Forests are a refuge for thousands of species of plants and animals. They have their own rules and ways of operating, often invisible to the human eye. They are our natural shield against floods, land erosion,diseases, and the climate crisis, while they are the lungs of the Earth and humanity. Above all, forests are our own health, our own life.

Unfortunately, however, as climate change intensifies, they are becoming more and more vulnerable all over the planet. Although Mediterranean forests are adapted to fires, the increased frequency and intensity of forest fires has made the situation more threatening than ever before. Especially if one takes into account how intensely and quickly the conditions in the Mediterranean are changing due to the climate crisis. 

A forest fire has serious, direct impacts on land animals, birds, and plants, and may cause serious damage to agricultural income, human property and infrastructure, it also bears a heavy financial cost for its suppression, and final but not last forest fires can lead to the loss of human lives. Over time, forest wildfires can lead to the irrevocable loss of vegetation, land erosion, and, in the end, increased flooding and desertification. 

As indicated by the fires in 2017 in Portugal and 2018 in Greece, suppression alone is not enough. Prevention in practice is a one-way street that will lead us to the effective management of fires and, in the end, the protection of our forests. 

That is why we focus on fire prevention, raising awareness and empowering citizens, integrated proposals to the State, and trying to stop actions that lead to fires. We work on a local level with competent state authorities and volunteers, we partner with teachers, we mobilise resources and people in joint campaigns aimed at effective prevention. With our slogan, ‘Fire concerns you - Be careful/Be aware ', we are trying to explore the causes locally, identify their drivers, l and mobilise groups in society that will put prevention into practice. We travel to historically fire prone areas, aiming to train and inform volunteers, firemen, local authorities, teachers, and the public at large regarding prevention. Our goal is not just to inform, but to enter into dialogue with the local community. 

Every year we carry out on-site inspections of areas struck by fires. Over the past 12 years, we have carried out more than 15 on-site inspections and relevant reports. The results of our work in the field are accompanied by proposals on timely prevention and damage restoration.