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in the sea
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In the sea webinar

Hear our experts present projects protecting sea life in the Aegean, and learn the basic actions you can take on-the-go to serve sea life in the Cyclades.

Webinar:

This webinar includes four presentations (30 mins each) with experts from collaborating organisations, discussions follow each presentation.

Presentations

[3:50] Anni Mitropoulou (CPF Executive Director): Welcome

[10:10] Vangelis Paravas (CPF consultant): Facilitation and Introduction

[14:38] Maria Salomidi (HCMR): Posidonia Alert campaign
On the immense importance and wonder of the Posidonia seagrass meadows that breathe life into the Aegean ecosystems, and the threats that are hurting these ancient plants.
Action to take:
– Anchor far away from Posidonia
– Encourage leaving it on the beach
– Share information and materials with anyone who goes out to sea

[51:06] Nickoletta Sidiropoulou (iSea): Pick the Alien
How invasive species entered the mediterranean and are destroying local marine ecosystems
Action to take:
– Order ahead to have an invasive fish for dinner at select restaurants of the campaign
– See the map of restaurants and help popularise eating invasives

[1:28:38] Sofia Lykouropoulou: Naxos Wildlife Protection
How turtle rescues are going at the centre and in the Aegean
Actions to take:
– Know what to do if you find an injured sea turtle

[2:07:47] Dorothy Filioti (CPF): Citizen science projects
How what you see at sea can help protect it
Actions to take:
– When you see animals at sea, report your findings through the links in our toolbox, to the organisations that use that data to improve the protection of sea life.

 

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Be an Eco-visitor webinar

How can we travel in the Cyclades and support their sustainability? What are examples of sustainable tourism in the Cyclades?

Webinar:

Travel with us into the world of sustainable and regenerative tourism, exploring how we can all contribute to the shifting tides towards a tourism that supports the flourishing of destinations’ natural and cultural resilience!

Presentations

Anni Mitropoulou (Cyclades Preservation Fund, Executive Director): Welcome

Nassia Kassela (Cyclades Preservation Fund, Program Director): Facilitation

[08:53] Sabine Pappas | Mediterranean Centre of Environment (MCE) / Discover Iraklia
Developing the theory across three short presentations in this webinar, Sabine sets the foundations for us to understand and act in regenerative ways in the context of Cycladic tourism. Informed by her work with the MCE and European partners on an extensive platform addressing tourism and climate change, and bringing field experience from the walking tour service Discover Iraklia.

[1:07:10] Dorothy Filioti presenting Common Seas: Clean Blue Paros
Sharing lessons from the pioneer project radically reducing plastic on the island of Paros and beyond, through diverse stakeholder collaborations and a rigorous systemic approach.

[1:26:31] Eleni Skarveli | Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO): Sustainable Greece
Director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation UK, Eleni invites us to explore the Sustainable Greece platform, created to highlight and promote the many sustainable initiatives across Greece with the aim of encouraging British travellers to visit and explore Greece in a way that benefits and enhances local communities and natural beauty.

[2:11:54] Maria Nomikou | FindinGreece / Mitato of Amorgos
Maria shares with us the work of two initiatives: FindinGreece hosts a range of experience-based walking tours across different Cycladic islands weaving through matters of food, culture, sea, and land. Mitato organises collective actions to repair drywall landscape features.

[2:26:14] Anthi Arvaniti | Giorgaros Fishing Tours Santorini / Fishing Tourism Association
Captain in responsible fishing tours and member of the Fishing Tourism Association, Anthi gives us the deck tour of how educational and experiential trips on fishing boats align and inform delighted travellers with actions for marine preservation.

 

photo on the land_Hara Pelekanou
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On the Land webinar

Learn the love language of Cycladic nature. Watch this webinar to get to know the characteristic ecosystems of the Cyclades, actions for their preservation, how walking routes are maintained to serve natural landscapes, and how to help injured wildlife.

Webinar:

This webinar includes three presentations with experts from collaborating organisations that support island nature. Discussions follow each presentation.

