Project Director
Gustavo supervises all technical aspects to ensure an efficient execution of the actions, representing a centralised organisational figure between the different teams in the international consortium
Technical Project Manager
Mario divides his work between the office and the field, being in charge of the daily monitoring of the actions, data collection and reporting. In addition, he supervises the work of the team of field specialists in Gran Canaria and acts as a direct contact between the latter, the office, the technical managers of the other partners and the European Commission monitors.
Project Technician
Juan Carlos divides his work between the office and the field, supporting the implementation and daily monitoring of project activities, data collection, and technical reporting. In addition, he assists in the coordination of field operations, contributes to communication between the field team and the office, and supports the Technical Project Manager in the preparation of project documentation, monitoring tasks, and coordination with project partners.
Financial Manager
Maryam specialises in the financial and administrative management of partners involved in LIFE projects coordinated by GESPLAN. In addition, she is responsible for advising partners on bureaucratic processes, reporting and expenditure control, ensuring compliance with the regulatory framework of LIFE projects.
Field worker
She leads the field worker team in Gran Canaria, overseeing the implementation of restoration actions and the establishment of Biodiversity Islands in TIfaracás-Vigaroe. Her work focuses on the practical deployment of habitat restoration measures, as well as the field monitoring of invertebrate communities and habitat recovery progress, playing a key role in the successful execution of the project’s activities in Gran Canaria.
Project technical Director
Francisco González is a technical officer at the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, responsible for the management of the Natura 2000 protected areas where NewLIFE4BioIslands is being implemented in Gran Canaria. Within the project, he provides institutional and technical support to ensure alignment with relevant environmental regulations, while also contributing technical expertise to the planning and implementation of habitat restoration actions.
Researcher
Vicenç is responsible of the implementation and monitoring of the actions in El Roure project site. He is soil scientist expert in soil restoration of heavily degraded landscapes like quarries, areas affected by forest fires and landfills.
Technician
Pau will give support to the implementation and monitoring of the actions in El Roure project site. He is geologist expert in monitoring of restoration and the use of drons and remote sensing.
Financial Manager
Elena will be responsible for the project’s financial monitoring: preparation and submission of the financial progress reports and other requirements, review and preparation of the supporting documentation related to the financial issues of the project, participation in the meetings of the consortium where financial or administrative aspects will be discussed.
Researcher
Gerard is an entomologist and evolutionary biologist based at the Botanical Institute of Barcelona (IBB, CSIC). His research focuses on the study of insect biodiversity and their distributions. Within the NewLIFE4BioIslands project, he coordinates pollinator species inventories and the monitoring of changes in pollinator communities over time.
PostDoc
Dr. Johanna Berger is an ecologist and works as a PostDoc at the Botanical Institute of Barcelona, Spain (IBB, CSIC). Her research focuses on entomology and biodiversity, helping to study and improve environmental conditions for arthropods, including anthropogenic threats such as land use and climate change. For the NewLIFE4BioIslands project, she is responsible for the pollinator and invertebrate monitoring, establishing methods and protocols, analysis and interpretation.
Researcher
Jesús is an entomologist based at the Botanical Institute of Barcelona (IBB, CSIC), specialising in Coleoptera biodiversity. As a taxonomist and evolutionary ecologist, he contributes to biodiversity inventories, species interactions and the monitoring of pollinator communities over time.
Team Leader
Vito coordinates the UNIROMA1 team and the implementation of NewLIFE4BioIslands activities at the Monte Cairo project site. He oversees the planning and implementation of ecological restoration actions, baseline and post-restoration monitoring, stakeholder engagement, technical reporting, and coordination with the project consortium and local authorities.
Ex-situ plant conservation expert
Ilaria supports the ex-situ plant conservation activities for Monte Cairo, with particular focus on native seed collection, germplasm conservation, propagation protocols and nursery production of plant material for ecological restoration. She contributes to the development and implementation of species-specific protocols supporting the Biodiversity Island restoration approach.
Field technician
Lorenzo supports field activities at Monte Cairo, including baseline ecological surveys, vegetation and habitat monitoring, collection of georeferenced field data, seed and plant material collection, and the practical implementation and monitoring of restoration actions.
Field technician
Carlo supports field activities at Monte Cairo, including baseline ecological surveys, vegetation and habitat monitoring, collection of georeferenced field data, seed and plant material collection, and the practical implementation and monitoring of restoration actions.
Field technician
Francesco supports field activities at Monte Cairo, including baseline ecological surveys, vegetation and habitat monitoring, collection of georeferenced field data, seed and plant material collection, and the practical implementation and monitoring of restoration actions.
Remote sensing expert
Virginia supports the assessment and monitoring of the Monte Cairo project site through remote sensing and GIS analyses. She contributes to the spatial assessment of vegetation condition, degradation and anthropogenic pressures, the analysis of temporal trends using Earth Observation indicators, and the integration of remote-sensing outputs with field-based monitoring data.
Coordinator
Dr. Michalis Probonas is Laboratory Teaching Staff of UoC and Head of the Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Management of UoC – NHMC. He will act as project Coordinator of NewLIFE4BioIslands project for UoC-NHMC and he will participate in the implementation of all project WPs.
