Project objectives:

The present project aims to implement urgent conservation measures for direct conservation of of all 4 priority species in the SPA of Andros Island, Greece. The overall objective is to establish a well structured, effective, socially acceptable and economically viable Management Scheme for the SPA, capable to coordinate the activities of competent authorities within the site, and to carry out the core of the management needed for achieving and maintaining the Favourable Conservation Status of priority species in the SPA and implement its trial full scale operation

More specifically, this 48 month project aims first to produce basic SPA management tools and infrastructure, with primary being the SPA Management Plan and to form a permanent SPA Management Scheme which will then initiate and implement a full-scale, long-term management of the Andros SPA through implementation of project’s concrete conservation actions for direct conservation of Eleonora’s Falcon (Falco eleonorae*), Bonelli’s Eagle (Hieraaetus fasciatus*), Audouin’s Gull (Larus audouinii*) and Mediterranean Shag’s (Phalacrocorax aristotelis desmarestii*). The results of these activities are expected to achieve a significant improvement of the conservation status of all 4 project SPA trigger priority species in the SPA of Andros, by implementation of concrete conservation actions to deal with the urgent threats their breeding and foraging habitats are facing. The actions foreseen are in accordance to the guidelines and priorities identified by the European Commission and Birdlife International in the International Species Action Plans for the 4 target species  An extensive public awareness and communication campaign is foreseen to disseminate the project approach and results to the local society, visitors and the general public.