:Natural processes onour planet. Lets learn aboutearthquakes

15th Elementary School of

Mytilini12:00 Scientific pres-entation/Lecture:Seismichazard of North Aegean13:00 Educational activity:Protection against the Seismic hazard ofNorth Aegean - Use of the Museums seismic table

Saturday, 21 May 201110:00 Educational program:Rocks and Minerals of Lesvos11:00 Scientific presentation/Lecture:Geological Monuments ofthe Aegean12:00 Guided tour: Guided tour at the exhibition rooms of the NaturalHistory Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest The evolution of the Aegeanand acquaintance with the geological Monuments of the Aegean

Sunday, 22 May 201111:00 Scientific presentation/Lecture:Seismic hazard of North

Aegean12:00 Guided tour: Guided tour at the temporary exhibition: Earthquakes and protection from the seismic hazard in the North Aegean13:00 Educational activity:Protection against the Seismic hazard ofNorth Aegean - Use of the Museums seismic table

Wednesday, 25 May 201110:00 Educational program:European Geoparks: A journey in thegeological history of Europe12:00 Scientific presentation/Lecture:European GeoparksNetwork13:00 Guided tour: Interactive tour From Tethys to the Aegean

Saturday, 28 May 2011


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10:00 Educational program:The fossils are telling stories.Biodiversity of the past

12:00 Scientificpresentation/Lecture:Fossils in theAegean Mammals biodiversity13:00 Guided tour: Guided tourat the temporary exhibition of theNatural History Museum of the LesvosPetrified Forest Fossils in the Aegean Mammals biodiversity: From the

Lesvos Dinotherium to the PetralonaMan14:00 Documentary projection:The Biodiversity of North Aegean

Sunday, 29 May 201110:00 Scientificpresentation/Lecture: Presentationof the Museums interactive software Petrified Forest of Lesvos:The Museum and the Park of the Petrified Forest12:00 Guided tour: Guided tour at theexhibition rooms of the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos PetrifiedForest13:00 Guided Walk:Fossiliferous sites of the Sigri Petrified ForestPark14:00 Documentary projection:The Lesvos Petrified Forest, aunique natural monument

Tuesday, 31 May 201110:00 Educational program:Volcanoes and volcanic rocks of LesvosIsland12:00 Scientific presentation/Lecture:Volunteerism at the NorthAegean and the creation of the Lesvos Petrified Forest13:00 Guided tour: Interactive tour From the volcanic eruptions tothe eternity

Friday, 3 June 201110:00 Educational program:Natural processes on our planet. Letslearn about earthquakes - Chalikas Elementary School12:00 Scientific presentation/Lecture:Seismic hazard of NorthAegean


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13:00 Educational activity:Protection against the Seismic hazard ofNorth Aegean - Use of the Museums seismic table

Saturday, 4 June 20119:00 Exhibition: Exhibition of kindergarten pupils papers on the thematiceducational program Our petrified forest10:00 Educational program:Young Paleontologists: Excavations offossil plants in GEORAMA12:00 Scientific presentation/Lecture:Modern and fossilizedplants of Lesvos13:00 Guided tour: Interactive tour A 20 million years old subtropical

forest

Sunday, 5 June 2011International Day ofEnvironment9:00 Exhibition:Exhibition of kindergartenpupils papers on the the-matic educational

program Our petrified for-est12:00 Scientificpresentation/Lecture:Fossils in the Aegean Mammals biodiversity13:00 Guided tour:Guided tour at the

temporary exhibition of theNatural HistoryMuseum of the LesvosPetrified Forest Fossilsin the Aegean Mammalsbiodiversity: From theLesvos Dinotherium to thePetralona Man14:00 Documentaryprojection:The Biodiversity of NorthAegean


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Additional communicationtool of the NHMLPF: the coverof the bo oklet given for freeto visitors of the exhibition,showing a photo album ofmammals that have lived inthe Aegean area during thepast.

From the Museums guestbook: Today, 24/11/10, theElementary School of Petra visited the Museum in Sigri andwas guided around its halls. We participated in the programof the tem porary exhibition with the fossil animals and weare really excited. The activities attracted childrens atten-tion, proving that nothing is com plex if it is explained in theright way and according to the knowledge an d age of pupils.Thank you, pupils and teachers of the Eleme ntary School ofPetra.

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