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Riparian ecosystems in urban environments are usually degraded. Their sustainable management can reduce water pollution, mitigate climate change while providing recreation opportunities. This study assessed the current condition of the streams/torrents and their riparian areas in the city of Drama in Greece. In addition, practices to improve their functionality and enhance community awareness were recommended. A spatial database of the wider urban setting including suburbs and rural areas (weather, land cover, soils, roads, protected areas, riparian areas, etc.) was developed within GIS. The datasets were then inputted in a hydrologic model to simulate the water balance and stream discharge in the main urban streams and torrents. Field measurements of stream water discharge, and vegetation and stream channel conditions were undertaken using two visual protocols. The results of the protocols indicate that most streams/torrents and their riparian areas are of low ecological quality. Nature-based solutions were recommended to improve their ecological quality. In addition, the implementation of Eco-Routes was recommended to enhance the awareness of their importance and to promote their sustainable management. Overall, the urban streams/torrents and riparian ecosystems of Drama are degraded and innovative management practices should be implemented to conserve them and feature their ecosystem services. HIGHLIGHTS The urban streams/torrents and riparian areas of Drama City are degraded.; Spatial databases should be utilized by the authorities for urban planning.; Hydrologic models are essential for the sustainable management of urban water resources.; Nature-based solutions can restore the streams/torrent and their riparian areas.; Eco-Routes can enhance the awareness on the importance of riparian areas.

Riparian areas provide many ecosystems services to humans that have been utilized for thousands of years and are the main reason why these areas are degraded. Their importance for maintaining biodiversity and stream channel health is even more important in semi-arid and arid region, such as the south-western United States. A common practice to protect riparian areas and streams in the region is the exclusion of human activities with a prime example the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area. In this study, we examine if the exclusion of human activities has benefited the Bonita Creek that flows through this conservation area. Cross sections at five locations along Bonita Creek were taken in 1994 and 2013. Based on the comparison of the thalweg depth, the width-depth ratio, the channel erosion/deposition and the floodplain erosion/deposition the stream channel of the two surveys, Bonita Creek appears, in general, to be benefiting from the current exclusion of human activities. Still recovery rates are not very fast indicating landscape and ecosystem-based approaches should be adopted for more effective and sustainable conservation of the area.

There is a strong interconnection between tourism and World Heritage Sites. This interconnection, on the one hand, can have a positive impact by presenting these sites to the public and helping generate conservation funds, but, on the other hand, if done unsustainably, can lead to their degradation. The adoption of digital technologies in tourism has made travel and visitations, even in remote areas, relatively easy. The adoption of new technologies at World Heritage Sites can also prove to be beneficial and help evolve a more sustainable tourism model at these venues. Furthermore, the new conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while having a detrimental impact on global tourism, provide an opportunity to remotely promote and generate revenue to preserve a regions’ tangible and intangible heritage. A technology-based intervention, if adopted correctly, can help to develop sustainable visitation capacity and management at World Heritage Sites while also enhancing and enticing visitation at lesser-known sites. Case studies from Greece and India are presented to demonstrate how to increase visitation to lesser-known sites and enhance the overall tourism experience at these sites. A variety of digital tools are presented, from simplistic to technologically advanced ones. These digital tools could be adopted and used globally for other World Heritage Sites to enhance visibility and sustainability.

The development of methodologies for analyzing the evolution and pressures exerted on the river channel network is one of the main concerns of researchers today. The assessment of natural or artificial changes of river channels and beds plays an important role in environmental protection, but also in the implementation of integrated water resource management plans. Given the episodic and dynamic nature of river bank and bed erosion, along with the difficulty of reaching certain reaches, a methodological approach that uses aerial imagery, initially from satellite sources and afterwards from unmanned aerial vehicles, is proposed. This approach was utilized in a perennial river in Romania but also in an ephemeral torrent channel in Greece, in order to test the prevalent types of hydrographic network in the Mediterranean and Black Sea region. The methodology used was able to identify the location and the volume of the bed material extracted and the time frame in which it occurred. These encouraging results showcase an accurate but also relevantly low-cost monitoring method for illegal anthropogenic activities that can be easily adopted by the responsible authorities. The adoption of the method will contribute to the more efficient monitoring of river protection, by accurately and timely identifying areas of illegal river bed extraction that will enable authorities to enforce European Union and national legislation.

