There are some places that are precious not only on account of their beauty; they are also symbols, rooted in the hearts of locals and in the culture of a people. Kastanologgos, in the southeastern part of the large Greek island of Evia, on the slopes of Mount Ochi, is one such place. Its name means simply “the dense chestnut forest” and its story dates back millennia. In the 4th century BC, Greek philosopher and botanist Theophrastus described the immense forest of chestnuts naturally growing that covered this area, from the town of Karystos to Cape Kafireas. But the existence of these forests can be traced even further back in time: it is, in fact, documented in archaeological remains dating back to between the VI and IV millennium BC. The ancient Greeks developed the techniques of cultivating this tree species that they then exported to Magna Graecia in Italy; these skills were then refined and handed down from generation to generation. In light of this story the reforestation project that we have launched in Kastanologgos assumes even more value. The project was created together with the local authorities to reinvigorate a magic forest, where time and overexploitation of the land have both taken their toll. An opportune intervention The large chestnut forest is situated beneath the rocky peak of Mount Ochi, beyond which, on the slopes that descend towards Aegean sea and Cape Kafireas, we opened the 154 MW Kafireas wind farm complex, equipped with 67 wind generators and created using cutting-edge technological solutions. The wind facility consists of three reforestation activities, including the particularly sensitive one in Kastanologgos, which began in 2018 and is expected to conclude in 2023 The great chestnut forest has undergone a constant deterioration. At the heart of its 38 hectares there are still many centuries-old trees, some between 250 and 400 years old. But in the outlying areas the plants, exposed to the wind and the increasing aridity of the area, are suffering: the forest canopy is thinning, and some of the trunks are bending back on themselves. Just as every year, the fruit falls on the ground and the chestnuts germinate from the shells, but the plants no longer manage to grow because they are eaten by the goats that graze in the wood. Thirty thousand new plants and an irrigation network Since 1945, according to botanists’ estimates, the centuries-old forest has shrunk by 40% and could disappear in just a few years. EGP’s intervention, with an overall investment of 2 million euro, aims to halt the decline, taking action on 24 hectares of the existing forest and planting new trees in the surrounding 40 hectares. In total, then, the project will bring new life to 64 hectares, more or less the equivalent of 90 soccer pitches. In detail, the project involves the careful selection of the variety of chestnut to plant; the native species present in the forest is perfectly suited to the environmental conditions in Greece. There will be 30 thousand plants strategically positioned so as to restore the continuity of the forest cover. In this way the shade that protects the plants on the ground will also be thicker, thereby recreating the conditions for reconstituting the undergrowth and a vigorous forest ecosystem. Forest roads and fire zones have been constructed for fire protection. In order to protect the area from livestock, more than 13,000 meters of fencing have been constructed. The project also includes a supply of water for the plants, through the construction of cisterns and an irrigation network spanning 3,000 meters, which will form the basis for a secondary network and therefore a total length of 126,000 meters, bringing water to practically every plant. A restoration that will also be attractive to tourists All of this is taking place with the aim not only of restoring a forest of extraordinary and ancient beauty to its former splendor. As their roots spread, the planted trees will contribute to making the terrain more stable and less subject to landslides, and to limiting flooding caused by rain. In order to ensure the lasting success of the project, for a period of between three and five years we will also be involved in maintaining the area once the replanting has taken place. In this time the wellbeing of the plants will be monitored by fertilizing, pruning and collecting leaves. And it will not only be the local inhabitants, who have always strolled in the shade of the trees, to benefit from the project, but also visitors and tourists, who may once again enjoy the unique atmosphere of a wood that is also a living piece of history.
