A goat standing in a shrubby pasture on Crete, with the Greek mainland in the background.
© Michael Mitrakos - Unsplash
Lakmos and Koziakas
Case Studies | Greece
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Introduction
Located in the southern Pindus Mountains of western Thessaly, the Lakmos and Koziakas region features forests, alpine meadows, and river systems that support a rich biodiversity, including brown bears and wolves. For centuries, local communities have shaped the landscape through transhumance and sedentary pastoralism. Today, traditional land use and nature-based tourism are striving to counteract land abandonment and demographic decline, in an effort to maintain the mountainous way of life and preserve the diverse landscapes, species, and centuries-old cultural heritage.
Cloudy mountains.
© Giorgos Chatzinakos
OVERVIEW
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Municipalities

Parts of Municipality of Meteora and Municipality of Pyli.
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Geographical size

Approximately 410 km².
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Human population

Approximately 1,900 permanent residents.
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Number of livestock farmers

178 livestock holdings.
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Livestock farming systems

Cattle, sheep, and goats are the main livestock, with a focus on extensive grazing systems.
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Large carnivore species

The brown bear and the grey wolf have been present throughout history.
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Bear population

Minimum population of 54 individuals in the wider area.
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Wolf population

Unknown.

SOCIOECONOMIC CONTEXT

The Lakmos–Koziakas region is a highland socio-ecological system, where rugged topography, nature protection zones, and demographic pressures intersect. Historically, local livelihoods were based on transhumant livestock breeding, small-scale agriculture, and forestry. This formed a subsistence model that was closely linked to the natural environment. 

Over recent decades, economic diversification has occurred through the development of nature-based tourism. Yet, tourism remains seasonal and spatially uneven, providing limited income stability.

The area faces pronounced demographic decline. Outmigration and the ageing of the remaining residents are threatening community continuity. These trends, coupled with the gradual abandonment of traditional land uses, have contributed to landscape change. Infrastructure limitations and restricted market access further hinder economic resilience.

Since 2022, the area hosts a pilot Bear Smart Community, fostering coexistence through awareness campaigns, cultural events, and stakeholder cooperation for the development of a local coexistence strategy.

The impacts of Storm “Daniel” in September 2023 exposed the fragility of local livelihoods and infrastructure. Intense rainfall caused landslides, destroyed road networks, and temporarily isolated mountain communities, aggravating pre-existing socio-economic vulnerabilities. The effects of the storm remain evident, as they continue to undermine local livelihoods.

The village of Chaliki, a typical settlement on Mount Lakmos. Located at an altitude of 1,150 m above sea level, it lies below the alpine pastures and the Verlinga plateau, where the Acheloos River originates (July 2025; Photo credit: Giorgos Chatzinakos).
© Giorgos Chatzinakos
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