Water is the most valuable and rare resource in the Eastern Mediterranean. The potential climate change impacts in the region require a new generation of water managers to learn and utilize new and innovative methods and techniques to achieve water sustainability. A key to provide adequate water supplies in the region is the sustainable management of semi-aquatic ecosystems such as wetlands, riparian areas and deltas. These ecosystems provide many services to humans, particularly in semi-arid and arid regions. Some of the services are directly connected to water supply and water quality. Through the WaSec project the awareness of the importance of these ecosystems for water security in the Eastern Mediterranean will be promoted. In addition, it will develop material that will train science-based water management graduates with the necessary tools on the proper management of these ecosystems to provide services for water security of the region. This will be accomplished by five main actions: a) Mining Stakeholders Views, b) a Neighborhood Network, c) University Courses, d) Establish University-Enterprise Collaborations and e) Dissemination Activities. Through these actions, water security in the Eastern Mediterranean will be promoted because the awareness by policymakers and the general public on the importance of semi-aquatic ecosystems will be enhanced and a new generation of water managers will be trained. This paper was presented at the MONITOX International Symposium “Deltas and Wetlands”, Tulcea, Romania, 15-17 September, 2019.

Fluviogeomorphologic processes such as bank erosion and deposition affect and change the shape and condition of river and stream channels. Erosion and deposition rates are dependent on many natural (e.g. climate, geology, vegetation, topography) and anthropogenic (e.g. dams, bridges, gabions, straightening, wildfires etc.) factors. Alterations to these factors disrupt the rivers/streams dynamic equilibrium and they respond by altering their shape, formation or even location. These changes might be slow or rapid but can cause serious problems to infrastructures and lead to loss of human lives. For the more effective and sustainable management of rivers or stream and in general watersheds, new innovative methods are needed to monitor and understand these fluviogeomorphologic processes. Remote sensing tools can be utilized to monitor, predict and measure such changes in rivers and streams. Free satellite images and ortho-maps generated by airplanes have been used worldwide to map geomorphologic changes through time. Ortho-images captured by drone flights are more effective because their higher spatial resolution they provide compared to satellite or airplane images can provide more details on the river or stream. The use of drone images can be low cost, thus provide an effiecint way to map riverbank changes in targeted reaches that face erosional or depositional problems. This study used remote sensing tools to identify river banks changes by combining free satellite, aerial and low flight drone images. The study areas were reaches along Aggitis River in northern Greece. Firstly, free satellite and Google Earth images were utilized to map the entire watershed and find at a large scale the potential riverbank reaches that have had changes (erosion and/or deposition). Secondly, drone flights were executed to acquire high resolution images at a specific location (having erosion). Through these images, it was determined more accurately if accelerated bank erosion or deposition were occurring. Overall, these remote sensing tools proved to be a quick and low-cost methodology that allows identifying and measuring stream bank changes over many years but also over short periods of time (e.g. after a flood event). In addition, the methodology enables us to locate the areas with the greatest potential of erosion and deposition where nature-based solution should be implemented to stabilize stream banks, reduce erosion or deposition rates and mitigate nonpoint source pollutants. This paper was presented at the MONITOX International Symposium “Deltas and Wetlands”, Tulcea, Romania, 15-17 September, 2019.

Riparian areas, especially in the Mediterranean, offer many ecosystem services for the welfare of society benefits from their sustainable management. This study presents different tools used to assess riparian areas of Greece and their results. Riparian areas with different land-uses/vegetation covers along streams or torrents were assessed. The assessment tools were visual protocols, bioindicators, geographic information systems (GIS), vegetation indices, and a model. These tools differ in scale, accuracy, and difficulty of implementation. The riparian areas had Low and Moderate quality in Greece because of agricultural activities and hydrologic alterations. Vegetation appeared more important for the integrity of riparian areas than stream flow (perennial or intermittent). In addition, territorial variables (distance from dam and sea) were more influential compared to climatic variables. Visual protocols and GIS were effective for preliminary assessments. GIS can be applied at a greater scale but was less accurate than the protocols. Bioindicators can provide more cost-effective monitoring than physicochemical water variables. Finally, vegetation indices and models can be used for larger spatial and temporal scales, but require specialized personnel. Overall, riparian areas of Greece seem to be degraded, and monitoring would contribute to the development of a database on riparian areas that should form the basis for sustainable management plans in Greece.

Riparian and deltaic areas exhibit a high biodiversity and offer a number of ecosystem services but are often degraded by human activities. Dams, for example, alter the hydrologic and sediment regimes of rivers and can negatively affect riparian areas and deltas. In order to sustainably manage these ecosystems, it is, therefore, essential to assess and monitor the impacts of dams. To this end, site-assessments and in-situ measurements have commonly been used in the past, but these can be laborious, resource demanding and time consuming. Here, we investigated the impact of three dams on the riparian forest of the Nestos River Delta in Greece by employing multi-temporal satellite data. We assessed the evolution in the values of eight vegetation indices over 27 years, derived from 14 dates of Landsat data. We also employed a modelling approach, using a machine learning Random Forests model, to investigate potential linkages between the observed changes in the indices and a host of climatic and terrestrial predictor variables. Our results show that low density vegetation (0–25%) is more affected by the construction of the dams due to its proximity to anthropogenic influences and the effects of hydrologic regime alteration. In contrast, higher density vegetation cover (50–75%) appears to be largely unaffected, or even improving, due to its proximity to the river, while vegetation with intermediate coverage (25–49%) exhibits no clear trend in the Landsat-derived indices. The Random Forests model found that the most important parameters for the riparian vegetation (based on the Mean Decrease Gini and the Mean Decrease Accuracy) were the distance to the dams, the sea and the river. Our results suggest that management plans of riparian and deltaic areas need to incorporate and take into consideration new innovative management practices and monitoring studies that employ multi-temporal satellite data archives.

