This study deals with the future of the traditional agroforestry systems (TAFSs) in the northern Mediterranean Basin. Important productive systems, such as ancient non-irrigated olive groves and extensive silvopastoral systems, from subalpine grasslands to coastal landscapes, are being irreversibly degraded, threatening the bio-cultural heritage of the Mediterranean region, an area recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot. In the midst of the global biodiversity and climate crisis, immediate actions are proposed for the protection and conservation management of TAFSs, within a new EU policy framework. Having the TAFSs of Greece in the spotlight of this analysis, a four-step approach was used in order to review the value of agroforestry in terms of (a) biodiversity (birds, mammals, invertebrates and soil biota), (b) agroforestry landscapes, such as traditional olive groves on terraces and valonia silvopastoral systems, (c) ecosystem services, especially concerning cultural values, and (d) the modern threats to traditional agroforestry. Through this research, problems are highlighted and European policy priorities are defined. Our conclusion is that there is an immediate need to revise the European Union rural, forestry, and environmental policies in the Mediterranean region, following the provisions of the new EU Nature Restoration Law, in order to revive agroforestry landscapes and make them productive and sustainable again for the benefit of rural economies, local communities, and biodiversity, especially in marginal Mediterranean mountainous and island areas, where depopulation and susceptibility to wildfires are major threats.

Greece is a European hotspot for Orthoptera (378 species), yet it has been scarcely explored. We investigated the distribution and habitat preferences of the species of two endemic Orthoptera genera, Parnassiana and Oropodisma, in the montane ecosystems of central Greece. We conducted field surveys from 2021 to 2024 in 174 sites across seven mountains. The species of both genera preferred habitats above 1500 m, with species-specific preferences for microhabitat parameters: Parnassiana species favored moderate slopes with dense shrub cover, while Oropodisma species favored substrates with intermediate stone cover and relatively high vegetation cover. Species distribution models estimated the area of suitable habitat for Parnassiana to be at 5 km² and Oropodisma at 3.28 km². The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and potential evapotranspiration were the key environmental drivers of the habitat suitability for both genera. Generalized regression models showed that altitude positively influenced Parnassiana population density, peaking at 2200 m, whereas rock and soil cover negatively impacted Oropodisma population densities. The results emphasize the critical role of montane habitats in sustaining these species and provide essential data for future research and conservation strategies.