The environment of Methana - a little paradise!

The Methana peninsula is, despite its volcanic origin, quite green and attractive especially as a destination for sustainable tourism. The green forests, the volcanic soil and an ideal climate offer ideal conditions for numerous rare plants and animals. The landscapes of the peninsula are among the most beautiful landscapes of the Peloponnese and the Saronic Gulf. It is a great joy to hike through these green landscapes - not only for nature lovers!

The sustainable nature tourism is the chance for Methana, to get out of long standing crisis, because in Central Europe, the  experience of nature is the theme for activity holidays! Greece has a great potential which is hard to describe. But this includes the intensive, strict protection of natural resources with corporation of the local population!

Unfortunately in the last two decades there have been done many serious environmental errors not only in Methana. The tantalizing EU funds for construction projects had also a negative impact in the local environment.

There were many streets built with concrete and asphalt so that the farmers could get easily to every olive field. The question in such cases is, if the economic benefit of an olive field is more important than the benefit of all the region by tourism? And why the farmers managed to get their olives all over the years before and now suddenly they "need" a road?

And why there are no mules any more which always were a sustainable means of transportation? The people have to re-think what is more important for the peninsula Methana! Can these few olive trees feed the young people growing up that moment at Methana? Do they provide a real future? Or would it not be better to have sustainable tourism all over the year and many sources of income?

Methana is still an attractive destination for nature tourism,even the town of Methana is not really aesthetic or exciting. The strength of Methana is its nature, the climate and the ideal geographically location near Athens. There are many things to discover on the peninsula like its nature, archaeology and geology. Hiking in the mountains of Methana provides you the experience to discover orchids, to find ancient sites and to take photos of the wild volcanic landscape.

If you like to take part in volunteer activities, there are many things to do on Methana, like improving or cleaning the hiking paths, clean beaches or watch out for forest fires. There are two acute dangers for the nature of Methana and the surrounding areas like the forest fires that could destroy all future for sustainable tourism in a few minutes and the activities of farmers who destroy the forest for new fields and their abuse of illegal agrochemicals.

Unfortunately it takes a long time to sensitize the generation of the age from 60 and up for the protection of the Greek environment.