For the rescue and promotion of the traditional and centuries-old olive groves of the chondrolia or thrombolia variety that grow in the area of ​​the municipality of Agios Vassiliou in Rethymno, the municipality is mobilizing with the cooperation of the competent bodies of Crete.

The interest in this specific topic is also great from the point of view of the local community, and for this reason an educational day was held as part of the Clld/Leader program, which is implemented by the municipality of Agios Vassiliou in collaboration with the Sustainable Food Destinations organization SFDO and the Organoleptic Laboratory Crete ASR.

The mayor Yiannis Tatarakis pointed out that the wider area has been affected by a devastating fire and from the very first day actions were developed to deal with its consequences on the animal and plant capital. “At the same time, we fought hard for the compensation of the residents from the state programs. All this time, we proceeded with a series of projects that relieved the area from the great disaster, but we still have a long way to go for the place to fully heal its wounds. Our strategic goal is the reconstruction of the fire-damaged olive groves, since olive cultivation is the main and traditional occupation in our region, with olive groves occupying a dominant position. The restoration of our sustainable fire-damaged olive groves will contribute to the income of the residents and to the development of the region in general.” .

Also, Mr. Tatarakis emphasized that the newly established Education Center for the Environment and Sustainability of the municipality of Agios Vassiliou, which will operate on the site of the former Melampos high school, will contribute to this planning of the municipality, with the aim of connecting the educational community and the local community, to ensure the sustainable management of the environment and to highlight sustainable solutions to local issues.

During the training session, targeted suggestions were made, focusing on the productive management of the olive grove, the special organoleptic characteristics of the olive tree, as well as the possibilities of creating added value for the region. The presentations were aimed at raising the awareness of the producers and the local community about the importance of this historical variety and its promotion through modern and regenerative cultivation practices.

According to the municipal authority, similar actions will be implemented in the rest of the fire-affected areas of the municipality of Agios Vassiliou.