“The prosperity of a spot just isn’t huge resorts and hyper-tourism however small lodging, small neighborhoods the place pleasant relations are created between guests and residents”, this mannequin of tourism is represented by the “Butterfly of the Aegean”, based on the mayor of Astypalaia, Nikos Kominea.
How does Astypalaia handle to place a brake on mass tourism?
Once I first got here in 1979, nonetheless a scholar on the Polytechnic, after a 24-hour journey I “caught” and made it my hometown. Together with me, a number of younger youngsters, younger scientists, artists from Greece and overseas “received” the identical illness.
This primary core of tourists, together with locals of all ages, was the one which largely decided the island’s future. Astypalites are genuine and hospitable folks.
This osmosis was the idea for creating a really particular view that we would like our island to be sustainable over time, that can hold its conventional character with development that might be executed inside the settlements, following conventional requirements, an inland that can challenges you to find it. Go to unspoilt seashores, farms that make cheese within the conventional approach and beekeepers that harvest thyme honey. That is the way it turned a spot that pulls individuals who love and respect the atmosphere.
What’s the objective of the primary try and take away sheep and goats from two uninhabited islands?
It was established from research that the “Brothers” and “Plakids” that are north and south of the island of “Syrna”, are rightly known as the Kalapagos of the Aegean. They’re locations the place distinctive species of natural world have been endemic for hundreds of years, that are at risk of extinction because of the grazing of sheep and goats on these islands, that are introduced there for a month or two, to feed on the prevailing vegetation. However this time is sufficient for the islands to change into impoverished in soil and step by step flip into desert locations with out life. It was determined, after session with the breeder, to not return the animals, in order to revive and return the ecosystem to its pre-existing state.
On this time period, what are the priorities?
Our precedence was and is, the event of Astypalaia in a logical and sustainable method. Because of this we now have been collaborating for 3 years within the (ASSI) Astypalaia Good and Sustainable Island program, with wonderful outcomes.
We’re pioneers within the problems with inexperienced transition, with electrification of personal automobiles and concrete transport with electrical vans, whereas the brand new hybrid electrical energy era station with different kinds is underneath development, which can cowl as much as 90% of the island’s power wants in two phases, making it “inexperienced”, autonomous and carbon dioxide free.
After the availability of fresh water for basic use within the community that we’re simply finishing, amongst our objectives is now the whole administration of strong waste by recycling every part in addition to the composting of meals to create fertilizer and animal feed. But additionally the novel restructuring of the organic purification facility in order that the produced water just isn’t discharged into the ocean however meets all the principles and is used for irrigation on Livadi’s estates.
Interview from the cityhub insert of TA NEA newspaper
#Nikos #Komineas #Precedence #growth