Human activities have intensively relied on and utilized riparian areas that have led to their substantial degradation. This is the reason why easy-to-use, reliable, inexpensive monitoring tools that describe the ecosystem integrity of riparian areas need to be developed. Bio-indicators are such tools, with many recommending the use of ground-dwelling insects. This study evaluates the use of diversity indices on ground-dwelling insects for three representative riparian habitat types of Greece. The studied areas were along torrents with intermittent flow and natural woody riparian vegetation within a flat or hilly landscape and along a stream with perennial flow with woody monoculture riparian plantation vegetation. Based on the number of different species identified and the diversity indices, the riparian habitats along the torrents presented the greatest diversity due to the natural vegetation with the more complex canopy structure. Overall the significant differences found, indicate the usefulness of insects and particularly Silpha obscura (Coleoptera: Silphidae) for evaluating riparian habitats in agricultural dominated landscapes of Greece and the Mediterranean.

Protected areas are necessary for the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity. Wildfires are major threats to forests and other natural areas, because they may cause irreversible damages. The aim of this study was to analyze the perspective of experts (N = 284), from six countries of the Black Sea, on the current status and problems of protected areas and wildfires. Understanding their points of view could enhance future management on these issues in the region. Data collection was carried out for 9 months, using a web-based questionnaire. Wildfires were perceived as a serious problem in Turkey, Armenia and Greece but as a substantially less serious problem in Romania, Ukraine and Moldova. In Greece, Armenia, and especially Ukraine, the current designated protected areas are considered sufficient to maintain biodiversity, while in Romania, Turkey, and especially Moldova, more areas should be designated as protected. A major need in all countries (except for Turkey) is the increased use of information and communication technologies for both wildfire suppression and protected area management. Experts were divided on whether wildfire suppression and management of protected areas are interconnected. However, there is growing awareness of the adverse impacts of climate change in protected areas and the frequency of wildfires in the future. The most frequently suggested measures to alleviate these impacts were: changes in forest management and increasing public awareness for wildfire suppression, along with changes in forest management and increased staff training to enhance protected area conservation.

The accuracy of photogrammetry for geohazards monitoring has improved within the last years because of the “drone revolution”. This study is an attempt to perform morphometric measurements in a landslide event that took place near the village Nea Zichni in Northern Greece. The DJI Mavic 2 Pro was selected to capture orthoimages of the entire area including the landslide event but also other adjusted disaster phenomena. The images were loaded in the commercial software Pix4D in order to produce orthomosaics and digital surface models of the area. The georeferenced results were further analyzed in ArcGIS in order to digitize and estimate the morphometric parameters of the landslide, such as its area and volume, but also to detect cracks and plot the tensile cracking directions. We conclude that the methodology and produced outputs are crucial for the responsible authorities to detect, monitor and mitigate natural disasters such as landslide events and other mass movements. The best practices to control mass movements are nature-based solutions such as soil bioengineering and proper vegetation cover assisted by engineering measures. Finally, our goal is to frequently monitor the landslide phenomenon in order to determine its evolution.

Capturing and recording fluvio-geomorphological events is essential since these events can be very sudden and hazardous. Climate change is expected to increase flash floods intensity and frequency in the Mediterranean region, thus enhancing such events will also impact the adjacent riparian vegetation. The aim of this study was to capture and record the fluvial-geomorphological changes of the torrent bed and banks and flood debris events with the use of UAV images along a reach of Kallifytos torrent in northern Greece. In addition, a novel approach to detecting changes and assessing the conditions of the riparian vegetation was conducted by using UAV images that were validated with field data based on a visual protocol. Three flights were conducted using the DJI Spark UAV. Based on the images collected from these flights, orthomosaics were developed. The orthomosaics clearly identified changes in the torrent bed and detected debris flow events after major flood events. In addition, the results on the assessment of riparian vegetation conditions were satisfactory. Utilizing UAV images shows great potential to capture, record, and monitor fluvio-geomorphological events and riparian vegetation. Their utilization would help water managers to develop more sustainable management solutions based on actual field data.

Floods can be extremely harmful for the welfare of societies regardless if they are natural or caused by humans. The Mediterranean region has experienced an increase in flash floods frequency and severity. The suddenness and episodic nature of these type of floods makes it more difficult to predict them compared to river floods. In this study, a map was developed in regard to the flood susceptibility of Zakynthos Island with the use a multi-criteria decision analysis. This analysis utilized six factors: a) flow accumulation, b) land use, c) slope, d) rainfall intensity, e) geology and f) elevation. Each factor had a different weight based on their importance in regard to flash floods. The analysis was run in GIS. To validate the developed susceptibility map, the locations of the recorded past floods on the island were utilized. The end product was a validated flood susceptibility map. This map can help the Civil Protection Authority of Zakynthos Island to mitigate communities’ susceptibility to flash floods.

