TREE co-organizes the 2nd Marathon Ecofestival. Part of this experimental process this year, is the realization of two workshops for students of architecture. They involve one workshop on tensile structures and another workshop on building techniques with the use of clay.
Excerpts from the first weekend of workshops which will produce the grand covered Social Space for the Ecofestival, with the reuse of used sailing sails, as well as the mold for the creation of an information center with the use of clay building techniques.

Meeting party for Marathonecofestival members group Sunday, April 29th On this upcoming Sunday we participate in the Let’s Do it Greece campaign, (http://www.letsdoitgreece.org/). We will focus on the Souliou Avenue up to where Rizari street begins. We will clean Rizari as far as we can get and we will continue on cleaning the estate where the 2nd Marathon Ecofestival will take place. This is an occasion to meet, discuss our vision, work on ideas and collaborate on a memorable ecofestival for this year.
Meeting point is the Ecofestival esate (see map directions below) 

 DAY SCHEDULE

10:30-11:00 Arrival-preparations-coordination.

11:00-13:00 Cleaning

13:00-14:00 Discussions on the Ecofestival

14:00-15:30 Lunch break

15:30-17:30 Works related to the ecofestival.  Contributing with work is optional. You may participate only in the communal lunch and the discussion if you wish! 

What can you bring for working with us:

• Work clothes 
• Sun hat and work gloves 
• Big garbage bags 

After our first visit, this time we will concentrate on specific areas and on preparing the spots where workshops will take place
* in addition we will clean up the piled garbage in the area immediate to the estate entrance.

• we concentrate on specific areas. 
• we prune lower branches of trees to make space for shade and easy access. 
• depending on the number of participants, we do preparation work that workshop will need.  

At noon we share and enjoy a potluck lunch inside the property with light food, wine and refreshments we all bring together.

• remember to bring blankets, pillows and chairs along to sit on,  

since the property does not provide such amenities yet!

When we are done, we clean up the space and leave it better than we found it...
Meeting point at the Ecofestival property.

For directions, please consult the map here.
Those of you coming from close distances consider using your bikes.
Those of you coming from Athens, please consider sharing a ride with others!

http://marathonecofestival.wordpress.com/

Some moments and elements from the Emergence workshop (12-18/12) which took place as part of  ECOWEEK as well as from the public discussion that took place at the Embros Theater on 14/12.

TREE announces its second workshop for young architects, students of architecture and related fields. 

(If you would like to browse TREE's past workshop for students you may visit this link). 

Emergence is a term used in philosophy, systems theory, science and art to signify the way that complex systems and patterns arise out of a multiplicity of relatively simple interactions. An emergency is a situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or the environment.

Social & Community Sustainability, the workshop’s theme, allows associations that are relevant both to the physical and to the social aspects of sustainability, in other words both the framework we live in, buildings, streets, infrastructure as well as the people that produce, inhabit and use them. Another concept that is of much relevance at times such as ours is Resilience. This workshop will attempt to tie together and work with concepts of Sustainability, Emergence and Resilience in both physical and social frameworks. Practically, in an attempt to bridge theory and action [praxis], this workshop will involve an in depth immersion in the city’s life, provided through specific readings, invited speakers and nomadic visits at places that show signs of any of the three themes of emergence, resilience and sustainability. Our task will be to work with the physical and the social realities of such chosen places in the city, to analyze and propose realistic steps that will enhance and strengthen these attributes. The character of the workshop will engage spaces in the city such as Plato’s Academy, the neighbourhoods of Psiri and Kypseli and specific buildings of significance in these areas, such as Kafeneion, the Empros Theatre and the Kypseli market which we will examine under the light of emergence. Our methodology will involve artistic, scientific and empirical methods, presentations, fieldwork, specific contact and design methodologies and contact with the community.  

Full daily schedule and all details will be announced one week prior to the beginning of the workshop. The names of invited speakers and members of groups and networks will also be announced. 

Information on ECOWEEK                                             Registration

Some moments from the clayball seeding event at Maniaki... Nicholas Anastasopoulos,architect representing TREE as well as member of the Maniaki initiative, coordinated contact between the clay ball seeding team at Maniaki and the participants of the “Cultura21” network workshop through live tele-conferencing. The “Cultura21” workshop took place at Wusting, just outside of Bremen and its theme was “The Cultivation of Ecology/-ies: gardens and complexity in rural and urban areas”.

