“I don’t have any trees anymore. I had 59 trees here that I could tap and 90 more further down the road. They were all burned,” says Livas. “Maybe there are still usable trees further south. But that’s not worth the fuel for the car ride, then I don’t earn anything anymore. Whoever is left here is lost.”
Like many of his fellow villagers, Livas learned the technique of collecting resin from his father, who in turn learned it from his father. He cannot read and write, and has never done any other work. Therefore, he sees few opportunities for himself. “Either the government helps, or God, if He helps. Or migration.”
Compensation
Resin is used to make all kinds of products, such as plastics, cosmetics, paints and solvents. Northern Evia, Greece’s second largest island, supplied about 80 percent of the pine resin produced in Greece, and more than half of the pine honey, locals say.
The Greek government has pledged to help all victims. But according to the residents, no compensation is sufficient to compensate for the loss of the source of their livelihood.
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