This week, a major step forward was achieved with the signing of a presidential decree officially placing the marine area around Gyaros under full protection. This outcome is the result of years of dedicated scientific research, advocacy, and close collaboration between institutions, researchers, environmental organisations, and local stakeholders.

Gyaros has a remarkable ecological and historical story. Once heavily degraded by human pressures, it now stands as a powerful example of marine recovery in the Aegean Sea, demonstrating how ecosystems can rebound when given the space and time to regenerate. Today, its surrounding waters support rich biodiversity and function as a living laboratory for studying how effective protection can enhance ecological resilience.

We are proud to include Gyaros among our pilot sites. Through this work, we aim to better understand the governance frameworks and human actions that enabled its recovery, and to translate these lessons into broader conservation strategies that strengthen resilience at both local and global scales.

We extend our congratulations to WWF Greece for its long-standing leadership and commitment, as well as to all partners who contributed to this collective achievement. This is not an endpoint, but the beginning of a new phase focused on implementation, monitoring, and adaptive management to ensure that protection delivers long-lasting ecological impact.