Presentations

Anni Mitropoulou (Cyclades Preservation Fund, Executive Director): Welcome

Nassia Kassela (Cyclades Preservation Fund, Program Director): Facilitation

[09:03] Elena Symeonidou (Ecological management expert)
An expert in ecological regeneration, Elena guides us through the basics of reading the landscape and getting to know island nature on its own terms, the threats it is under, and what we should know and do to help it thrive.
Actions you can take:
– Buy local
– Avoid coming during peak season
– Plant gardens with local plants

[1:09:16] Olga Karagiannis: Andros Routes
Andros Routes is an ongoing project of Andros Research Center, a non-profit organisation, formed by volunteers that care for and work on the preservation and sustainable reuse of the natural and cultural heritage of Andros. Since 2012 volunteers of Andros Routes have preserved a network of 200km of old walking routes.
Actions you can take:
– Take the old walking routes!
– Collect trash on route
– Place fallen stones back on dry stone walls

[2:02:22] Marios Fournaris: Alkyoni Wildlife Hospital
The second only official wildlife hospital in Greece, and operating since 1995 on the island of Paros, Alkyoni has treated around 17,000 wild animals, mostly birds, about 60% of those have been successfully re-released into the wild. Marios,the founder of Alkyoni, has been running it voluntarily for these 28 years and tells us about the wildlife hospital and what we can do to help wildlife, preventatively and when we find an injured individual.
Actions you can take:
– Learn the simple steps to responding to injured wildlife

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Local Participation webinar

How can we work together communally to bring about positive changes we want to see on our islands?

Webinar:

Exploring themes of participation and collaboration, drawing on successful examples, discussing with local champion organisations, and mapping initiatives in the Cyclades, we hope to offer inspiration, lessons, and options for connecting with local groups.

Presentations

Anni Mitropoulou (Cyclades Preservation Fund, Executive Director): Welcome

Nassia Kassela (Cyclades Preservation Fund, Program Director): Facilitation

[8:38] Frosso Dimitrakopoulou (Ecoclub.com): Active Citizenship
With decades of experience in the ecotourism industry, and creator of a broad network of like-minded initiatives, Frosso shares examples and research on green active citizenship and community successes beyond the Cyclades. Framing the issue of participation in theoretical and wide-angle lenses.
Actions to take:
– First steps to volunteering

[51:52] Nassia Kassela & Dorothy Filiotis (Cyclades Preservation Fund – CPF)
Zooming into the Cyclades, we look into the network of initiatives that CPF works with, getting a flavour for the many forms of citizen groups and organised initiatives serving their island’s wellbeing.
– See the Cycladic initiatives map

[1:06:38] Manos Vorisis: We Live Together
Manos is a veterinary surgeon sharing with us his experience caring for the strays of Syros, Tinos and beyond, advocating for cooperation and commitment towards the social purpose of improving the lives of animals – on the basis of harmonious symbiosis.

[1:46:15] Save Ios
Save Ios is a group working collectively to preserve the island’s exquisite habitats faced with the issues of rapid development. We are offered a look into the variety of collective activities and approaches Save Ios uses to engage people and empower their work.

[2:12:20] Dive in Action, Santorini (Video testimony)
Sharing experiences about Dive in Action, a team of passionate scuba professional divers, enrolled and organised to support environmental – ranging diving activities.

[2:30:40] Nassia Kassela & Dorothy Filiotis: CPF Initiatives network – Indicative map

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Cyclades Preservation Fund

The British Embassy visited the Cyclades Green Volunteers in Andros!

Last month, the British Embassy of Athens arrived on the island of Andros to meet Russel and Lizzie, the two generous British ‘Cyclades Green Volunteers’ on the field – hosted by Andros Research Center (ARC). Ulli Stahlmann, a volunteer member of the ARC team, welcomed the visitors and presented the organization and the projects:  Andros Routes and Clean Green Andros.

After the introductions, the group headed for a short hike to path 15A, a lovely walk near Gavrio port. Here, they saw first-hand the efforts required to maintain and enhance the ancient paths, with activities such as painting signposts, cleaning and renovating steps, and pruning the vegetation. Lizzie and Russell had been busy maintaining the Andros trails for two weeks already.

The Embassy representatives along with CPF and ARC team members had the opportunity to monitor but also participate in the fieldwork for Andros Routes project, making a significant and symbolic contribution to the project.

