The information event for residents and target groups to promote the Asterousia network of hiking trails of the Municipality of Gortyna took place on Friday, 22 May 2026, at the Polykentro of the Municipality of Heraklion.
The event began with a welcome address by the General Manager of ETAM S.A., Ms. Chryssa Pagalou, who organised the event and who invited the Mayor of Gortyna, Mr Michalis Kokolakis, for a brief greeting. The Mayor emphasised the importance of the “Asterousia Trails” a project aimed at promoting Asterousia, protecting the natural environment, developing nature-based tourism and ensuring the overall sustainable development of the region. The Municipality of Gortyna was also represented by both the Secretary-General and senior officials of the Municipality, thereby demonstrating its broad support for the project in question.
This was followed by a presentation by Ms. Theano Vrentzou, President of the Asterousia Protection Association and the Asterousia Local Management Committee (T.E.D.A.), on the topic of the Asterousia UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and the importance of the UNESCO “Man and the Biosphere” (MAB) programme, with which the region has been affiliated since 2020. In her presentation, she emphasised the importance of the protection and sustainable development of the region, the coexistence of people and nature, support for those who remain and are active in Asterousia, as well as improvements to infrastructure and the daily lives of residents. At the same time, she briefly referred to the significance of the new route and section of the European E4 trail that will be established in Asterousia, as well as to the Cooperation Agreement for adapting Asterousia to climate change, with the main priorities being targeted tree planting, combating desertification and protecting the Biosphere Reserve.
Then, Dr. Anna Kagiampaki, Head of the Environment and Spatial Planning Directorate of the Region of Crete, highlighted the unique natural environment of Asterousia. In her presentation, she referred to the exceptional ecological wealth of the area, which includes important terrestrial and marine ecosystems, Natura 2000 protected areas, canyons, ridges, caves, beaches and important marine biotopes in the southern Cretan Sea. Particular emphasis was placed on the biodiversity of Asterousia, where more than 1,800 plant species have been recorded, many of which are endemic, as well as important protected fauna species, such as the Egyptian vulture, the Cretan wildcat, the Mediterranean monk seal, the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) and various species of dolphins and cetaceans. At the same time, she highlighted the great ecological value of the treeless mountainous landscapes of Asterousia and the enduring relationship between humankind and nature, which has shaped a unique natural and cultural landscape of significant value to Crete and the Mediterranean.
Dr. Chryssa Pagalou, General Manager of ETAM S.A., presented the “Asterousia Trails” project, which is being implemented on behalf of the Municipality of Gortyna by the ETAM S.A. association. – Georgios Petrakis, with funding from the Recovery and Resilience Fund and the Public Investment Programme of the Ministry of Environment and Energy. As he explained, the aim of the project is to create a sustainable, modern and high-quality network of 11 signposted hiking trails in Asterousia, with a total length of 40.6 km, which will contribute to the protection and promotion of the area’s natural and cultural heritage. The main activities of the project were also outlined, such as improving the accessibility of the trails, signposting and mapping, minor technical works, initiatives to promote and highlight the trails, as well as information and awareness-raising campaigns.
The event concluded with a particularly lively and substantive discussion between the speakers and the audience, which included a significant number of members of the mountaineering and nature-loving community. The participants showed great interest in the project, raising questions and expressing concerns regarding hiking safety and mountain rescue, the impacts of free grazing and overgrazing on the landscape, as well as the risk of changes to Asterousia resulting from the possible installation of Industrial Renewable Energy Sources (IRES). At the same time, the need for hiking trails to be equipped with appropriate infrastructure was highlighted, whilst the importance of both creating new routes and reviving old paths that historically connected the settlements in the area was emphasised.
Source: asterousiatrails.com