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Subject of the conference: The Valonia Oak

The physiognomy of the tree and its contribution to the island of Kea. 

Introduction by Apostolos Tzoganis:

<Sowing of the Valonia Oak and care of Saplings.>

 Taking part in this conference is a special honour for me. I should like to thank you both for your excellent hospitality and for giving me the opportunity to voice my experience of the valonia oak and the forests which it forms.

 First I want to say that this introduction is the result of the experience gained  during sowing on the mountains of Attica  which was carried out by the Society of Friends of the Valonia Oak and the Environment from 1999 to 2004, in cooperation with schools and other bodies. Our society was founded in Athens  by Xeromerites (Acharnanes)  the purpose being the protection and promotion of our famous  oak forest of Manina, the  biggest Valonia Oak forest in the Balkans.

 The question of reforestation by planting or sowing was introduced by Ms. Theodoridou-Schwind, member of the Greek Society for the protection of Nature and of our society, well known veterinarian of Athens, now retired, who urged us in favour of sowing.

 Ms.Theodoridou passionately supports the value of sowing  in the *range lands,  in the forest pastures and the forestation of **set-aside lands. From the first sowings which were organised we noticed the enthusiastic participation of the school children, so sowing was established as a basic priority of our society. 

·        *Rangelands…..areas grazed by animals guarded by a shepherd. Rangelands are not enclosed, unlike meadows. They are subject to extensive exploitation.

·        **Set-aside lands…..an operation consisting in not cultivating an area of farmland over a given period in order to restrict production.  

Valonia Oak.

The gifts of the Valonia Oak (apart from its valuable wood) (picture 1)

 The acorn of the Valonia Oak (Quercus ithaburensis  ormacrolepis or aegilops) is a forest seed which feeds wild and tame animals. Together with the cup or  kakatsida as we xeromerites call it,  it forms the fruit of the Valonia Oak. The acorn cup as you know is used in powder or liquid form, for  tanning  leather.

 In about October or a little earlier the  seeds ripen and fall to the ground. Then they have to be collected immediately so they will not be eaten by the various animals. The exact preservation procedure has not been researched fully. However it has been ascertained from experience that the ideal means of preservation is in a moist mixture of soil and sand, in a shady place

 protected from the rain, in a medium temperature in relation to the season

(18 degrees in October  descending to 10 degrees in February). We preserve

the seeds in these conditions until the right time for sowing, which is after the first good rains of autumn. It has been observed that the seeds of one group of oaks, among them the Valonia Oak, need 2 years to mature. These seeds pass through a dormant stage the duration of which is different for each type of oak and depends on the temperature of the environment and the humidity. The conditions of the dormant state have been researched for certain types of american oak but not for the Valonia Oak.We have observed that the time of germination shows great variations depending on  climatic conditions and their location. So seeds that were sown in November sprouted in January one year and in May another. 

The Jay  

 The Jay (Garrulous glandarius) is a bird, which we will see below, plays an important part in the reforestation of the Valonia Oak.The seed of the oak is heavy and can not be carried by the wind like the seeds of the pine for example. On the other hand the oaks are macrobiotic (long living) and photophilic (sun-loving) so that if the seeds remain under the mother tree their development will be very slow and they will stay small and wizened.

So what does the jay do? He eats the seeds but at the same time creates many caches of seeds for the winter months. Each time he takes a batch of acorns he flies up to 4 kilometres to find an open space with soft ground to bury them. He prefers open spaces so he can check out the area while he is burying or digging up to ensure he is not attacked by a fox or other predator. The jay makes up to 60 such “journeys” per day in autumn. When winter comes he remembers where he has stashed them and can still find them even under deep snow. In this way the jay creates an infinite number of caches, more than he needs to use. The result is that many caches “escape”. There are plenty of seeds, which are placed by the jay in places ideal for their development,that is in open places, in soft earth, not shaded, so they grow and develop with ease. 

Nutritional value of the acorn. 

 Acorns in their natural state provide easily digestible food for the animals. They contain starch 80-90%, a few proteins and a lot of tannin. The exact dietetic value of acorns has not yet been researched, and our aim is to identify the starches and amino acids as soon as possible.

Acorns can  be grazed on the spot by goats, sheep and indigenous breeds of pig. Whereas cooking improves the nutritional and dietetic properties of the acorns, it also removes the skin which contains many tannins. Thus they are preserved for a long time. The skinned acorns can also be mixed with other foods and are given to any livestock to be fattened up. 

Why do we propose sowing the acorns? 

