Terraces for agriculture: an integral landscape element of the Aegean islands

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1 Terraces for agriculture: an integral landscape element of the Aegean islands Theodora Petanidou Laboratory of Biogeography & Ecology Department of Geography, University of the Aegean International Convention YPERIA for Sustainable Tourist Development Amorgos, October2015

2 Talk The geographical & historical aspect Values The case study of Nisyros Island A future perspective? Sikinos

3 Terraces for agriculture: a brief summary horizontal man-made spaces created to permit or facilitate cultivation on sloping terrain (i.e., on hills and mountains) almost always supported by dry stone walls (ξερολιθιές) the most recyclable landscape element since the antiquity, a diachronic palimpsest of human actions and labour Karpathos

4 Why create terraces? Environmental conditions in the Aegean (old times): - Residence: mainly in the highlands, not plain (security, health) - Dominance of slopes - Soil: stony, little, infertile, dry - Islands: difficult to access Thus: Need to be independent for food Obligatory transformation of slopes into areas to cultivate Stretching of cultivated areas to the utmost of the island heights Subsistence economy House as small as you can fit in, land as much as farest you can stare «Σπίτι όσο χωρείς και χωράφι όσο θωρείς» Syros

5 Types of terraces Syros Nisyros step terraces braided terraces Andros Lesvos Island pocket terraces Karpathos

6 Terraces have existed since the antiquity - Ephemeral structures difficult to maintain in time a missed archaeological evidence - Sustained agricultural activities (e.g. classical Delos, Kea, Kythnos, Pseira 3700 BC) - andeira supported towns and facilities (e.g. Pergamos, Kos, Arkesia etc) Πέργαμος

7 Address the issue of absence of flat surface & soil, Terracing the slopes: Leveling steep slopes: formation of flat surfaces Creation of cultivable soil, at times even by carrying it from far (pack animals, humans) Redistribution/ even distribution of soil material, esp. over limestone Holding soil at place prevent erosion

8 Address the issue of stony & infertile soil Managerial tips: Stone removal: enhance soil fertility & productivity Rock smashing: efficient water percolation & root penetration into the soil Management through keeping land fallow & crop rotation every 2-3 years or more stone pile; Vaucluse, Mont Ventoux Avlona, Karpathos

9 Address the issue of water shortage Terraces: Enhance water percolation into the soil Enrich aquifers with rain water Samos Pag Island, Croatia

10 Further advantages stemming from terracing, Terraces: Diversify microclimates through differential conditioning sun radiation (i.e. temperature control), wind, humidity Limit flooding effects (reduce violent post-rain torrential events) Facilitate access to the uplands for humans and animals

11 Further advantages: structures on terraces, Dwellings for humans & animals: spiladia, damakia, damia, katoikies (:houses), peristeriones (:dovecots) Structures for the spirit : small churches Structures used to process foodstuffs: wine & olive presses, distilleries (kazanaria), storing holes (kreftes) Structures facilitating fieldwork: threshing floors, honeybee gates and gardens (μελισσοθυρίες) Sifnos Sifnos

12 Further advantages: structures on terraces, Dwellings for humans & animals: spiladia, damakia, damia, katoikies (:houses), peristeriones (:dovecots) Structures for the spirit : small churches Structures used to process foodstuffs: wine & olive presses, distilleries (kazanaria), storing holes (kreftes) Structures facilitating fieldwork: threshing floors, honeybee gates and gardens (μελισσοθυρίες) Ancient grape/olive press, Kastellorizo Pei, Karpathos Honeybee gates, Nikia, Nisyros

13 Further advantages: structures on terraces Honeybee garden, Vani, Sifnos

14 Beyond necessity: the ecological value of terracing Terraces Support primary production.. thus sustain food availability across the entire food web Provide diverse microclimates, microhabitats & a large number of materials catering animal needs Contribute to a higher biological diversity Cultivated terraces do better than abandoned ones Sifnos

15 Beyond necessity: the aesthetic values of terracing a field, precursor to landscape; the most important large-scale human intervention, however with positively results! simple, sublime creation according to the human measure a manmade sculpture using nature itself diachronic handmade establishments by variety of anonymous artists, created over alternating levels, in accordance with the sloping relief Andros Andros Gavdos

16 Beyond necessity: the cultural landscape a field, precursor to landscape; the necessity, precursor to culture famous local products (and recipes) originating from the primary production of agriculture and husbandry know-how (methodology of terracing, wall building, land management) terminology varying among islands finally, the art of living with dignity.

