Characterization of marginal lands in pilot areas: successfully completed the field visit to the sudy sites in Greece

In the framework of the work package 5, Task 5.2 “Characterization of marginal lands in pilot areas”, Dr. Werner Gerwin and Frank Repmann, colleagues from BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg University, visited the Greek pilot cases in the prefecture of Rodopi on 19 and 20 July, 2016, for the required soil sampling. Samples were taken from the three pilot cases in the case study sites of Sarakini, Pelagia and Drosia, in order to carry out all the soil chemical, physical and biological analysis and collect the first data for determining whether these lands can be characterized as marginal ones or not and to what extent.
Field workings included the excavation of soil pits and sampling from various depths, while at the same time, colleagues proceeded with the visual assessment of fields and soil.
Works were completed successfully and the collected samples were packed and sent to Germany, to BTU, for additional laboratory analysis of certain parameters. Colleagues from BTU had the opportunity to meet the scientific staff of the Forest Service in Komotini and exchange opinions, knowledge and experiences. They also got to know the wider mountainous area of Rodopi prefecture and some of the residents from settlements near the pilot cases.