The project “Innovative Action for the prevention of fires in Kythera Island”, as financed by the Green Fund, Measure “Innovative Actions along with the citizens”, was implemented by the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature and the Institute of the Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems (IMDO) of ELGO-Demetra. The project was initially supposed to last for 18 months, however, due to Covid-19 restrictions an extension was demanded, so it started in April 2019 and was completed in October 2021.
The project aimed at the targeted information and the mobilization of the population of Kythera Island about the forest fires. The main objectives were: to better prevent and reduce the likelihood of house and settlement disasters through the contribution to the wider fire prevention plan of the island, as well as to proceed to a pilot implementation of local actions into three selected settlement areas of the island.
The innovative characteristic of the project was the interaction with the residents, this is why the emphasis was placed on them to participate with their ideas (such as the identification of their own problems or the risks they face) and with practical prevention actions, while fire expert scientists of HSPN and IMDO, who frequently visit the island, were there to contribute to the project as well.
The goal was the prevention to become a “possession” of the residents who will be willing to proceed their actions even after the project ends. It was necessary that the actions would be implemented at that specific period of time, as the big fire memory of August 2017 was very recent and so it was a reason for the people to be more interested and cautious about the fire cases.
The project "Innovative Action for the prevention of fires in Kythera Island" is a part of the wider program of HSPN named as "The Trip for the Regeneration of Kythera has started..." The latter program is about the restoration of the island after the fire of 2017, implemented by HSPN in collaboration with the Kythera and Antikythera Domestic Property Committee and with the Institute of the Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems of ELGO-Demetra.
Photos of the Action
Video of the Action
