Meeting on airport wildlife management
CORFU. Petros Lavranos - President of the Halikiopoulou Lagoon Cultural and Environmental Association
A meeting was held on Thursday, February 6, under the auspices of Fraport, with local authorities and stakeholders, to discuss wildlife management at the airport.
Regarding this meeting, the President of the Halikiopoulou Lagoon Cultural and Environmental Association, Petros Lavranos, stated the following in an announcement:
"With great disappointment and indignation, we followed the discussion at the meeting. The first and most outrageous element that emerged was the complete absence of ecological sensitivity and scientific approach to managing wildlife in the airport area. The proposed 'solution' presented in the room included the use of shotguns to kill birds, including protected species such as herons.
According to a statement by Fraport’s flight safety officer, they have already obtained a firearm licence from the Hellenic Police and, in implementing it, have carried out extensive killings of a large portion of the pheasant population and other birds. Additionally, a proposal was made to partially lift the hunting ban near the runway as a measure to reduce bird populations. This is an unrealistic and dangerous proposal, as the use of firearms near an international airport not only poses serious risks to aviation safety but also highlights the authorities’ complete lack of knowledge.
Disregard for Scientifically Proven Solutions
Our association submitted an alternative, scientifically grounded proposal for relocating the herons by planting 100 water-loving trees for free on the western side of the lagoon to reduce their passage over the runway. The proposal was categorically rejected by the Fraport representative, who argued that the goal was to reduce the population, not preserve it.
The most shocking moment of the meeting—the final straw—was the outrageous proposal to cut down trees in Mon Repos to destroy the herons’ nests. This is an arbitrary, destructive and unprecedented approach that not only contradicts the environmental policies of a European country but also constitutes a brutal attack on Corfu’s natural heritage.
Unanswered Questions
Could such proposals ever be made in another European country?
Is it possible that in 2025, in an EU country, we are discussing only the extermination of species, the killing of birds, and the destruction of forested areas?
Is there any other state that treats its natural heritage as an obstacle and blatantly ignores scientific solutions?
It is utterly hypocritical to present the killing of birds and the destruction of forested areas as 'necessary measures' when scientifically proven tools for preventing bird strikes already exist (such as sound deterrents, flashbangs, special lasers, and other repelling techniques).
Flight Safety is a Priority, But Not at the Expense of Life
It is self-evident that flight safety is a priority for all of us, but it must be ensured through modern and scientifically validated methods, not through the extermination of wildlife. Today, non-lethal management techniques are widely available and implemented internationally, such as:
- Sound and visual deterrents, including flashbangs and special lasers.
- Habitat management systems that modify nesting and feeding areas without destroying biodiversity.
- Monitoring and studying bird behaviour to implement adaptive, intelligent solutions.
Instead of utilising these tools, we are discussing the slaughter of wildlife and the destruction of forested areas.
We call on all authorities and citizens of Corfu to take a stand. Our association will not allow such destructive practices to be implemented. The Halikiopoulou Lagoon is a valuable ecosystem that belongs to all Corfiots—not an obstacle that must be 'cleared' for the sake of Fraport. Wildlife is not a problem—it is part of our natural and cultural heritage. And we have a duty to protect it, not exterminate it."
The meeting was attended by the General Director of Fraport Corfu, the Director of Wildlife and Conflict Management, the Head of the Corfu Forestry Department, the Deputy Mayors of Tourism and Urban Planning, a distinguished Corfiot forestry expert, a biologist collaborating with the Hellenic Ornithological Society, the Chief of the Airport Police Department, and myself as a representative of the Halikiopoulou Lagoon Cultural and Environmental Association.
