With a legislative regulation of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the issue of the chronic questioning by the State of the ownership of forested fields, which were forested due to their abandonment, is now resolved. According to the general secretary of Forests, Konstantinos Aravosi, "the goal is to improve the forestry legislative framework, to deal fairly with ownership and to protect forests and the environment in accordance with the dictates of the Constitution." The newspaper "Ta Nea" presents all the necessary information, both for the forested fields and for the planning that will follow for the cleared lands, so that the owners know how they should move in the new setting that is being formed and secure their properties .

Wooded fields

1) What is now planned for forested fields?

Those interested will have to present – ​​in order to be assigned the lands – proof of ownership.

2) What does this mean?

To prove, for example, through aerial photography, that before they were abandoned, there were olive trees or other trees, terraces, etc. in the lands.

3) Something more specific?

The State, as mentioned above, does not assert ownership rights to lands that appear on the aerial photographs of 1945 or, if they are not clear, of 1960, in agricultural form that were subsequently forested.

4) And this regardless of the form they acquired later?

Yes, unless the State has title deeds.

5) What uses are allowed if the plot of land is currently a forest?

If the plot was agricultural in the past but is now forest, and up to 30 hectares, it is only allowed to use it for agricultural and arboricultural exploitation.

6) If the parcel is currently forest land?

In the case that today it is considered a forest area, but in the past based on the aerial photographs of 1945 or 1960 it was an agricultural area, it is no longer subject to the forest legislation and all uses are allowed.

7) How is the distinction made between woodland and forest?

The distinction is made by the Forestry Committee of the Regional Unit.

8) What papers must be presented?

The interested party, in order to request the removal of the forest vegetation, submits with his application either notarial documents, or a declaration of real estate data (E9), or sworn statements, or any other element from which a legal link with the property can be presumed.

9) What if there are no titles?

Then, the interested party should use, as pointed out by the Ministry of the Environment, any legally prescribed evidence from which a legal link with the property is presumed.

10) What is provided for areas larger than five acres?

In order to grant a permit, it must be established, based on a relevant economic and technical study, that the soil and ecological conditions are in favor of this type of exploitation.

11) When is change of use permitted?

Following a permit granted by the general director of Forestry to which the competent agency is subordinate after a recommendation from the concerned forester or the Director of Forestry if there is no forest office in the prefecture.

12) Which administrative acts are revoked?

Those issued pursuant to the forest legislation for the protection of the aforementioned lands are revoked.

13) How many lands are we talking about?

Areas designated as forested fields across the country are estimated at 6.9 million acres.

Deforested lands

14) Where are we today in planning for reclaimed land?

The amendments to the provisions on reclaimed land that were deemed unconstitutional by the Plenary Session of the CoE (decision 710/2020) are being processed. And right now, a special study is being drawn up by the Ministry of the Environment to document and support the new regulations that will be proposed.

15) What are reclaimed lands?

They are lands that are cultivated without possessing titles or administrative acts of legal change of use (e.g. concession).

16) What does the design provide?

The plan envisages the return of the area for agricultural use only with two conditions: 1st) The payment of a monetary consideration, which has not yet been determined and 2nd) the existence of presumptive ownership before 2000 (e.g. parental allowance, acceptance of inheritance) .

17) In which areas is a solution attempted?

In areas such as Crete, where such land is used for grazing land, and until recently, those using such land had to (as of today) provide proof of ownership and aerial photographs from 1945 (now the time limit is shifted to before 2000) in order to assign them the lands.

SOURCE: news.b2green.gr/