Saturday September 24, we invite you to join our clayball seeding  in Maniaki Vegoritida, Greece


below you may find documentation of the clayball seeding that took place last year in Paros: 

Paros Event Organisers| Tao.s center, the Environmental and Cultural Park of Paros and the Natural Farming Center

Responsible for the Paros clayball seeding event-event coordinator Elena Symeonidou

Some moments capturing the atmospere of the 1st Marathon Ecofestival!

Today's activities of the Marathon Ecofestival cancelled

Due to inclement weather today' s activities of the ecofestival will be cancelled.
Please consult the Marathon ecofestival blog during the rest of the week for other possible changes.

Today's visit to the Rouggeris farm gets postponed for May 1st at 11:00 and it may be combined with the bike tour that was scheduled for the same time.

In the context of the 1st Marathon Ecofestival we have arranged three visits to organic farms in the Marathon area during which, their owners will welcome visitors and will guide them through a tour of the crops.

These activities will provide farmers with the opportunity to explain to participants their methods of farming, their philosophy, their relationship with Marathon and local conditions, the difficulties they face and why according to them their effort is worthwhile. Visitors will thus have the chance to meet firsthand the people that are involved in organic farming through an exploration of the region and acquire knowledge as to where their food comes from!

Organized visits:

Tuesday 26/4
A visit to Mina Phida’s farm 17:00-19:00
86, Aghias Marinas street/ produce, fruit, livestock
Contact: 6944834300

Wednesday 27/4, 11:00-13:00
A visdti to Favianos Rouggieris farm
Rizariou street, Rougieris organic farms, produce
Contact: 6932260653 favianosbio@yahoo.gr

Saturday 30/4, 11:00-13:00
A visit to George Papatheodoropoulos’ farm
Rizariou street, produce
Contact: 6985075705 agroktimabio@gmail.com

How to get there:
If you live close you may choose to participate on a bike tour to the farms. We will all gather at the ORCC half an hour earlier. We will bike from the ORCC. Take your own bike or rent one from Nea Makri’s Kypris bike shop.
Προβολή n.makri
In case you plan to rent a bike, make a reservation early enough in order to not be disappointed.

If you plan to come by car, follow the instructions to be posted soon.

We promise an unforgettable experience from which you will learn alot and experience even more. Visits will combine with a discussion series, the program of which will be announced shortly. These talks will complement the knowledge you acquired. At the same time we hope that they will open up new perspectives for the relationship between organic farmers and consumers, local communities and the environment in Marathon.

Attention: Please consult the updated program which includes one more visit to a farm. In the context of the 1st Marathon Ecofestival we have arranged three visits to organic farms in the Marathon area during which, their owners will welcome visitors and will guide them through a tour of the crops.

These activities will provide farmers with the opportunity to explain to participants their methods of farming, their philosophy, their relationship with Marathon and local conditions, the difficulties they face and why according to them their effort is worthwhile. Visitors will thus have the chance to meet firsthand the people that are involved in organic farming through an exploration of the region and acquire knowledge as to where their food comes from!

Organized visits:

Tuesday 26/4 17:00-18:00
Visit to the Diamanti farm
produce, contact: 6985029725
Wednesday 27/4, 11:00-13:00
A visit to Favianos Rouggieris farm
Rizariou street, Rougieris organic farms, produce
Contact: 6932260653 favianosbio@yahoo.gr

Saturday 30/4, 11:00-13:00
A visit to Mina Phida’s farm 17:00-19:00
86, Aghias Marinas street/ produce, fruit, livestock
Contact: 6944834300

Saturday 30/4, 17:00-18:00
A visit to George Papatheodoropoulos’ farm
Rizariou street, produce
Contact: 6985075705 agroktimabio@gmail.com

How to get there:
If you live close you may choose to participate on a bike tour to the farms. We will all gather at the ORCC half an hour earlier. We will bike from the ORCC. Take your own bike or rent one from Nea Makri’s Kypris bike shop.
Προβολή n.makri
In case you plan to rent a bike, make a reservation early enough in order to not be disappointed.

If you plan to come by car, follow the instructions to be posted soon.

