Digital Forest Mapping for Sustainable Development and Cadastre in Greece

The National Forest Map Program, the largest forest sector investment in Greece in the last two decades and co-funded by the EU, aims to digitally map and protect Greece’s forestlands while supporting sustainable land use and cadastre development. By producing digital 1:5,000 scale Forest Maps based on orthophotomaps from 1945 and recent decades, along with extensive ground surveys and legal data, the program defines and updates boundaries between forest and non-forest lands. The maps are crucial for managing forestlands, clarifying property rights, and feeding into the national cadastre that registers all land properties. A dedicated web-based geospatial platform empowers citizens, professionals, and public authorities to explore, claim against, and use detailed geospatial data on forestlands, ensuring transparent and participatory land administration.