From The National Herald: Mountains of Greece at Risk of Cultural, Environmental, and Aesthetic Losses

By Maria Christodoulou and Jason König

This article was published in The National Herald on April 21, 2024.

The mountains of Greece cover 80% of the country’s landmass. They are currently more at risk than at any time in their history. The aesthetic beauty of these landscapes, their phenomenal history and culture, and above all, their high environmental diversity are increasingly threatened due to several main threats.

Wildfires are the most high-profile danger – particularly the lack of preparedness for their prevention and management, for which the Greek government has been criticized. Most recently, the destructive building processes associated with the installation of wind turbines has caused uproar within many communities. Other threats, which have been ongoing, include the problems of illegal construction and overgrazing of animals. Each of these greatly disturb sensitive ecosystems in one of Europe’s most biodiverse countries. And yet, this biodiversity is not protected enough by the government or promoted for sustainable ecotourism. These threats also greatly affect the identity and safety of mountain villages, undermine established environmental protections, and bring new vulnerability to archaeological sites of historical and cultural importance.

Mount Kithairon summit ridge with wind turbines.

For the past several decades, catastrophic wildfires ravaging forests on islands and the mainland have demonstrated the immediate need for improved wildfire prevention. Recovery from wildfires requires decades and immense human and financial resources. In 2007, Taygetos mountain, the majestic mountain of ancient Sparta, experienced a devastating fire caused by arson from which the Greek fir stands on the central west slopes have yet to fully recover. Mount Penteli, the source of marble that constructed the Parthenon and more recently, St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine in New York City, has suffered from multiple devastating fires caused by arson, resulting in decimation of much of the dense pine forests.

Before the multiple devastating fires, the mountain ecosystem was dominated by Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) with a shrub story of maquis species. Because full recovery of pine forests requires more than 30 years, the areas of regeneration now consist of an entirely different ecosystem, with kermes oak (Quercus coccifera), mastic (Pistacia lentiscus), green olive tree (Phillyrea latifolia), tree heather (Erica arborea), Greek strawberry tree (Arbutus andrachne), oleander (Nerium oleander), and European smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria).

Maria Christodoulou volunteering with S.P.A.Y. on Mount Hymettus.

In addition to the destruction caused by wildfires, wind turbines are changing the mountain landscape with construction of new roads and disruption to wildlife. A spree of wind turbine installations on mountain ridges across the country has proven controversial and unwelcome among many local populations. Extensive prevention efforts have been ongoing or are underway on many mountains to prevent wind turbine installations that threaten the health of biodiverse ecosystems and the people who live in and visit these remarkable areas. In Crete, for example, the UNESCO Psiloritis Geopark recently rejected the proposed plans for a high voltage transmission line that would stretch a total length of 101.3 km through and within the boundaries of the municipalities of Chania, Apokoronas, Rethymno, Amari, Mylopotamos, and Malevizi.

On the island of Kythera, an independent group of concerned citizens created a website called Kythira Wind Turbines that describes the history of the proposed wind turbine development throughout the island and the significant reasons to oppose them. Other organizations that protest against the damaging construction of wind turbines include the Athenian Mountaineering Association; CALLISTO, an environmental organization for wildlife and nature; and the Instagram accounts @savegreekmountains and @small_islands_matter which are citizen-led initiatives for the protection of Greek mountains.

The Greek website Electronic Environmental Register provides an opportunity for the public to learn about proposed development projects throughout Greece and submit comments and complaints against projects that threaten the beautiful landscape of Greece that has inspired generations.

This published article was co-written by Maria Christodoulou (The Greek Herbalist) and Jason König, Professor of Classics at the University of St, Andrews, UK, whose most recent book, ‘The Folds of Olympus: Mountains in Ancient Greek and Roman Culture,’ was shortlisted for the London Hellenic Prize in 2022.