The Embassy representatives were interested to learn more about the two projects; the certification of the trails, the volunteering institution (the Route Angels), the maintenance hikes, the plastic pollution issues, the waste management problems, the Drink Andros Water campaign, and the involvement of both residents and cultural associations in the maintenance and promotion of trails. Ulli highlighted the importance of volunteers in supporting the work of the organization saying that “The local society embraced the volunteers in a warm way. Their passion and enthusiasm helped to make a difference and highlight the importance of our work at the local level”.

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Mrs Jaime Turner, Policy Advisor of the Embassy, talked with the volunteers and stakeholders of the project and commented: «It was quite important for us to support a programme that would give the opportunity of a direct interaction between Greek and British people. I am happy to realise the common ground to work on for important cross cutting issues like the one of the environmental protection of the beautiful Cyclades».

The meeting ended up with a promise to return to Andros again, to walk on the paths and take part in one of the regular maintenance hikes.

 

The Cyclades Green Volunteers program is an initiative of the Cyclades Preservation Fund with the support of the British Embassy Athens. From September to November 2021, four volunteers have offered their time and effort on site in Andros and another two volunteers are working remotely on digital initiatives for Andros Research Center.

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Cyclades Preservation Fund

An ‘on-line Cyclades Green Volunteer’ describes his experience!

I am Apostolis and I became a ‘Cyclades Green Volunteer’ for Andros from home! What I am actually doing is contributing to develop the website for the new interesting project “Clean Green Andros” and I am excited to see it first!

It was my first time to volunteer from home – remotely, but unexpectedly all my goals were met thanks to Andros Research Center team and communication. This is the reason as I still participate to the volunteer program, after the official end of the project.

The most enjoyable part for me was meeting new people, sharing their thoughts and concerns for the island of Andros and learning so much about recycling and waste management. 

If I had a bit faster Internet, a better chair, relaxing music and a lot of coffee would really help (kidding)!

I am doing this, because I believe in volunteering, in people’s decency.
When you are doing something pro bono, you can achieve better results, because you are doing this why you like it and not for money.
Also I volunteer for this position, to gain experience as a WordPress developer and use it professional way later on.

I recommend everybody to participate and become part of the Cyclades islands in another way!

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Cyclades Preservation Fund

Evanthia ‘precious’ experience in Apano Meria, Syros island!

I spent the first week of November in the beautiful Syros island and the amazing ‘Precious Plastic’ lab of Apano Meria organization! From the beginning, Eleni and Spyros, the people in charge of the project, welcomed me and guided me to the lab. There, Spyros showed me the upcycling machines they have made and explained to me the usefulness and functionality of each one.

My daily work in the lab mainly included the separation of plastic lids based on color (a rather meditative process I would say!) And their crushing in the shreder machine.

I also got in touch with the KOINSEP (social enterprise) “Apano Meria” other work and listened with great interest their vision, as Eleni conveyed it to me:
the sustainable touristic development of Apano Meria region in Syros, with respect for nature and an alternative approach to what an island can offer to its visitors (nature walks, paths that lead to secluded beaches and maintaining the cultural heritage of the island).

In conclusion, I have to say that it was definitely a worthwhile experience and I would like to share some thoughts that came to me.
Initially, the view with the crates from the lids was something impressive!

I think that the Plastic lab itself is a fantastic educational program to get into the schools, because when you go to the trouble of managing this amount of waste, you start to realize the impact it has on the environment, as well as it can make you think that -perhaps- the most ideal way of management would be non-production from the beginning and -perhaps- the best way to do this is for us consumers to choose companies and products that choose sustainable packaging and respect the environment, because in the end where we spend our money, some times is louder than any vote we give!

We would like to thank Evanthia for her generous contribution and her positive vibes for the project and wish to see her again in Syros!

As I was separating and emptying some of them, I realized that each crate corresponds to a multiple volume of plastic bottles, which will also need to be managed in some way or end up in a landfill and at sea.

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Cyclades Preservation Fund

Open call for Cyclades Green Volunteers

We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers who will live the unique experience in the Greek Cycladic paradise combining volunteering, exploration & leisure this year.
Applications are open until the 28th of August 2021.

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Cyclades Preservation Fund

Meet our Local Champions!

The Cyclades Preservation Fund is a registered Charity established in October 2017 in the UK to support sustainable initiatives and to promote the preservation of the exceptional beauty and natural value of the Cyclades.