Draft thoughts
Athens 2012
There are certain Greek islands that seem to have it all.
Thassos is definitely one of them. It seems so super-rich in scenic cultural landscapes. It has over 100 beaches, some of them among the most beautiful in the northern Aegean. It has a pristine wild mountain heartland - forests and tiny small waters. Lovely villages. An amazing renovated Archaeological Museum. One of the greenest islands (despite multiple mega-wildfires). It is our northernmost Aegean island bordering with a huge national wetlands park (Nestos Delta immediately next to the island). Much of the island is a Natura 2000 site including offshore islets. And all of this is still relatively pristine.
Ok, a qualifier on the "relatively": it is a touristy place in summer, but not YET over-run. Not totally "developed". So, why we should care about Thassos?
Because it can be saved, it can be protected and the next decade is its last chance.
Also, it has incredible value as a tourist draw for northeastern Greece (the Regiosn of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace). It is a showcase island. It attracts tourism which may later spread to many other attractions in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (Samothraki may have a similar affect, but that island is totally different).
If Thassos is lost, if it is damaged beyond repair by tourism-assisted sprawl, over-development and bad planning, we will have truly failed ecotourism in northeastern Greece.
And ecotourism in northeastern Greece is an important national priority.
Some simple proposals:
- Protect the important landscapes. Focus on the most sensitive cultural landscapees: the agro-pastoral landscapes around the traditional conurbations (villages). Stop urban sprawl. It is threatening many areas on the coast. Urban sprawl, roading and landscape degradation are far more important the wildfire problems.
-Support agro-pastoralism.
- Inventory and identify all important natural biotopes (wetlands, streams, riparian areas, beach dunes) and protect them. Protect areas behind scenic landscapes.
- Invest on promoting nature. Publish and publisize, advertize and market the green aspects of tourism attractiveness and especially focusing on natural history of the island.
- Develop a toursim plan and tourism marketing plan that is based on the island's nature.
- Use the island as a retreat and base for environmental education, training and international meetings to promote and showcase nature tourism, green tourism, and ecotourism activities.
-Create or organize a network of NGOs that promote conservation.
- Train locals. Focus on local champions - caretakers as naturalists. Natural history training needs a special educational organazation. This couples well with training for tourism development, restoration of the scenic qualities of places (clean-ups etc) and eco-guiding as well. Train eco-guides are essential for "selling" nature tourism.
-Focus on aspects of natural history that have not been developed well elsewhere (marine life for example is difficult to develop in other parts of Thrace, so we can do it well in Thassos). One idea is an Aquarium focusing on local marine natural history.
- Work on bringing an "image change" to the island (it has now lost many naturalists and "walkers" who used to flock here in spring and autumn). Focus on bringing these people back to Thassos. Trails, veiw-points, family walking and hill-cycling, botany, snorkling, conferences, eco-festivals etc.
All the above should act as incentives that will help local communities engage and support strict land-use intiatives, protected area management, restoration actions and enforcement. The island needs a vision.
Some simple proposals:
- Protect the important landscapes. Focus on the most sensitive cultural landscapees: the agro-pastoral landscapes around the traditional conurbations (villages). Stop urban sprawl. It is threatening many areas on the coast. Urban sprawl, roading and landscape degradation are far more important the wildfire problems.
-Support agro-pastoralism.
- Inventory and identify all important natural biotopes (wetlands, streams, riparian areas, beach dunes) and protect them. Protect areas behind scenic landscapes.
- Invest on promoting nature. Publish and publisize, advertize and market the green aspects of tourism attractiveness and especially focusing on natural history of the island.
- Develop a toursim plan and tourism marketing plan that is based on the island's nature.
- Use the island as a retreat and base for environmental education, training and international meetings to promote and showcase nature tourism, green tourism, and ecotourism activities.
-Create or organize a network of NGOs that promote conservation.
- Train locals. Focus on local champions - caretakers as naturalists. Natural history training needs a special educational organazation. This couples well with training for tourism development, restoration of the scenic qualities of places (clean-ups etc) and eco-guiding as well. Train eco-guides are essential for "selling" nature tourism.
-Focus on aspects of natural history that have not been developed well elsewhere (marine life for example is difficult to develop in other parts of Thrace, so we can do it well in Thassos). One idea is an Aquarium focusing on local marine natural history.
- Work on bringing an "image change" to the island (it has now lost many naturalists and "walkers" who used to flock here in spring and autumn). Focus on bringing these people back to Thassos. Trails, veiw-points, family walking and hill-cycling, botany, snorkling, conferences, eco-festivals etc.
All the above should act as incentives that will help local communities engage and support strict land-use intiatives, protected area management, restoration actions and enforcement. The island needs a vision.
This is just a quick brainstorm.
Resources:
Resources:
- Mr. A. Fowles has build one of the best Natural History Sites for a Greek island: Please check this out: The Natural History of Thasos. FOWLES A. THASSOS (http://yrefail.net/Thasos).
- In 2011 we did a short study of the island while on a family holiday; you're welcome to read this (in Greek): Zogaris & Vlami THASSOS ECOTOURISM
