Reviving Lemnos with International Support: A Landmark Project for the North Aegean Sea

March 19th 2025

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The Municipality of Lemnos, the Hellenic Ornithological Society, and iSea are pleased to announce the approval of a groundbreaking new project aiming at restoring the seascape of eastern Lemnos.

The “Reviving Lemnos” project is one of seven large-scale programs funded by the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme, with a total amount of $25 million dedicated to the restoration of Europe’s landscapes. Spanning nearly 3 million hectares—an area the size of Belgium—these projects will focus on reversing habitat loss, improving ecological connectivity, and strengthening protection across some of the region’s most ecologically important seascapes.

Lemnos and its surrounding marine environment form a unique biodiversity mosaic in the North Aegean Sea, featuring diverse habitats, including the largest Posidonia seagrass meadow in the Eastern Mediterranean. However, various threats endanger the region's fragile ecosystems, particularly marine habitats and small islets closely linked to the island’s wetlands and sand dunes. These environmental pressures impact not only nature but also the well-being of the local community.

The “Reviving Lemnos” project aims to restore the environmental conditions of the marine and coastal ecosystems of eastern Lemnos, enhance their resilience to the climate crisis, and promote the sustainable development of the local community.

The program will be coordinated by BirdLife Europe and the Hellenic Ornithological Society (BirdLife’s partner in Greece), with the participation of the Municipality of Lemnos and the environmental organization iSea. This collaboration will bring together the necessary expertise, resources, and authority to ensure the project's success.

“The Municipality of Lemnos, with responsibility and genuine concern for the environment, is participating in the ‘Reviving Lemnos’ project to protect and restore the Posidonia meadows and coastal habitats in the broader Keros area and eastern Lemnos. Our Municipality is open to partnerships with organisations with the necessary expertise to develop environmental protection initiatives, and we are actively seeking funding opportunities. Lemnos stands at a historic crossroad in terms of environmental protection, and with this in mind, we choose to be present and, indeed, pioneers—investing in the future of our island through sustainable development,”stated Eleonora Georga, Mayor of Lemnos.

The technical planning of the necessary interventions will be completed in the coming months, with the implementation of activities set to begin in late 2025. The project is expected to be completed by 2030 and aspires to showcase Lemnos’ unique natural environment internationally while serving as a model for ecological restoration in islands.

“The approval of the ‘Reviving Lemnos’ project is an opportunity for the protection and restoration of one of Greece’s most valuable marine and coastal ecosystem. It is particularly significant that the collaboration between environmental organisations and the Municipality of Lemnos has secured the support of an international funding mechanism, applied in our country for the first time. This initiative comes at a critical time, as Europe moves forward with the implementation of the Nature Restoration Law, setting clear targets to restore at least 20% of terrestrial and marine ecosystems by 2030. We hope that the restoration actions implemented in Lemnos will serve as a model for other regions in Greece, enhancing the resilience of natural ecosystems and promoting the harmonious coexistence of people and nature,” said Konstantina Demiri, Director of the Hellenic ORNITHOLOGICAL Society.

“We are excited that a creative collaboration in the region continues and that the funding of the ‘Reviving Lemnos’ project allows us to apply our valuable experience in protecting this unique area. After three years of systematic action by iSea on the island, we have gathered critical knowledge that we can now transform into tangible interventions, actively contributing to the implementation of the EU Nature Restoration Law. Lemnos was not a random choice for us; it hosts the largest continuous Posidonia meadow in Greece, a vital ‘lung’ of our seas, and provides an ideal setting to demonstrate how nature conservation and restoration can be effectively implemented,” stated Ioannis Giovos, Conservation Officer of iSea.

Contact Information:

Hellenic ORNITHOLOGICAL Society: Roula Trigou, Communication Coordinator
tel. +30 210 8228704 & +30 210 8227937 (ext. 120 ) | Mobile: +30 6977 528200
email: rtrigou@ornithologiki.gr

Municipality of Lemnos: Mayor’s Office
tel: +30 22543 50015, email: dimoslimnou@limnos.gov.gr

Environmental Organization iSea: Ioannis Giovos, Conservation Director
tel: +30 2313 090696, email: ioannis.giovos@isea.com.gr