Thessaloniki: A centuries-old olive tree traveled from the prefecture of Achaia and was transplanted to TEF.
He traveled for more than four hours and having traveled more than 600 kilometers, an ancient olive tree, more than 400 years old, was transplanted in the “heart” of Thessaloniki, within the facilities of TIF.
The transplanting, which took place at the opening of the 86th TIF, took place in the context of the innovative environmental program designed and operated by ERGOSE SA, for the rescue and transplanting of centuries-old olive trees, which come from soft lands for the construction of railway projects.
“At the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, we may be planning large projects throughout the country, but above all we are interested in the implementation of a green policy that will extend everywhere in Greece”, underlined the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure.
“The company’s program extends to 60 municipalities throughout Greece and until its beginning these olive trees, over 100 years old, were used for firewood” Mr. Karagiannis pointed out, thanking ERGOSE SA and TIF-Helexpo for the initiative of transplantation.
Over 850 centuries-old olive trees were saved
With the initiative of ERGOSE, which receives the full support of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and the Financial Assistance of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, through the Green Fund, more than 850 olive trees have been transplanted to date – of which 10% are more than 400 centuries-old years – in more than 60 Municipalities and Public Bodies.
As of 2020, when the aforementioned action is financed by the Green Fund, in the last two years 470 olive trees (10% of the centuries-old ones) have been transplanted, while it is estimated that by 2024 the total number will far exceed 1,000.
“ERGOSE shows a sense of responsibility towards the environment, society and people, and for this reason it has planned and is planning on its own initiative an innovative program of replanting olive trees from lands referred to railway projects. The olive tree, as part of the Greek tradition, always symbolizes peace, hope and resilience, claims that are timeless and with particular weight in the midst of the present situation.
It is important to put the environment into the equation, as it is a condition for sustainable development, the demand of today’s era”, emphasized the president and CEO of ERGOSE, Mr. Vinis.
The initiative of ERGOSE
ERGOSE developed on its own initiative the aforementioned innovative environmental action, which is part of the Corporate Social Responsibility framework and is being carried out for the first time in Greece by a public company. Its purpose is to save, through replanting, the olive trees which are expropriated as abutting lands, required for the development of the new railway projects. The official start of the action was nine years ago, while from 2020 the administration under Christos Vinis secured funding from the Green Fund.
The usual practice until then was the uncontrolled cutting and conversion of olive trees into firewood. Their management and utilization through their free availability for transplanting to Municipalities and public bodies, causes a challenge for ERGOSE, which aspires not to lose a single olive tree in the areas where railways are presented.
The owners of the olive trees are compensated based on the court decisions issued and therefore they are then a public asset. Olive trees now adorn central points of common countries chosen by their hosts, upgrading the quality of life of citizens and at the same time conveying an important environmental message to new generations.
The transplanting of the century-old olive tree to a central point in the exhibition space of TIF-Helexpo took place on Saturday 10/9, the day of the opening of the Exhibition.