Cyclades Preservation Fund

Introduction

In September 2021, our Foundation sponsored the Cyclades Preservation Fund (CPF) for the “Revegetating the Cyclades” project.

CPF is a member of the Conservation Collective, a global network of local philanthropic funds focused on protecting, preserving and restoring the natural environment.

Since its establishment, CPF has been seeking to support replicable solutions and create synergies among insular communities. In the first 3 years of operation, it has supported over 37 projects that took place on 18 islands.

Utilization of donation

Through the initiatives Greening Schools and Regenerating the Cycladic Ecosystem, CPF has been supporting planting and soil anti-erosion activities in the Cyclades in order to demonstrate the area’s rich biodiversity, with particular focus in collaborating with local non-profit entities and the educational community.

Driven by the success of the botanical gardens created in Paros and Kimolos and the soil anti-erosion measures implemented at Paros Park, as well as the demand of the Cycladic schools for more hands-on environmental activities, CPF decided to expand biodiversity demonstration and revegetation to more locations.

The “Revegetating the Cyclades” project aims to scale up the two aforementioned initiatives and expand them to other islands, such as Syros and Amorgos.

Furthermore, the implemented practices will be presented and shared, to provide inspiration and promote networking and knowledge exchange.

The “CPF Cycladoscope” –The Networking & Best Practices Observatory for the Cycladic Environment– is under development and aspires to become the Go-To platform on environmental sustainability, for entities and citizen groups of the Cyclades (and beyond) that are looking to network with likeminded initiatives, learn from success stories and mistakes of the past, explore best practices that can be replicated and adapted to their local environment and cultural specificities.