Human and wildlife well-being are linked to riparian and deltaic ecosystems. Human impacts and climate changes affect their environmental sustainability. To secure their protection, various nationa...

Aim of study: Soilerosion is a serious environmental problem since it can have major impacts onthe human society. Climate change is only expected to exacerbate soil erosion.The aim of this study was to use new technologies to measure more accuratelyand address holistically soil erosion mitigation in Greece.Area of study: Thestudy area was on Thasos Island, Greece that has flat and steep slope areas,different types of land-uses and frequent wildfires that allowed to assess soilerosion under different conditions.Material and Methods: Soilerosion was estimated at two different scales (micro and macroscale). For themiscrocale, different sensors along with the use of ultrasonic technology wereemployed to measure erosion and other influencing factors. For the macroscale,firstly a soil loss equation in GIS was utilized. In addition, an IntegratedInformation System was developed for stakeholders.Main results: Anew tool that measures accurately and continuously soil erosion was developed.The Automated Soil Erosion Monitoring System (ASEMS) can monitor and storeimportant environmental variables at a specific location (microscale). Thevariables it measured were: i) soil erosion/deposition (ground level changes),ii) soil moisture, iii) soil temperature, iv) rainfall and v) air temperature.Finally, an Integrated Information System (I2S)that allowed to mitigate soil erosion for large areas (macroscale) wasdeveloped. Highlights: Newtools (ASEMS and I2S) and a calibratedequation in GIS were developed that could be utilized by government agencies inGreece to accomplish sustainable, effective and cost-efficient mitigation ofsoil erosion. These tools are also applicable in other regions of theMediterranean., ÖzetÇalışmanınamacı: Toprak erozyonutoplum üzerinde büyük etkilere sahip olabileceğinden ciddi bir çevreselsorundur. İklim değişikliğinin sadece toprak erozyonunu şiddetlendirmesibeklenmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Yunanistan’da toprak eroyonunundakiazalmayı bir bütün olarak ele alan yeni teknolojiler kullanarak daha doğru birşekilde ölçmektir. Çalışmaalanı: Çalışma alanı, düz ve dikyamaç alanları ile farklı arazi kullanım alanları bulunan, sık olarak ormanyangıları görülen, farklı koşullar altında toprak erozyonunu değerlendirmeimkanı veren Thasos adası, Yunanistan’dır. Materyal veYöntem: Toprak erozyonuiki farklı ölçekte değerlendirildi (mikro ve makro ölçek). Mikro ölçekte,erozyon ve diğer etkileyici faktörleri ölçmek için ultrasonic teknoloji ilebirlikte farklı sensörler kullanıldı. Macro ölçekte, öncelikle GIS’de mevcutolan bir toprak kayıp eşitliğinden yaralanıldı. Buna ek olarak, paydaşlar içinbir Entegre Bilgi Sistemi geliştirildi. Sonuçlar: Doğru ve sürekliolarak toprak erozyonunu ölçen yeni bir araç geliştirildi. Otomatik ToprakErozyonu İzleme Sistemi (ASEMS) belirli bir yerdeki çevresel değişiklikleriizleyebilir ve depolayabilir (mikro ölçek). Sistemin ölçebildiği değişkenler:i) toprak erozyonu/çökelmesi (taban seviyesi değişiklikleri), ii)toprak nemi,iii) toprak sıcaklığı, iv)yağış ve v)hava sıcaklığıdır. Son olarak, genişalanlar (makro ölçek) için toprak erozyonunu azaltmaya imkan veren bir EntegreBilgi sistemi (I2S) geliştirildi. Önemli Vurgular:Yunanistan’dadevlet kuruluşlarının sürdürülebilir, etkili ve düşük maliyetli olarak toprakerozyonunu hafifletmede başarılı olabilmeleri için yararlanabilecekleri yeniaraçlar (ASEMS and I2S) ve GIS’de calibre edilmiş bir eşitlik geliştirildi. Buaraçlar Akdeniz’in diğer bölgeleri için de uygulanabilir durumdadır.