17 Terracing: an elegant dominant element of island landscape % island surface covered with terraces (on the spot mapping) % of the island covered with terraces Dodecanese Islands ΠΑΤΜΟΣ ΛΕΙΨΟΙ ΛΕΡΟΣ ΚΑΛΥΜΝΟΣ ΝΙΣΥΡΟΣ ΣΥΜΗ ΜΕΓΙΣΤΗ ΚΑΡΠΑΘΟΣ ΚΑΣΟΣ ΑΡΜΑΘΙΑ

18 Vastadia, tavles: the terraces of Nisyros impressively extensive, even inside the caldera almost entirely abandoned The caldera of Nisyros

19 The demolition of the terraced landscape : start of the era of prosperity, ticking point for the decline of terraces Terraces: ephemeral structures needing continuous maintenance as a result of weather conditions and animal misuse This implied: know-how, experience, time sparing, collaborating mood, meraki a different way of life!.. Solidarity days (αργατιές) to clear land (μέρωμα) & build stone walls Today? Landscape with terraces totally abandoned, Nisyros

20 Terrace abandonment: the case of Nisyros The demographics & migration waves of Nisyros in the 20 th century 6 5 Population (x ( x 1000) Year of census Έτος απογραφής

21 Nisyros: years Study on the historical cadasters of the villages Number of fields (χωράφια) Αριθμός χωραφιών 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1, Μανδράκι Εμπορειός-Πάλοι Νικιά Total surface of all the fields

22 Nisyros: years population cultivated land Νικιά 19% Νικιά 21% Εμπορειός 28% Μανδράκι 53% Εμπορειός 17% Μανδράκι 62% Mandraki is most advantageous among all 3 villages in respect of land available per capita Emporeios is the most disadvantageous within the island This might be one of the reasons was Emporeios was totally abandoned in 1933 and moved to Paloi (sea front)

23 Nisyros: the Greek years, 1947 today Study methodology: Questionnaires 30 interviewees 729 fields 269 field areas 3 villages

24 Land abandonment Δεκαετία 40 Δεκαετία 50 Δεκαετία 60 Δεκαετία 80 Δεκαετία 90 Reasons Συνεχίζουν for να abandonment καλλιεργούνται Death - Migration - Uncontrolled grazing - Distance from residence - Change of profession Αριθμός χωραφιών Θάνατος Μετανάστευση Ανεξέλεγκτη βόσκηση Απόσταση πρόσβαση Αλλαγή επαγγέλματος

25 Terrace abandonment (1947 today) Αριθμός εγκαταλελειμμένων τοποθεσιών χωραφιών Μανδράκι Εμπορειός Νικιά Νυν (2003) Δεκαετία εγκατάλειψης καλλιεργούμενα massive abandonment 269 areas 729 fields The final abandonment takes place in the 1980s

26 Post war population changes in Nisyros (% relative to 1947) % μεταβολή πληθυσμού ως προς το μέγιστο (5.000) Μανδράκι Πάλοι-Εμπορειός Νικιά Σύνολο Έτος απογραφής Data from: ΑΤΕ (Νισυριακά Χρονικά 1956), Λογοθέτη (1963), Αγαπητίδη (1969, 1972), Γεροζήση (1998) και ΕΣΥΕ (1991, 2001). Terrace abandonment goes hand-in-hand with population loss

27 From terrace abandonment to agricultural exodus Why abandonment? 1. Imported food became less expensive (green revolution, intensive agriculture; efficient & quick transport) Kasos 2. Cessation to depend on land as the only way to get a living 3. End of independence for subsistence 4. Dependence on either more globalized solutions (e.g. remittances from relatives abroad) or local alternatives (e.g. tourism, or Yiali pumice) Yiali

28 28% of the island surface area is terraced 49% of the terraced areas are abandoned

29 The recession of the terraced landscape of Amorgos Landscape with terraces totally abandoned, Amorgos

30 Speeding up & expansion of terrace destruction Karpathos Overgrazing -uncontrolled - in all islands without exception - subsidized!! terraces for agriculture transformed into graze lands stone walls demolished by the freely grazing animals agricultural landscape in serious peril! Terrace demolition in Karpathos

31 Why restoring the terraced landscape? Environmental value intercept erosion enrich aquifers Ecological value biodiversity Aesthetic landscape value Is restoring economically feasible? traditional cultivations (trees for fruits, vines for wine) alternative modern cultivations (capper, aromatic plants ) products related to an alternative tourist product Exo Gonia, Santorini

32 Projects on terrace restoration in Greece YES: Naxos, Tinos-Zagori, Sifnos, Andros Société Scientifique Internationale pour l'étude pluridisciplinaire de la Pierre Sèche (SPS) Mind: 1. know-how: use local building tradition or give it to foreigners to do-it-as-theyknow? 2. materials: introduced stone? cement? 3. Restore for what? Maybe it is high time to do back to the field!

33 Home message Terraces sustained island economy, by maintaining an ever-alive social structure the terraces of the Aegean and their role in setting up the Aegean civilization needs further focus; there is a lot to learn and exploit in Greece today! Apollonia, Sifnos

34 Acknowledgements To all generations of the Aegean farmers who kept in place & for millennia, soil, biodiversity, and creative people! To the organizers of this meeting! To you! Tinos