The Ecological Movement of Patras (OIKIPA) is a grassroots environmental , based in Patras, the third in population city of Greece, and was founded in the April of 1986, just after the Chernobyl accident.

In the goals of its founding declaration are included:

….The information and sensitivisation and mobilization of the citizens in environmental matters

…. The pushing forward of the environmental matters in their social, political and economical dimensions.

…. The specific action to influence positively the local and national environmental affairs as well as matters of quality of life in the town.

Main principle of the movement is political independence, something that has been, so far, preserved as the apple of one’s eye.

Legally OIKIPA has the form of a non-profit NGO,

Member’s are considered all those who accept the principles of the movement and take actively part the making and realization of the decisions

The active members are all equal; there is no hierarchy and permanent separation of duties. There is a three-member committee for the coordination of the current affairs.

The weekly meeting of the members (every Monday at 21:30) is the only decision -making organ of the movement.

OIKIPA is not dependant to anyone regarding its fund raising. Its sources of fund are transparent and independent (supporters donations, members contributions, eco-tourist activities and other activities as carnival parties etc).

Every sensitive to local and global environmental matters citizen is welcome to take part and support the activities of the movement.

THE DECALOGUE OF THE ECO-TOURIST

• • Walk in the forest but don’t cut flowers
  • Don’t litter in the forest or coastal areas
  • Respect and protect the nests of the birds
  • Do not moto-cross on sand dunes
  • Stay in the forest, play but don’t disturb or destroy anything
  • Don’t throw cigarettes’ ends or other source of flame in the forest
  • love the birds, enjoy their singing but don’t disturb or kill them
  • Never cut flowers: better photo or smell them
  • If you meet rare plants or animals respect them
  • Remember that you are not allowed
    • To hunt animals
    • To take sand from sand dunes
    • To light fire and leave unattended
    • To cut branches and trees

ENJOY NATURE ALIVE NOT DEAD

The wetland of Agia: A remarkable wetland into the urban area of Patras

The wetland of Agia is a small coastwise wetland of an area of (about) 27 hectares. It lies in the northern part of Patras, in a distance of 3 kilometers from the centre of the town (180.000 residents). In this a small but particularly important wetland ecosystem. We can separate three distinguishable areas:

A. The core of the wetland consisting of an extended reed thicket, permanently submerged in water of a depth of about 50 cm. B. The peripheral zone which has suffered human intervention (banking up with debris and unconsidered planting of trees and C. The shore area separated from the previous one by an asphalt road.

The visitor of the place can discover various ecological particularities end points of interest which (synoptically ) include the following:

• Wetland flora of reed, rush, tamarix hampeana trees and willow trees (salix carpea)
• Typical coastal flora of sea- spines and sea-poppies
• Aquatic birds as herods,moorfowls, black-winged stilts, Acrocephalus scirpaceus birds
• various aquatic animals (besides the birds) as frogs, fresh water turtles, water snakes,
  tritons etc

129 species of birds, 32 species of insects, 55 species of butterflies, 9 of amphibians, 7 of serpents, 9 of fish and 5 of mammals have been located in the area. It‘s noteworthy that 38 of the bird species of the wetland are protected under the European directive 79/409.

To the ecological particularities one can add the various social activities which have been developed in the area especially athletic exercise as jogging, hiking and swimming. Patras Municipality has elaborated an environmental study in order to turn the area into an ecological park of relaxation, education and hiking.