Natural vegetation has been lost and fragmented in agricultural landscapes worldwide, due to the intensive land use activities. This is also true for riparian ecosystems, where agricultural practices have simplified their structure with significant cascading impacts on wildlife diversity. In this study, three representative Mediterranean riparian habitat types within an agricultural matrix landscape were studied to assess their importance for bird communities. The riparian habitat types had deciduous trees and were with: (a) natural vegetation along a torrent (NaT), (b) natural vegetation along a stream (NaS) and (c) plantation along a stream (PlaS). Three point count surveys were conducted to identify and count the birds within 15 sites in each habitat type during the bird breeding season of 2011. In addition, 11 vegetation structure variables around each point were measured. The canopy cover of the overstory and understory trees, the mean height of the overstory and midstory trees and shrubs, and the percentage of herbaceous vegetation, explained the spatial distribution patterns of the 35 bird species recorded in the study, and the structure of their communities in each riparian habitat type. The NaT was the most diverse habitat type in terms of bird species. However, the value of NaS and PlaS should not be neglected since they supported different bird communities and indicator species compared to the NaT. In Mediterranean riparian areas, by maintaining a complex vertical structure of the riparian vegetation, bird species number and diversity can be enhanced, while targeted riparian management can result in desirable communities or species, depending on their requirements.

Authors would like to thank the Central Finance and Contracts Unit (CFCU) in TURKEY and the EU INTERREG IV "Black Sea Basin Joint Operational Programme 2007-2013" framework that funded this project. In addition. we would like the staff members of the Kastamonu Regional Directorate of Forestry. Yasar Cakiroglu, Muzaffer Buyukterzi and Hidayet Kavi for their generous help and support. Aim: Readily available water resources are a key for wildfire suppression. Hydrologic models are a practical and essential tool for understanding the processes of hydrology and managing water resources, but have not been utilized as frequently for wildfire suppression. The goal of the present study was to use the Soil WaterAssessment Tools (SWAT) model to determine whether the stream water could be managed sustainably in wildfire suppression at the Bayam Forest District in Kastamonu Province, Turkey. Methodology: As an input file, the SWAT model used soils, land-uses, weather data and morphology of watershed based on the Digital Elevation Model (DEM). The model was applied for period 2001-2013 in order to predict the water budget of the study area and major streams within the studied district. Results: The analysis of the hydrologic water budget indicated that 70% (573.8 mm) of the annual precipitation (822 mm) was lost as evapotranspiration in the basin, whereas 19%, 34% and 47% of the remaining total water yield (234.6 mm) contributed to streams via surface runoff, groundwater flow and lateral flow, respectively. Interpretation: Overall, the result of SWAT model indicated to a certain degree promising findings on the availability of stream water and optimal placement of water reservoir for the use of wildfire suppression.

Soil and water bioengineering works can improve water quality. Soil and water bioengineering works are nature-based methods. Stakeholder inputs can improve soil and water bioengineering works. Case studies in soil and water bioengineering from the Mediterranean. New protocols and a template for soil and water bioengineering work for the Mediterranean.

Stream bank and gully erosion are major sources of nonpoint source pollutants, especially in landscapes dominated by agriculture. Implementation of upland conservation practices in landscapes dominated by agriculture reduces upland sediment transport more than water runoff, leading to excessive stream bank and gully erosion. This review focus on ten different studies conducted in streams in Iowa that investigated riparian land-use impacts on stream banks, gullies, and other riparian sediment sources (cattle loafing areas and cattle stream access points). The riparian land-uses investigated were riparian forest buffers; grass filters; continuous, rotational, and intensive rotational pastures; pastures with cattle fenced out of the stream; and row-cropped fields. Results of these studies indicate that maintaining perennial deep-rooted vegetation in riparian areas and excluding cattle from the stream channel stabilizes stream banks and gullies. Cattle loafing areas and cattle stream access points appear to also be important sediment sources. Re-establishing perennial riparian vegetation is a sustainable and cost-effective conservation practice because it reduces sediment in streams while maintaining the majority of the watershed in agricultural production. The limited available funds for the implementation of holistic watershed conservation practices suggest using targeted approaches, at the watershed scale, to improve conservation practice effectiveness.

Anthropogenic activities and climate change have accelerated soil erosion in the Mediterranean. In the region, erosion rates are further exacerbated due to frequent wildfires and flash floods. Soil bioengineering works and nature-based solutions need to be placed in targeted areas to provide the greatest erosion control in the burnt areas. The purpose of this study was to provide a targeted approach by utilizing spatial software along with field measurements to place optimally soil erosion prevention works. Specifically, the Gavrilovic soil erosion equation was implemented within the Geographical Information System (GIS) to estimate the areas of greatest erosion potential. The study area was Prinos Watershed of Thasos Island in Greece that was burnt in the summer of 2017. To run the soil erosion equation in GIS, different layers of data were collected or developed. Visual field measurements were taken to estimate the erosion potential factor. The results indicated the areas with the greatest soil erosion and allowed to pinpoint the location for the soil bioengineering works. The recommended works were wooden dams and log erosion barriers. This method could be used by the Greek Forest Service to promote the sustainable restoration of burnt areas.

Increased fire activity, related both to human activities and to climate change, necessitates effective fire prevention and suppression strategies. The main purpose of this paper is to model and map fire suppression difficulty using common approaches in three different ecosystems in Eastern Europe by employing very high-resolution satellite imagery and landscape fire behaviour modelling. The integrated approach could allow fire managers to organize prevention and management of firefighting activities more efficiently by implementing both simple and easy-to-use risk and operational fire suppression difficulty indices. The development of cross-border common methodological approaches could foster cooperation between national authorities that would also maximize the efficiency of firefighting procedures.

