Thank you for the idea!
Yes, Sifnos is full of almond trees, both domesticated and wild ones. These almonds I planted on September 24, 2022. I got them all from a tree on a neighboring field less than 200 meters away, although it is a tree that is growing on the corner stone walls that are about 1.5 meters high, so it was well protected from the wind when first growing.
In Sifnos, there are wild pear trees and pomegranate. Also many many fig trees, and cypresses. Of course a ton of olive trees as well, and some laurel and Leucaena in less windy areas. I have not seen any oak or laburnum trees. There is also tree spurge, though that is more of a succulent. No other note-worthy trees I've seen grow wild, and the mastic here is more of a bush than anything.
I will do what you said, and not water the ones I don't want. Do you think that 1.5m distance is good? I will also add a little
fetid swamp water fertilizer that I made 6 months ago to them. I planted them perpendicular to the wind so that when they get windswept, the branches will not be interfering with each other.
No issues with unrestricted goats, and I have fencing around to make sure nothing comes in.
I attached a pic of the windswept tree that I got the almonds from, I find it beautiful and gives hope that nature finds a way. Note how the branches that are directly hit by the wind are dried out and then protect the green ones. This is a pattern I see in all windswept olive trees and anything. If you cut the dead branches off, then the ones facing the wind will die off again, so best to just keep them on.