Forest inventory and tree age datasets from selected Sacred Forests in NW Greece

This dataset includes the data from a tree inventory (systematic sampling design) performed during the summers of 2014 and 2015 in six sacred forests in NW Greece: Vitsa, Mazi, Kapesovo, Vovoussa, Palioseli, and Greveniti. The dataset includes information on tree species identity, tree diameter at breast height, tree age, and forest structure (top height of canopy, total woody species seedling density, total shrub volume, total density of trees and understory woody plants). Additionally, it presents information at plot level on geographical variables (aspect, slope angle, and altitude), ground cover and soil properties (leaf litter depth, percentage of vegetation ground cover, deadwood abundance, soil compaction, depth, and stoniness), forest management indicators such as presence of human litter, (e.g., gun cartridges), presence of human infrastructure (e.g., buildings, icon stands, paths, roads) in the plot or in its close proximity, presence of cut or pruned trees, indicators of forest prohibition regimes including former and active grazing (e.g., recent browsing damage, animal footprints, presence of grazing animals, historical information on the forest management status). More information on the inventory available in: Marini Govigli, V., Healey, J.R., Wong, J., Stara, K., Tsiakiris, R., & Halley, J.M. (2020). When nature meets the divine: effect of prohibition regimes on the structure and tree-species composition of sacred forests in Northern Greece. Web Ecology, 20, 53-86. https://doi.org/10.5194/we-20-53-2020 This research has been co-financed by the European Union (European Social Fund) and Greek national funds through the Operational Programme “Education and Lifelong Learning” of the National Strategic 25 Reference Framework – Research Funding Program: THALIS – Investing in knowledge society through the European Social Fund (grant number 379405).