Grove Guardians
THE CHALLENGE
The Ancient Olive Grove of Aegina (Eleonas) is home to olive trees more than a thousand years old – living witnesses to the island’s cultural and ecological history. Despite its significance, the grove currently lacks a structured protection and care framework.
Increasing drought, soil compaction, unclear access patterns, and fragmented land ownership are placing growing pressure on the grove. Without coordinated stewardship, both the trees and their surrounding landscape face gradual degradation, particularly under intensifying climate conditions.
Recognising this gap, Vessel identified the need to move beyond ad-hoc care toward a structured, community-based guardianship model capable of protecting the grove over the long term.
THE PROJECT
The project proposes a place-based environmental stewardship solution, combining ecological research, legal exploration and community engagement to create a durable guardianship framework for the grove.
Rather than relying on formal protected-area designation alone, the initiative seeks to create a collaborative, non-extractive stewardship structure adapted to the grove’s ownership realities and local context.
Key activities:
- Mapping and boundary research to clarify land ownership and identify the oldest and most vulnerable trees.
- Comparative research into stewardship models in Greece and abroad, identifying structures that could function within the Greek legal context.
- Assessment of access and land use patterns, including the impact of vehicles, paths and informal visitation.
- Development of legal frameworks in collaboration with a local lawyer, defining non-extractive guardianship agreements with landowners.
- Presentation of a draft stewardship model to stakeholders for feedback and refinement.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
The project aims to produce a clearly documented ecological, historical, and spatial understanding of the Ancient Olive Grove.
It seeks to establish a draft guardianship framework tailored to the site’s environmental needs and fragmented ownership structure, while strengthening relationships between landowners, residents, researchers, and cultural actors.
RELATED
- Ongoing
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