Ecological assessment of the coasts of Crete (Greece)

Abstract

Abstract The coasts of the island of Crete, which has a long history of human presence and a recent increase in tourism, industrialization, and urbanization, were surveyed and their condition assessed. The surveyed coastal areas were separated into various categories according to their ecological and aesthetic value and according to the intensity of human activities. The northern coasts have a different set of values and are subject to a different level of activities, some higher and others lower, than the southern coasts. The presence of people and trampling, the movement of vehicles on the beaches, the presence of houses and cultivation next to the coasts, and grazing by sheep and goats are the main human activities. The results of the survey show that the coasts of Crete retain many of their original natural characteristics and, with some planning, protection is still possible.