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.

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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

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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.
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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.
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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.