We promise an unforgettable experience from which you will learn alot and experience even more. Visits will combine with a discussion series, the program of which will be announced shortly. These talks will complement the knowledge you acquired. At the same time we hope that they will open up new perspectives for the relationship between organic farmers and consumers, local communities and the environment in Marathon.

1st Marathon Ecofestival coming up!...

TREE is co-organizing this event which puts emphasis on the notion of the local in the Marathon area and brings together organic farmers, residents, visitors and the public.
The program of the Marathon Ecofestival days (25/4-1/5) will be announced soon through the Ecofestival blog:
1st Marathon Ecofestival

A taste from Sunday's event on "Crises, nature and local commuinities"

What might be the connection between a small village perched on a mountain slope that is known as Anavra in Greece and is located in the prefecture of Magnisia and Marathon? No one in particular.

The presentation of Anavra though as part of the proceedings of the event that took place on Sunday 27/3/2011 at the ORCC of the National Park of Schinias at Marathon which dealt with crises and sought positive examples and solutions, through its who told us the story, along with film screenings and the participation of the organic farmers at Marathon in the afternoon meant a lot for the audience.

People were inspired and applauded our honored guests Dimitri Tsoukalas and Mahi Karali who allowed us in the phenomenon of the village with no unemployment, high environmental standards and income known as Anavra

Where do these remarks lead us?

To the conclusion that in Greece, currently mired with several crises (economic, environmental and social to name a few) bright exceptions do exist! Besides, during the day event the presence of SARCHA, the friend non-profit organization that seeks solutions for the thorny issue of the Athens historic center made a difference.

The evening meeting between organic farmers, organizers and the audience was a preparatory stage for the Ecofestival being planned for the first time in Marathon!

Crises, nature and local communities

A day event of social exploration: Κυριακή 27 Μαρτίου 2011

There is an urgent need for investigating the sustainability factors of our societies under the current and future pressure of crises. Societies and sustainable future are being examined from the perspective of the multi-level environmental, economic and social crises we are experiencing today internationally. These are already being felt very strongly in greek communities and urgently require investigation.
Climate change, economic, energy and food crisis and access to environmental resources such as drinking water, all form a great challenge for us and for future generations. In this workshop we will learn from best practices both from Greece and from abroad to do workshops and initiatives by the local community and every participant. We will examine what we have as natural and cultural assets and environmental resources as well as concepts of specific bearing capacity and discuss issues of social justice and everyday lifestyles.
This knowledge is useful in order to understand some problems that may lie at the heart of the crisis experience and knowledge may also include their solutions.

The presentations, discussions and screenings will focus on how different communities and individuals approach the issue of current and upcoming crises and how resilience, autonomy and social cohesion as tools to counteract crises may be sought.


Examples of good practice in Greece and abroad:
11:00 to 14:00

The period of crisis, causes and responses
The case of Anavra
Dimitris Tsoukalas and Mahi Karali, (former President of Community and Architect, respectively) are behind the phenomenon of Anavra and will introduce the concepts, processes and history of a success story of this particular experiment of a holistic sustainable society with tangible and impressive results.
The Transition movement
Nicholas Anastasopoulos, co-founder of TREE and currently President of the Management Agency of the Schinias Marathon National Park will make an introduction to the principles and ideology of the movement.

Questions and Discussion.

________________________________________________
Screenings:
16:00 to 17:00

1. How much food can I grow around my house (Peak Moment Series Episode 87 / 28 ')
2. An experiment in backyard sustainability (Peak Moment Series Episode 51 / 26 ')
3. Power of Community: How Cuba survived the Peak oil crisis, (The Community Solution, 2006 / 53 ')

The videos are in English, without subtitles, and there will be simultaneous translation if necessary

________________________________________________
From theory to practice
17:00 to 20:00

Open discussion with organic farmers in the region Marathon.
Coordinated discussion of initiatives for the public and the input method for speakers with Open Space thechnology. empowerment of groups, initiatives and development objectives and development of methodologies for the achievement of individual actions will be proposed.



The events will take place in the Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Center at the National Park of Schinias at Marathon under the aegis of the National Park

One year old TREE!

