National Action Plan for the flora species Silene holzmannii

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Silene holzmannii is an endemic flora species to the Aegean area, with its main distribution area in the backshore zone (the zone affected by seawater spray, but not often flooded) of 34 islets located from the area of ​​Fourni island down to Crete, out of which  31 have an area of ​​less than 10 hectares.

Although the population size of the species in many locations is either unknown or the records are old, taking into consideration the most recent record in 2019, total population size was estimated at 15,330–34,500 individuals and its range was only 40 sq km, showing a slight decline since 2015 in both its range and population.

As population fluctuations are large, there is an increased likelihood of drastic population decline without potential recovery.

The main anthropogenic pressures and threats to the species are grazing by livestock and other animals, and development and construction projects in the areas of its distribution, while less important pressures are illegal dumping and beach users. To date, no measures have been taken to remove the pressures and threats to protect the species.

The species is included as a priority species in Annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and Annex III of the Berne Convention, and is classified on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as “Endangered”. In Greece, the conservation status of the species according to the 4th National Report under Article 17 of Directive 92/43/EEC for the period 2013-2018 was assessed as “unfavourable – inadequate” (U1).

National Action Plan

The objective of the National Action Plan (NAP) is to define management measures that will ensure a favorable conservation status of the species at the level of the total population, sub-populations and its range of distribution in the country.

As the majority of the islets maintain a good quality habitat, an additional objective is to maintain the favorable conservation status of the species’ habitat.

The NAP management actions that will be implemented include -among others- a species population assessment on islets where the last reference for the species dates more than 30 years, and a study on species reproductive biology and a population genetic analysis. The actions aim to acquire and enrich the knowledge about the ecology of the species

The genetic material and seeds collected will be used to re-establish or support the population of S. holzmannii by the process of seeding on islands where the population size is greatly reduced or the species has become extinct. Part of the collected genetic material and seeds will be stored in an appropriate Sperm Bank that will be created.

To address the pressures and threats facing S. holzmannii, animals such as rodents and rabbits, goats and sheep and invasive alien flora will be removed from areas in which a significant problem has been recorded.

These actions will be supported by an institutional framework, according to which a number of activities will be banned – grazing of animals, the setting up of game, the overnight stay of boats to avoid accidental establishment of rodents, and cleaning of the coasts by removing waste in areas inside and outside the Natura 2000 network where the species is found.

At the same time, a number of actions will be carried out, like public information and awareness actions, the organization of workshops and the placement of information boards with information about the presence and threats of the S. holzmannii species on the large inhabited islands and islets in the species’ distribution area.

To evaluate the effectiveness of management actions, a monitoring programme will be set up that will be implemented using evaluation indicators, so that it will be possible to evaluate the action in an objective and measurable way, to the extent that this is feasible.

The implementation of the NAP will significantly limit the negative effects on the species from the management of the pressures and threats faced by the S. holzmannii species, while it is expected to contribute to the more effective management and conservation of other flora species in its distribution areas.

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1. The National Action Plan (NAP) for the endangered flora species Silene holzmannii was established by the Ministry of Environment and Energy in August 2021 (the Ministerial Decision is available here).
2. The Ministerial Decision was based on the corresponding study prepared by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in cooperation with the Democritus University of Thrace and received by the Natural Environment and Biodiversity Management Directorate of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy, in the framework of the Integrated Project LIFE-IP 4 NATURA “Integrated actions for conservation and management of Natura 2000 sites, species, habitats and ecosystems in Greece” (LIFE16 IPE/GR/000002).
3. The full text of the study is available on the LIFE-IP 4 NATURA deliverables webpage (Action A.1).

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