In the shade of trees: Athens and its future

An invaluable yet insufficiently respected plus of the Greek superior is the shadiness provided by its trees. As summertime approaches, we should already beryllium making advancement successful this country compared to the aforesaid clip past year, and advancing a broad program to make earthy greenish corridors on the streets of Athens.

These reflections originate from a bid of observations. The newly-renovated Vassilissis Olgas Avenue appears to disregard this need, arsenic bash astir of the capital’s squares, which could, successful operation with water features, relation arsenic municipality oases. The heavy and often improperly pruned trees crossed the state by untrained municipal crews punctual us that we still person a agelong way to go. This is simply a taste magnitude that is typically treated arsenic secondary, yet it is of the utmost value not lone for coping with summertime heat, but besides for the aesthetic improvement of residents and the extortion of the ecosystem.

If 1 observes the Japanese Garden astatine Nereidon Park connected Michalakopoulou Street, a striking taste quality becomes instantly apparent. There, each tree is treated arsenic an “individual,” a “deity,” a “companion.” Cities are shaped by their narration with municipality greenery done a foundational taste understanding, astatine slightest successful the modern era. In caller years, crossed the developed world, hard surfaces person been removed, soil has been restored to the surface, and trees person been planted.

Athens could beryllium profoundly transformed if it greened its rooftops and truly embraced its trees

During the interwar period, extended tree-planting campaigns were carried retired successful Athens. From that epoch we person inherited the beauteous avenues formed by mendacious acacias connected Akadimias Street, Didotou Street, Michail Voda Street, Spetses Street, and galore different parts of the city. The treeless Athens of the 19th period was gradually transformed, a process that continued into the post-war years. Old photographs of barren hills punctual us that transformation is ever possible.

It is simply a elemental thought successful principle, but analyzable successful execution. It requires knowledge, care, and prudence. Athens could beryllium profoundly transformed if it greened its rooftops and truly embraced its trees. When precocious temperatures get successful the adjacent future, we will travel to understand, without needing explanation, what a microclimate means. And when we spot schools with concrete-only courtyards, it becomes wide however agelong the roadworthy still is.

Nevertheless, Athens does person a sizeable magnitude of street-level greenery, but it is often not truly valued, arsenic it is treated arsenic a decorative garnish alternatively than an adjacent and cardinal constituent of municipality life. Ultimately, this is simply a substance of civilization and policy.