Soil loss and erosion is a major environmental problem in the Mediterranean. Soil and water bioengineering uses plants and/or parts of plants along with inert material to create solutions to fulfill soil conservation objectives combined with an ecological rehabilitation approach. The ECOMED project developed novel approaches and tools to specialize the soil and water bioengineering sector within the Mediterranean. The first activity was the Sector Needs Analysis were the responses to an online questionnaire of 110 stakeholders from the region were analyzed. The main conclusion was the need to specialize the soil and water bioengineering sector in the Mediterranean. In addition, 21 soil and water bioengineering case studies in the Mediterranean were reviewed. Many works of this type are implemented in the region, but have flaws because of the lack of training material, design routines, protocols, specific to the region. The second activity developed New Design Routines and Protocols. Specifically, three protocols, one template and one plant database were developed for the region. Finally, in the Training Material activity, six educational modules along with a handbook (that contained modules, protocols, template and case studies) were developed. Overall the ECOMED project generated new and novel material and tools that were lacking in the region to enhance the specialization process of the soil and water bioengineering sector. These should increase the adoption of soil and water bioengineering techniques with better trained and new professionals as well as improve the work performance of these interventions.

Nowadays the appearances of water extremes are frequently observed mainly because of anthropogenic and climate change influences. These extremes cause various impacts on the environment. With respect to river systems, floods are such events that are characterized with increasingly untypical high water levels that overflow river beds. In many cases, they cause extremely harmful impacts to human societies, accompanied with serious environmental damages and modifications. This paper focus on the problems connected to flood appearances and some of their possible related impacts on river systems. To better understand these, phenomenon main specifics with regard to its occurrence, behavior and possible consequences are summarized. Most commonly used methods for flood assessments are presented. Some real case floods and their impacts on the river hydraulics from the Balkans are briefly presented. To better explain floods and the reason-outcome-mitigation nexus related recent required and adopted EC, Bulgarian and Greece policies and practices in the area are outlined concisely with regard to prevention measures in the form of early warning systems, river restoration etc. The presented information address the experts in regards to knowledge, practices dissemination and enhancement, and the connection between experts and responsible decision makers that deal with flood mitigation and prevention.

Stream bank erosion and deposition are complex phenomena because of the many factors that influence them. These factors can be spatial such as bank aspect, height and slope or temporal such as seasonal and yearly precipitation and streamflow events. Riparian land-use also has a major influence. This study investigated for two years, spatial and temporal patterns and dominant geomorphologic processes of stream bank erosion and deposition along a 10 km reach of Bear Creek in north-central Iowa, USA. The channel sub-reaches used were adjacent to a riparian forest buffer, a perennial grass filter and a continuously grazed pasture. Two plots were placed in each sub-reach; one on a north-facing outside bank (north-bank) and the other on a south-facing outside bank (south-bank). Each plot had two photo-electronic erosion pins (PEEPs) placed at 1/3 of the bank height (bottom-bank) and the other at 2/3 of the bank height (top-bank). PEEP daily measurements were compared to daily precipitation and streamflow. The continuously grazed pasture banks had the highest erosion rates. The grass area banks had approximately equal rates of erosion and deposition. The riparian forest buffer banks had high erosion rates during the second year. In the continuously grazed pasture, fluvial entrainment was the dominant erosion process, although minor mass failures also caused erosion. In the riparian forest buffer most erosion was recorded after moderate streamflows removed the bank soil loosened by freeze–thaw cycling. This occurred in late winter/early spring, when trees provide primarily mechanical but not hydraulic reinforcement to stream banks and on the lower part of the banks that have less extensive root networks. Overall, stream bank erosion and deposition in each sub-reach occurred during different time periods and under different processes and conditions. This indicates the need for continuous erosion and deposition measurements along with continuous soil moisture, soil temperature and streamflow measurements to fully comprehend these erosion phenomena.