  Traditional forestry science has developed methods of reforestation and farmland afforestation only by planting saplings. It has always given emphasis to the production of wood from the forests without giving importance to or promoting proportionately the other environmental values of the forest, for example  the contribution of the forests to the reduction of the Greenhouse Effect, the alleviation of extreme weather phenomena, the protection of the soil from erosion, the reinforcement of the underground water supply etc.

 The Valonia Oak,which thrives in semi-mountainous and low-lying terrain and which, as a rule, forms sparse forests, has a small production of timber per stremma compared to other varieties of trees, and so has paid dearly for this policy. Also, being usually situated near to inhabited areas, the oaks have been felled systematically to increase the cultivatable land especially since they stopped collecting the acorn cups.

 Today this policy is beginning to turn around and we have the possibility of developing a number of forestry, agricultural and tourist activities in the forests.

 The Valonia Oak can play an important role in all these areas. Also important is its contribution to the development of tourism in the open air, as it forms forests accessible to man, who originally lived in these forests  for animal raising, the collection of acorns and timber. Monuments to this traditional life-style are  of great cultural and historic value ( churches, threshing grounds, stone water-troughs for livestock, pathways etc.)

 The tree itself can also make an important contribution to attracting foreign visitors as it is a type of oak only found in Greece and Southern Albania in Europe. Since it is a magnificent tree with great mythological and historical value, many writers have mentioned it, like Papadiamandis, Drosinis and others. This is what Theofanis Mentzos writes on his visit to an oak forest in the area of Vyssani Ioannina. “Prophetic trees. The breath of God passes through their foliage.You think you can hear metaphysical, melodious voices. Reverent revelations of the will of God. A strange excitement grips you…. “  

 The valonia oak, providing a sparse shadow, permits the growth of bushes and herbs below it, like the stone tree or yellow fustic (Cotinus coggyria) and the paeony, something which is especially interesting to nature-loving visitors. 

 One forest in Europe, which combines tourism with crops and stock-breeding, is in Southern Spain,  the dehesas.

This is an extract from a publication from the centre NATUROPA: 

  “For thousands of years the dehesas in southern Spain have combined agriculture, pastoralism and forest exploitation. Today this balance is threatened. Oaks, the totem trees of Spanish cultare, are central to the dehesas. Their presence is the only guarantee against desertification. The quercus, (the oak’s Latin name), grows in poor soil in difficult climates characterised by long periods of drought. (our note: similar conditions to our valonia oak forests) It tries to grow high in order to obtain as much light as possible, and can thus reach a height of 20 metres while its roots can extend 10 metres down. The roots anchor the trees, feeding them by absorbing minerals and ground water. Scientists calculate that in each hectare of oak forest 10 million litres of water are absorbed every year. “

 So you understand the significance of this for areas with a shortage of water!

 Because the Valonia Oak has advantages over other trees …its resistance to fires and storms, the high biodiversity of the places it grows, its large production of fruit, its comparatively huge contribution to underground watersources,etc. … we believe it should be protected and reproduced in areas where forests existed in the past like this island here and also on other Greek islands where there is a lack of forests. The valonia oak is proposed for reforestation of burnt areas near towns where it is necessary to limit the spread of the common pine. (Pinus halepensis)

 In our opinion the best way of reproduction is by sowing  in conjunction with planting where necessary, but with very young saplings (7- 10 months old)

 In the past the society, in conjunction with schools and other bodies, sowed Valonia Oaks in the mountains of Attica : Pendeli, Ymettos, and Parnitha. ecently we visited these places and what we saw was very encouraging. We noted that out of 100 acorns sown 10 had sprouted, that is a 10% success rate which is very satisfactory. And sowing 100 oaks is a very easy task when it is carried out by school children.

 The seeds had been collected at the end of October and sown in November after the first autumn rain. The only tool used was a dibber. With this tool we made holes 15 cm. deep, put in some soil and sowed the acorns about 2-3 cm. deep. Then we filled up with a little more soil and pressed it down lightly.

 We went into the web-site of the Oklahoma State University (www.osuextra.com)   article F-  5031) and we saw that they recommended sowing oaks as a sure method of reforestation at negligible cost. The method of sowing can be studied and improved, using better tools, collecting and preserving the seeds in better conditions, and supporting the development of the saplings by early pruning.

We propose sowing oaks , as we mentioned before, to enrich the forests, the grazing  grounds and the cultivatable lands. Bearing in mind the special requirements of the oak, we sow only in eight locations per stremma, because the tree is particularly photofilic. We sow 5-6 acorns in each location which we mark with a metal stick and fence it off. The advantage of fencing off each location is that the remaining area can be used as pasture and so the stock-breeders are more accepting. 