Technical Coordinator
Dr. Eleftheria (Eri) Antaloudaki is Head of Botany Division of UoC – NHMC. She will act as Technical coordinator, participating in the implementation of WP1, WP2, WP3, WP4, WP5 and WP6.
Technical Coordinator
Panagiotis Georgiakakis is an associated researcher in the Natural History Museum of Crete, University of Crete. He has consdirable experience in wildlife habitat restoration through various LIFE projects implemented in Greece and Cyprus. In NewLIFE4BioIslands he is responsible for the implementation of Task 2.1 – Procurement of Authorisations, Task 2.3 – Protocols and Plans to Support Restoration and Biodiversity Monitoring Actions, Task 2.4 – Key Stakeholder Engagement and Awareness Raising as Preparatory Actions , Task 4.2 – Monitoring of targeted Habitats and Species, Task 4.3 – Project impact monitoring and evaluation
Researcher
Christos is an agricultural scientist and environmental biologist, working as a PhD student at the Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and focuses on field and administration work. He emphasises plant ecology in natural and urban environments. In the NewLIFE4BioIslands project he will take part in the monitoring and restoration activities for Mount Pangeon, Greece. He will be co-leading the novel concept of plant functional traits integration (flowering phenology and pollen production), actively aiming towards a new for-LIFE-projects monitoring, assessment and evaluation ecosystemic approach for plant taxa, which are directly connected to pollinators.
Project Manager for AUTH
Thanos Damialis is Associate Professor in Terrestrial Ecology and Climate Change at the Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, with relevant experience for more than three decades. He divides his work among lectures, administrative work and field work, coordinating the regular monitoring of the actions, data collection and reporting. In particular, he supervises the work of the team of field specialists in Mount Pangeon, and acts as connecting point for academia towards maximum dissemination and environmental awareness of pupils, students and citizens. He is also responsible for the project’s successful implementation, networking and scientific activities, including publications and congress participation, and for the preparation and submission of deliverables.
PostDoc researcher
Thanasis is an environmental biologist and aerobiologist, working as a PostDoc researcher at the Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and divides his work between the laboratory and the field. He emphasises plant and fungi ecology in natural and urban environments. In the NewLIFE4BioIslands project he will take part in the monitoring and restoration activities for Mount Pangeon, Greece. He will be co-leading the novel concept of plant functional traits integration (flowering phenology and pollen production), actively aiming towards a new for-LIFE-projects monitoring, assessment and evaluation ecosystemic approach for plant taxa, which are directly connected to pollinators.
Project Manager
Irene is a conservation biologist with extensive experience in biodiversity research, habitat restoration and the management of EU-funded conservation projects, Irene has worked for over two decades on wetland conservation and habitat management. In New LIFE for BioIslands, Irene is the project manager for HSPN, coordinating the project team, communicating with project partners, organising and participating in project activities, overseeing deliverables and technical reporting, and supporting the implementation of conservation actions on Mt. Pangeo.
Conservation Coordinator
Adamantia is a Biologist with MSc in Ecology – Management and Protection of Natural Environment. In NewLife4BioIslands, she actively participates in design and coordination of baseline data collection, management, analysis and evaluation. She is also involved in the elaboration of technical reports and the implementation of conservation, restoration and monitoring actions in Pangeo.
Financial Manager
Charitini Papantidou is an Accounting Assistant at the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature. She graduated from the Department of Banking and Financial Management at the University of Piraeus and completed her three-month internship in the Accounting Department. As an Accounting Assistant, she helps with the daily work of the Accounting Department. Her responsibilities include entering financial documents, tracking payments and receipts, filing financial records, and keeping financial data up to date. She also supports the financial management of the organisation’s projects and programmes.
Technical Officer
Miltos Gletsos is the Coordinator for Nature Protection at the HSPN (Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature, Athens, Greece). Miltos has studied Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, and Environmental Decision-Making, in Greece and in the UK. He has previously worked with environmental NGOs on issues of transboundary protected areas and environmental monitoring in SE Europe. Within the HSPN, he works mainly in environmental policy and nature conservation. He has coordinated a project for the creation of a botanical garden of aromatic herbs of the cretan flora. His experience in LIFE projects has also included work as a technical officer for bird and plant monitoring activities.
Communication Coordinator
Alexandros is an Environmental Engineer with MSc in Bioeconomy, Circular Economy and Sustainable Development. In NewLIFE4BioIslands he is involved in communication and dissemination activities, as well as stakeholder engagement for Pangeo.
Environmental Education Officer
Stavroula is a Biologist with MSc in Ecology, environmental educator and project coordinator with 10+ years of experience in non-formal learning, biodiversity monitoring and EU-funded conservation initiatives. Skilled in designing educational resources, coordinating multi-partner projects, and delivering outreach actions for diverse audiences. Strong background in ecology, environmental management, and public awareness campaigns. Experienced in multicultural environments and interdisciplinary approaches linking science, culture, and community engagement.
Citizen science
A BioBlitz is an intensive biodiversity survey where volunteers work together to identify and record as many insect species as possible within a defined area, assisted by a local entomologist. Leave us your details and we will let you know about upcoming events.