Snapshots from the 2nd compost-making workshop and preview of the 3rd workshop in September

Photos: RH/ NA


Stavroula and Rheinhold were excellent hosts of this second compost-making workshop. There was a good group with a healthy mix of neighbors and locals, friends from other areas and new people! The evening had many different parts and all contributed in generating a spirit of community, knowledge exchange and learning, communal food and fun with great music and dance!...

An exciting 3rd workshop on compost-making is in the works for September 5th that will take place in a garden in Marathon! Make sure to attend this one! Details will follow.

2nd Compost-making workshop and parallels with theories of anthropology

Nicholas Anastasopoulos/ George Loudos/Fotis Terzakis

A cycle of three workshops addressing home compost-making is designed as a holistic approach to the issue of recycling at the source. The topic will be addressed in theory and practice with hands-on opportunity and it will address the practicalities of composting as well as its application and place in the philosophical movements and religions.
Bring with you all organic remains collected during the previous week in a plastic bag. These may include peels, leaves, weeds as well as egg shells! We will provide the carbon-rich materials in the form of paper, carton, dry leaves, etc.
Instructors: Nicholas Anastasopoulos and George Loudos both practice composting with several methods for more that one decade. Philosopher/ writer Fotis Terzakis will illuminate aspects of human thought and belief systems of different traditions and cultures in relationship with the meaning of death and rebirth and the cycle of life in nature. At the end of the evening we will have a light meal together prepared by the hosts, that will also include everything that we bring along!

This second compost-making workshop will take place at Stavroula and Rheinhold's garden
18:30, 30 Μαϊου 2010

You may register for the first workshop until May 23rd by e-mail: gloudos@teiath.gr
Androu 7,Nea Makri

We ask for a donation of 5 euros per person.
Maximum number of participants: 30 persons

For direction and any last minute changes please visit the site one week prior to the scheduled event.

Do we need Nature? Elements of sustainability in landscape design

Thomas Doxiadis

Architect, Landscape Architect Harvard University
F lecturer, Patras University


For the most part of the 20th century, man thought that he reigns over nature and subjects it to his desire. This attitude largely defined the ways we built cities, buildings and landscapes.
It’s been a few decades now that we began to understand how things are not really that simple. Man cannot survive without nature. Up to a point he acquires the role of being one main shaper of nature: what we think of as nature today has been largely shaped by man. In addition, it becomes clear that in order to survive we need to formulate a new, symbiotic relationship with nature, learning to collaborate with her.
Already since the 60’s this finding and all subsequent scientific developments have began to shape a new type of landscape architecture, followed by new types of urban planning as well as new types of building and architecture. Through realized examples as well as studies and proposals we will examine the possibilities of ecological landscape design in Greece.
________________________________________________
The presentation will be followed by a rare walk through the grounds of the former American Base and the archaeological site of Brexiza and a discussion in-situ with experts that will discuss the ecological and historical significance of this damaged site.
________________________________________________
Time and place:
11:00 am, Saturday, May 15th at the foyer of the Aliki movie theatre in the Athletic and Cultural Park of Nea Makri.



The meeting place for this public forum is the foyer of the Aliki movie theater (a component of the Athletic and Cultural center of Nea Makri) and is open to the public.

How to get there:

If coming by public transport (buses going to Marathon, Grammatiko and Ag. Marina all make stops there) the ex-military American base site is also a bus stop, so just notify that this is where you want to get off. From there the Aliki movie theater is a 5’ walk inside the Athletic and Cultural center of Nea Makri.
If coming by car from Marathon avenue driving towards Marathon, about 150 m after the Dionysos intersection and just after the fire station you need to slow down and turn right into the Athletic and Cultural center of Nea Makri. Park and walk to the movie theater.

Building together/ building community

Building is about more than construction.
The structures that we create and the way we build them is a reflection of the values, needs and materials of the culture that creates them. What do our buildings today say about our communities?

Come learn about this natural building process, how it relates to Permaculture and most importantly how cooperative construction can help build a more vibrant, cooperative, active and connected community, based on an experiment that took place just this past week where 20 people convened re-exploring an ancient technique and re-interpreting it to suit their needs today...

Mark Krawczyk returns to Greece and Nea Makri after October 2009 and talks about the natural building workshop that just ended in Lefkas as well as about the philosophy behind a communal process of building and permaculture...

Tuesday April 13, 2010 7:30pm
Polytropo Hall
Marathonos Avenue, across from Lidl