Aim of study: Soil erosion is one of the mostserious threats because of the multiple effects it has on society. TheMediterranean region is extremely susceptible to severe erosion because of theinappropriate agricultural management, overgrazing, deforestation, wildfires,land abandonment, urbanization, etc. Land-use/vegetation cover has a majorimpact on soil erosion and soil properties. The aim of this study was to comparesoil properties of slopes of hills with three different land-uses/vegetationcovers.Area of study: The study was conducted ondifferent slopes along Menoikio Mountain of the Prefecture of Drama in Greece.Material and Methods: The three different land-uses/vegetationcovers investigated were: a) cultivated areas, b) grazed rangelands and c)forested areas. Each slope had all three land-uses/vegetation covers and wasseparated in three parts: a) top, b) middle and c) bottom slope. Five soilsamples were collected from each part. The soil samples were analyzed in thelaboratory for the following soil properties: a) clay, silt and sandpercentage, b) soil texture, c) soil density, d) soil moisture, e) pH and f)organic matter.Main results: Significant differences among thethree land-uses/vegetation covers were expected to be found because of thedifference in soil erosion rates and also among the three slope parts becauseof the difference in erosional and depositional process that take place. This wasnot the case because in some soil variables other parameters e.g. othermanagement practices in the three land-uses (grazing in the forested areas)were as influential.Highlights: Examinesland-use/vegetation cover implications on soil properties due to erosional anddepositional process along a slope and provides insights to land managers ofGreece in regards to soil management practices in order to promotesustainability., ÖzetÇalışmanınamacı:Toplum üzerine olan birçok etkisinden dolayı, toprak erozyonu en cidditehlikelerden biridir. Akdeniz Bölgesi; uygun olmayan tarımsal yönetim, aşırıotlatma, ormansızlaşma, orman yangınları, terk edilmiş araziler, şehirleşme vb.nedenler sebebiyle erozyona oldukça duyarlıdır. Arazi kullanımı/bitki örtüsütoprak erozyonu ve toprak özellikleri üzerinde büyük bir etkiye sahiptir. Buçalışmanın amacı, üç farklı arazi kullanımı/bitki örtüsünde tepe yamaçlarınıntoprak özelliklerini karşılaştırmaktır. ÇalışmaAlanı:Çalışma, Yunanistan'da Drama Bölgesi Menoikio Dağı boyunca farklı yamaçlarüzerinde yürütülmüştür.Materyalve Yöntem:Araştırılan üç farklı arazi kullanımını/bitki örtüsünü a) ekili alanlar b)otlatılan meralar ve c) ormanlık alanlar oluşturmaktadır. Her yamaç üç farklıarazi kullanımını/bitki örtüsünü barındırıp, a) üst, b) orta ve c) alt yamaçolmak üzere üç kısma ayrılmıştır. Her kısımdan beş adet toprak örneğitoplanmıştır. Toplanan toprak örnekleri: a) kil, silt ve kum yüzdesi, b) topraktekstürü, c) toprak yoğunluğu, d) toprak nemi, e) pH ve f) organik madde gibitoprak özelliklerini belirlemek için laboratuvarda analiz edilmiştir. Sonuçlar: Toprak erozyonoranlarındaki farklılık nedeniyle üç arazi kullanımı/bitki örtüsü arasındaönemli farklılıkların bulunması ve aynı şekilde, gerçekleşen erozyon ve çökelmesürecindeki farklılık nedeniyle üç yamaç kısmı arasında da önemlifarklılıkların gözlemlenmesi beklenmekteydi. Bazı toprak özelliklerindeki diğerdeğişkenler örneğin, üç farklı arazi kullanımındaki diğer yönetimuygulamaları (ormanlık alanda otlatma)sebebiyle sonuçlar beklenilen şekilde değildi. AraştırmaVurguları: Buçalışma, bir yamaç boyunca erozyon ve birikme süreçleri nedeniyle arazikullanımının/bitki örtüsünün toprak özellikleri üzerine olan etkilerini incelerve sürdürülebilirliği teşvik etmek için toprak yönetim uygulamaları hakkındaYunanistan’ın arazi yöneticilerine fikir verir.

Soil erosion is a one of the most serious environmental problems worldwide. This is the result of unsustainable anthropogenic activities such as agriculture, deforestation and urbanization. In addition, the extreme events caused by climate change are expected to accelerate soil erosion. The Mediterranean region, due to the sparse vegetation, topography, frequent wildfires and being inhabited for thousands of years has higher soil erosion rates compared to the rest of Europe. These facts indicate that new tools need to be developed and utilized in order to be able to mitigate effectively and efficiently soil erosion in the Mediterranean. The goal of this study was to develop a new monitoring system of sensors that measures erosion accurately but also measures other important environmental variables that influence erosion. The erosion measurements were based on ultrasonic technology that allows accuracy of up to 1 mm. The system also measures precipitation, soil and air temperature and soil moisture. These measurements can be continuous something very important to understand soil erosion mechanisms. Two systems with sensors were installed in September 2015, in the Kallirahi torrent watershed of Thasos Island in Greece. The specific watershed had a wildfire in August of 2013, and the impact is still evident on the landscape. One of the system of sensors was installed in an area with tree cover and gradual slopes while the other area had no overstory and steep slopes. Evaluating the preliminary results show that the measured variables by the sensor provides very accurate data.