 We suggest that in the areas of farmland afforestation the free space is cultivated with organic barley, vetch etc. preferably local varieties, for grazing. Where there are failures, we can transplant saplings (7 – 10 months old ) so as not to waste time ,as long as we  ensure that they are watered for one year. It is better that the transplanting is done using saplings which have grown in biodegradeable paper containers . These protect the hairy side-roots because they don’t need to be removed during transplantation. This is especially important when planting is being done by untrained personnel like pupils and volunteers. 

 When the saplings develop, we prune them to help them to grow more quickly. With a small pair of scissors we cut off any sideshoots and the water shoots by the base of the trunk. If there are any “buds” below the last lateral branches which we have left, we remove them with the fingers.(known as bud-rubbing) This procedure can be done easily even by children, with suitable supervision of course.

 Through the planting and care of saplings the child bonds with the tree and gains environmental awareness. For this awareness alone, apart from the obvious long-term positive results, we believe that it is essential to immediately establish sowing as a method of reforestation. 

 Advantages of sowing over transplantation. 

 We all know that when a forest is burnt it will grow back naturally in a few years, unless the ground is sloping and the soil is washed away by the rain ,or unless builders or livestock move in and continue the destruction of the fire. The natural reforestation is successfully achieved by the seeds which remain or are brought from elsewhere by the wind, water or the various animals. In cases where natural reforestation is impossible or where want to plant bare areas there are 2 possibilities: transplanting or sowing.

Below we present the advantages of sowing over transplanting. 

 Sowing.

      Cost of seeds cheap to zero, if we take seeds from the neighbouring evergreen oak, carob, valonia oak etc.

      We don’t dig so we don’t contribute to erosion by wind and rain so we don’t destroy any possible natural regeneration.

      Good development of plants, adapted to the ecological conditions of the area.

      Little to no maintenance.

      Few and inexpensive tools.

      Seeds which are collected from neighbouring areas or similar ecosystems completely replace the destroyed ecosystem.

      The minor invasion allows parallel development of natural regrowth. 

Transplanting.

v     We dig the earth, usually using big machinery, resulting in further erosion especially on sloping land often destroying natural regrowth.

v     A large number of trees fail to grow as a result of poor or late planting.

v     The saplings need after care (watering for 3 years and pruning for development.)

v     The exclusive planting of one species (e.g. common pine) is not ideal for replacing all the existing ecosystems.

v     The saplings which are planted suffer from transplant stress which delays their growth and finally prevents their developing as quickly as the seeds. 

It is worth noting that in neighbouring Turkey east of Smyrna around the town of Salichli as we saw on the internet (www.artukimya.com) there is great activity surrounding the valonia oak, which is widespread and covers 4-times more land than it does in our country.

We ascertained after some research that the Turks follow a steady policy of production of tannin extract, they never stopped the collection of acorns for any period of time, and that this extract and their oak-tanned leathers are widely circulated on the world market. However we don’t know which methods they use for reforestation.

 So to promote the protection of the valonia oak and the forests it forms, we had better realise above all its other values which we have mentioned repeatedly, its tremendous contribution to the prevention of desertification , the development of ecological tourism, the special value of the forests for the promotion of organic stock-raising and the maintenance of indigenous breeds of livestock etc. We should also research the alternative development of the oak for purposes other than tanning. So if the forest-dwellers  get an income from the oak tree they  will reconnect with it and protect it.

  Lastly I should like to propose to the ministries of education and agriculture to sanction a week for sowing oaks for the schools:

In the month of November, when sowing usually takes place, to give the opportunity to the local society, schools, municipalities, volunteers all together to take an interest in the forest and environmental information. Of course the ministries should assign pieces of land from the previous year and choose the schools which would be taking part. They should assign the small funds which are needed for fencing materials transport etc. and to carry out sowing and planting always under the supervision of the forestry commission.

Thank you.

                  List of bodies which took part in sowing from 1999 – 2004

Athener Schule / primary school

D. Vernadou 9 – TK 11535, Vrilissia tel. 210-6820566 – 210–6844063

Ms Baum and Ms Tzanavara Heike

       Together with

Primary School of the German School of Athens

Homatianou & Ziridou TK 15123 Marousi – tel. 210-6199261

Pendeli (1999 – 2003 )

Environmental Group of the British Embassy School – St. Catherine’s

S. Venizelou 73, TK 14123, Lykovrisi

Tel. 210-2829750

Ms. Zoulia Pavlina

Forestry commission of Parnitha

Mr. Douvris

Krioneri (2001)

Antonopoulou School “Anayennisi” / primary - junior high

Chrysanthemon 11  190-14 Afidnes

Environmental Society of Primary and Junior High Schools

Tel. 22950-29840

Ms. Eleni Manta and Ms. Iris Theodoridou- Schwind

Parnitha  (2004)

