HELADA is looking for ways to contribute to environmental sustainability in Greece.  Please contribute your ideas on ways we can volunteer to make a difference.

The great Mt. Parnitha Protest 

After fires destroyed most of the national park of Mt. Parnitha at the end of June, 2007, thousands of Greeks gathered in front of Parliament to shout "AISCHOS!" ("Shame!") and warn that the old political game -- firm laws against building on forest land cynically set aside by the government each election to win votes from illegal builders -- will not be tolerated this year. HELADA was there, 30-odd people, helping fill the main avenue.

          (Photos by Regina T. and Alicia C.

HELADA Monthly Meeting - (from minutes)

We welcomed Greek farmer Panayiotis Manikis and his three Japanese visitors.  Panayiotis gave a presentation on his efforts to spread his natural, non-anthropocentric ideas about reseeding the deforested Greek landscape.  His philosophy, which draws deeply from Taoist doctrine and the work of Japanese farmer-sage Manasobu Fukuoka, insists on leaving the final voice to nature.  We hope that the autumn rains cause the clay balls of seeds we helped scatter on Pendeli to sprout and flourish.  He hopes to do a large-scale reseeding project in Kenya in the coming months, the first major experiment with the method. 

Demetres Karavellas, the Director of  World Wildlife Fund Greece, backed by Fundraising Director Emily Kern, gave a brilliantly well-organized 15 minute presentation on the ambitious programs of WWF Greece.  With 37 full-time staff and some 300 volunteers among 18,000 Greek supporters, WWF does environmental field work in sensitive ecosystems, environmental education/awareness programs in schools, policy/legislative work.  WWF Greece is looking for skilled volunteers, and clearly has the organization capacity to make use even of volunteers who do not speak Greek.  Their telephone is 210 331 4893, website www.wwf.gr

SEED THE FUTURE -- HELADA PLANTING ON PENDELI 

Seven stalwart HELADA volunteers joined three charming young Japanese women and a group of Greek volunteers to scatter clay pellets full of seeds on a blighted hillside of Mt. Pendeli, in the Athens suburb of Anthousa.   Sponsor of the effort was Panayiotis Manikis, using a natural planting method developed by Manasobu Fukuoka. The mayor of Anthousa treated us all to bread and cheese afterwards.  E-mail Alicia Coriolano at alicor@odara.net for additional information. Follow this link for map and more details. 

Coffee with eminent Environmental Law Professor Dan Esty at the Athens Hilton.  Click here for the full report.

Earth Day HELADA Beach Cleanup

On 17 April, over 50 HELADA members and friends turned out to clean the beach at Rhamnous. It was a fantastic day! Besides cleaning the beach, we had a fantastic picnic lunch and visited the archeological site of Rhamnous. Click here for the full report!