Riparian areas provide a wide range of ecosystem services. Population growth in Arizona has led to the urban encroachment of riparian areas. Urbanization alters microclimatic conditions that can affect ecosystems processes. This study investigated the impacts of urbanization levels on ecosystems processes (decomposition rates) of riparian areas along ephemeral streams. Nine sites were selected within Marana, Arizona with three housing density levels: high (7–8 houses ha−1), moderate (2.5–4.5 houses ha−1) and low (

The rapid land use/cover change (LUCC) and landscape fragmentation occurring around the world is largely attributed to human induced factors. Landscape fragmentation has become a central issue in landscape ecology and conservation policies due to its direct influence on biodiversity which consequently endangers the sustainability of ecological goods and ecosystem services. Thus, fragmentation monitoring and assessment is a critical issue in land use planning and sustainable environmental management in order to avoid any irreversible negative consequences. This research explores the application of methodologies that employ multi-temporal satellite imagery, combined with geographical information systems and landscape metrics, to assess forest fragmentation. The objective is to determine spatio-temporally the LUCCs focusing on the woody vegetation in Hymettus Mountain of Greece over the last decades. The study area, which has been designated as a Natura 2000 site, is situated near the city of Athens. It faces various perturbations triggered by socio-economic factors and the absence of an ongoing contextual appraisal for conservation. To quantify the LUCCs, nine Landsat images spanning 28 years are classified. Post classification comparison is applied to generate transition maps. Additionally, eight landscape metrics are calculated. The change detection results identify hot-spots of forest fragmentation where mitigation measures should be taken, so that further irreversible alteration of the ecosystem is prevented. The landscape metrics advocate that, during the last three decades, the woody vegetation have steadily been more fragmented. The primary direct causes are economic driven intense anthropogenic activities along with frequent wildland fires whereas the indirect cause is the absence of a sustainable environmental management and conservation strategy.

The protection of riparian zones is critical for biodiversity conservation. The exclusion of human activities and invasive nonnative fish species have been used as measures to protect vulnerable native fish populations in Bonita Creek, Graham County, Arizona. The abundance of 5 native fish species, during 2005–2016, and mesohabitat proportions, during 2011–2016, were estimated at 4 sites to assess the effectiveness of these conservation measures. Interannual variation in numbers was high for all the species, with the speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus) being the most abundant. The speckled dace significantly increased at one of the sites; the Sonora sucker (Catostomus insignis) significantly decreased at 2 sites; and the longfin dace (Agosia chrysogaster), the desert sucker (Catostomus clarkii), and the Gila chub (Gila intermedia) populations did not display any significant trend. Correlations between fish abundance and mesohabitat proportions were highly variable but mostly nonsignificant. These results suggested that conservation efforts contributed to the stabilization of native fish populations. However, current trends and especially the partial decline of the Sonora sucker emphasized the need for further monitoring and research that would allow managers to better understand fish population dynamics and ecology and ultimately achieve the full recovery and conservation of native fish populations and their habitats.

Riparian areas in Arizona are being encroached upon by urban developments. This study investigated the impacts of different urban housing densities on riparian vegetation structure along ephemeral streams. Nine sites representing three levels of housing density were selected within the town of Marana, located in southeast Arizona. The housing densities were categorized as high (7–8 houses ha−1), moderate (2.5–4.5 houses ha−1), and low (< 1.5 houses ha−1). Each treatment had three replications. The urban developments were relatively young (less than 15 years). No significant differences were found among the treatments for the tree variables (density, height, mean canopy volume and total canopy volume) or the herbaceous vegetation variables (species richness, percentage of introduced species and percentage of ground cover). However, the shrub variables (mean density, mean height, mean canopy volume, total canopy volume and species richness) showed some significant differences. Shrub density and species richness was significantly greater adjacent to ephemeral channels than just three meters upland. In addition, whitethorn acacia shrubs were significantly taller and larger adjacent to the stream channels in the high and moderate housing density sites than in the low housing density sites. Creosote shrubs showed the opposite trend. Increased runoff in the more heavily urbanized streams may have promoted the growth of the facultative riparian species (whitethorn acacia) but not the non-riparian species (creosote). Overall, in these young developments, vegetation was resilient across the levels of urbanization explored in the study.

Erosion poses a great threat for many ecosystems including forest. This is especially true for suburban forests that have to deal with additional pressure compared to natural forests. The suburban aesthetic forest of Thessaloniki, known as «Seich-Sou» is situated on the hills that surround the city. The terrain has moderate to steep slopes with the elevations ranging from 50 to 450 m. Seich Sou apart from its role as a recreational forest also serves as a protective network from floods and erosion to the city of Thessaloniki. The purpose of this paper is to describe the design of a modular network of stations for the measurement of surface erosion. These stations will continuously communicate with a central computer and provide all the required data. For the design of the network, the entire area of the forest was digitized using Geographical Information Systems, followed by the creation of the Triangular Irregular Network - Digital Elevation Model (TIN-DEM). The next step was to conduct a visibility analysis based on the various ranges of wireless network technologies. This was necessary in order to create a wireless network with the least number of stations that were able to monitor the area accurately. The number of stations was based on the visibility analysis and the desired accuracy. The communication among the stations was implemented using commercial wireless protocols (802.11x).