The Challenge
Climate change is increasing the frequency of catastrophic wildfires, which strip landscapes of vegetation and leave them vulnerable to secondary disasters like extreme soil erosion and flooding. In Northern Chios, the Amani area was recently devastated by fires that damaged the natural balance, creating an urgent need for landscape stabilization. While the region has a tradition of trail maintenance, the critical dry stone walls that line these paths are deteriorating, threatening both the accessibility of hiking routes and the resilience of the ecosystem. There is a critical need to reintroduce traditional, nature-based building methods to protect the soil and support the area’s recovery.
The Solution
“Stone by Stone” is a pilot capacity-building project – the first of its kind on Chios and the first grant of CPF to the island – that uses trail restoration as a classroom for environmental resilience. By rebuilding damaged dry stone wall sections through hands-on workshops, the project provides an immediate “green infrastructure” defense against erosion and surface runoff in fire-affected zones.
This initiative is linked to a broader plan for environmental mobilization and aims to network local organizations on an island where such connections are still growing. By training local residents and hikers in these low-impact techniques, the project empowers the community to protect their cultural heritage while fostering sustainable, low-intensity tourism.
Activities
With the support of the Cyclades Preservation Fund, Thermae Agiasmata will:
- Map damaged dry stone wall sections along a 4km hiking trail to prioritize key intervention spots.
- Deliver three weekend training workshops for local residents, focusing on traditional walling as a nature-based solution.
- Restore at least 10 meters of dry stone wall to secure and improve the Egrigoros-Agiasmata trail.
- Organize an open hiking day and roundtable discussion to showcase environmental results to the wider community.
- Develop a dissemination strategy including a project blog and posters to promote dry stone building for climate resilience.
About the Grantees
Thermae Agiasmata is a social enterprise founded in 2013 that manages local thermal baths and works to revitalize Amani through sustainable tourism and restoration, with strong interest in the protection and the restoration of the natural environment of the area of Amani.
What You Can Do
- If you visit Chios, choose to explore the signposted trails of Amani as an eco-conscious hiker.
- Donate to the Cyclades Preservation Fund to support more drystone projects like this across the islands of Cyclades and the Aegean.
SDGs
CPF’s grants support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This grant specifically supports:
- SDG 13: Climate Action – The project implements nature-based solutions to mitigate climate risks like soil erosion and flooding in fire-damaged areas.
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – Restoring dry stone walls preserves local cultural heritage and enhances public hiking infrastructure.
- SDG 15: Life on Land – Rebuilding walls directly supports the ecological restoration of terrestrial habitats and prevents further land degradation.