German Ladies’ Nature-Lovers Group

Tel. 210-6910343,

Ms Ellen Karras & Ms. Iris Theodoridou-Schwind

Parnitha (2004)

EDASA (Volunteers for the Protection of the Forests of Attica)

Ag. Konstantinou 12, T.K. 10431, Athens

e-mail: edasa@otenet.gr

Tel. 210-5200680- FAX: 210-5236760

Ms. Paraskevi Dimou

Forestry Commission of Parnitha

Mr. Douvris

Krioneri (2003)

1^st. SEK (6th TEE Ambelokipi)

Mr. Nikos Papandreou & Mr. Gerasimos Stratoulis

Ms. Zacharaki

Municipality of Ilioupolis

Ymittos (2002-2003)

3rd. Eniaio Lykeio N. Philadelphia (Environmental Group)

Mr.    Kostas Taliadouros & Mr. Gerasimos Stratoulis

Municipality of Ilioupolis

Ymittos (2001)

!st. SEK (6^th TEE Ambelokipi)

Mr. Nikos Papandreou & Mr. Gerasimos Stratoulis

Ms. Zacharaki

Ipeiros(Municipality of Molossa Municipal section of Granitsopoula- 2002)

2^nd. Lykeio of Nea Philadelphia (Environmental Group)

Mr. Vasilis Trichias & Mr. Kostas Taliadouros

Together with the Society of Friends of the Valonia Oak and the Environment

Virginias Benaki 19-20

TK:10436, Athens

Tel-FAX: 210-5230359 e-mail: periodikovelanidia@yahoo.gr

Mr. Apostolis Tzoganis & Mr. Kostas Kostas

 Velanidodasos Xeromerou (2003)

Eniaio Polykladiko Lykeio N. Phiadelphia (Environmental Group)

Mr. Kostas Taliadouros & Mr. Gerasimos Stratoulis together with the Society of friends of the Valonia Oak and the Environment

Virginias Benaki 19-21, TK: 10436, Athens

Tel- FAX: 219-5230359

e-mail: periodikovelanidia@yahoo.gr

Mr. Apostolis Tzovanis & Mr. Kostas Kostas

And the Forestry Commission of Agrinio

Ms. Panayota Lambou

Velanidodasos Xeromerou (2000)

Demokratiki Periferiaki Enosi (DEPE)/ Department of the Environment

Mr. Emmanuel Theodoridis together with the

Society of friends of the Valonia Oak and the Environment

Mr. Apostolis Tzoganis & Mr. Gerasimos Stratoulis

Pendeli (2003)

Demokratikt Periferiaki Enosi (DEPE)/ Department of the Environment

Mr. Emmanuel Theodoridis together with the

Society of friends of the Valonia Oak and the Environment

Mr. Gerasimos Stratoulis

Virginias Benaki 19-21, TK: 10436, Athens

Tel-FAX: 210-5230359

e-mail: periodikovelanidia@yahoo.gr        and

The Hunting Association of Lavrio

Lavrio area (1999)

Eniaio Polykladiko Lykeio N. Philadelphia (Environmental Group)

Mr. Kostas Taliadouros & Mr. Gerasimos Stratoulis

together with 2^nd. Gymnasio Kifissia

Ms. Marina Makridou – Malouchou

Also present were representatives from:

Kifissia Town Hall, Forestry Commission of Pendeli & Ms. Margaritouli from the Society of Friends of the Goulandris Museum, Kifissia.

Tel. 210-8083289, 210-8015870

Kokkinari Pendeli (1999)

German School of Athens, Gymnasio (environmental group)

Chomatianou & Ziridou TK. 15123 Maroussi _Tel. 210-6199261

Ms. Koyiali

Also present were Mr. Stephanos Lepouras governor of the island of Kea (author of “Hamada”)

And Giorgos Sfikas representative of E.E.P.F. Afidnes (1999)

Dimokratiki Periferiaki Enosi (DEPE) Environmental Section

Mr.Emmanuel Theodoridis (speaker)

25 November 2001

 Lecture on the subject: “Sowing the Valonia Oak in Attica – feasible alternative”, at the cultural centre of Nea Erythraia town hall.(Ms. Kakavouli)

Tel. 210-6206190

Dimokratiki Periferiaki Enosi (DEPE) Environmental Section

Mr.Emmanuel Theodoridis (speaker)

Lecture on the subject: “Sowing the Valonia Oak is policy for the protection of the environment – feasible alternative”, at the seminar organised by the

University of Agrinio,( department of  Management of Natural Resources ) with the Association of the Friends of the Valonia Oak & the Environment, in the village of Skourtou,Aitalokarnania in 2003.