Konstantinos Karoubas

Greetings to all,



Spring is upon us.
And this is my attempt to report on our progress in planting trees etc.

The following text is a bit long but it summarizes where we stand and where we are headed.

Thanks

Kostas

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Full Forest Conversion Project – Update
Today we visited the pine forest near Thessaloniki, where we have been planting acorns as part of our effort to gradually convert the existing pine forest into an oak forest.

Why We Need to Act
The pine forest faces serious threats. Experts around the world warn that pine trees growing below 1,000 meters in elevation are increasingly likely to die from drought, forest fire, or disease — all of which are driven by the changing climate. But beyond the threat of death, pine forests are simply not the most desirable ecosystems. They store water poorly, release relatively little moisture into the atmosphere, and produce acidic soil beneath their canopy.

Oak forests, by contrast, are far more resilient and ecologically rich. Their soil is healthier, they retain water more effectively, and they breathe significantly more moisture into the air. This matters more than many people realize: trees release moisture that forms clouds, and clouds produce rain. In essence, when you plant trees — especially oak trees — you are planting rain. An oak forest is a far more powerful rain-generating ecosystem than a pine forest.


Our goal is to convert the pine forest into an oak forest before disaster strikes — before fire, drought, or disease strips the land bare and leaves nothing behind.

Fortunately, oak trees are one of the few species that can grow beneath pine trees. They coexist naturally, growing side by side, which makes a gradual transition possible. Rather than purchasing young oak trees, planting them, and watering them individually — a process that is expensive and labor-intensive — we are planting acorns directly into the forest floor. This is a more natural, scalable, and cost-effective method.

The three most common oak varieties in our area are the Holm Oak (or holy oak), the Evergreen oaks, calliprinos or Palestine Oak, which keeps its leaves year-round, and the Common Oak, which is deciduous and sheds its leaves seasonally. Both are part of our planting effort.
Progress and Setbacks
We are making progress, though we are also experiencing setbacks and learning as we go. That is expected at this stage.


What Success Looks Like
In five to ten years, success will mean seeing healthy oak trees reaching 50 cm to a meter or more in height, growing alongside the existing pine trees. When and if the pine trees eventually die, the oaks will be ready to take their place — ensuring the land is never left bare and exposed.

We do not want to face a future of ash and bare soil after a devastating fire or diseases. We want a living forest — one that cleans the air, stores water, provides habitat, and offers a place for people to walk, breathe, and connect with nature. That is our goal, and that is what we are working toward, one acorn at a time.

Field Update – What We Found Today
In this video, we share what we observed during today's visit. There are both encouraging results and disappointing ones, as is to be expected at this stage.

We are particularly encouraged by how vigorously the Palestine oak trees are growing — and it is still early in the season. By mid-June, and even more so by August and September, we will have a much clearer picture of what has survived and how the different varieties are progressing.


Scale of the Project
We are currently planting acorns in eight to ten locations in and around Thessaloniki, spanning as far south as half an hour from the city. We are also planting in areas that have previously been devastated by fire, and we still need to visit those sites to assess how they are recovering. In addition to our work in northern Greece, we have planted acorns in southern Greece near Sparta, at elevations ranging from 300 to 1,100 meters. We plan to visit that area in the summer and will share a dedicated update, as the conditions there are quite different from what we see here.


Why Each Location Is Unique
Every site presents its own challenges. Soil conditions and microclimates vary significantly from one place to another. For example, young oak seedlings pushing up through heavy clay soil or dense rock will face very different obstacles than those in looser, more forgiving ground. We expect different oak varieties to respond differently depending on these conditions, and part of what we are doing is learning which types of acorns are best suited to which environments — whether the determining factor is soil composition, moisture levels, elevation, or some other microclimate variable.


A Bigger Vision
This is a large and complex project, and honestly, it is one that deserves the attention and resources of a university research program or a major nonprofit organization. We hope that one day it will attract that kind of support. In the meantime, we will keep planting, keep observing, and keep sharing everything we learn

This is discusses the damage by wild pigs

Kostas

Greetings,




Today we visited several areas where we planted acorns over the last two or three months. Unfortunately, in some locations nearly 90% of the acorns had been taken by wildlife. It could be field mice or other small animals that are attracted to the large acorns we planted.


This is the first time we have planted such a large number of evergreen oak acorns, and it is also the first time we have seen losses on this scale. In one area alone we planted perhaps 200–300 acorns, and almost all of that effort was lost.


We have had similar experiences in the past. Years ago, when planting almonds, we lost hundreds—possibly even a few thousand—to field mice. Thinking about it now, the large evergreen oak acorns are roughly the same size as almonds, so it makes sense that they would be a delicacy for local wildlife.


In another area we noticed heavy activity from wild pigs. These animals tear up the ground while searching for food, so anything planted there is likely to be disturbed or destroyed.


Although this wildlife activity is frustrating and sets us back, it is also part of the natural cycle. There is little we can do about it, nor should we try to eliminate it.


Interestingly, our experience after forest fires has been very different. For the first couple of years after a fire, wildlife such as wild pigs and field mice tend to move away from the burned areas. During that period we can plant many almonds or acorns with very little loss. However, this window of opportunity may only last two or three years before the animals return.

Kostas

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/ILlrFfLt5qE


Greetings,

Today we planted acorns, even though it’s a bit late in the season for planting. Recently there has been very little rain, so the soil is quite dry. We had kept the acorns in the refrigerator for over two months, and we were happy to see that they survived well and remained in good condition.

If we just planted the acorns in the soil as it is (dry), there's a good chance the acorns will not survive - there is no rain forecast over the next 10 days.

Since we finally had the time today, we took the opportunity to plant them. To improve their chances of survival, we added damp vermiculite to the soil. Vermiculite has the ability to hold moisture for long periods, and we hope it will help keep the acorns alive until the rains arrive. Ideally, this will give the young roots enough time to grow deeper into the soil, where they can find more moisture and nutrients.

Through this process we are becoming much more aware of how important soil moisture is when planting acorns. If there is too much water, especially in heavy clay soil, the acorns can rot. On the other hand, sandy soils can dry out quickly and create the opposite problem. Because of this, we are learning how useful soil additives such as vermiculite or hydrogels can be in helping acorns survive and grow during difficult conditions.

Kostas

Today we’re doing something a little different.

We’re at our farm, about half an hour south of Thessaloniki. This is a natural farm, and the land has not been plowed for about 25 years.

Our goal is to introduce what is called biology into the soil. Ideally, we would do this with animals — for example, a herd of 25, 30, or even 50 sheep. The sheep would graze lightly on the land, eating about half of the plants above ground. The rest would be trampled, and the animals would also urinate and deposit manure. This process would introduce biology into the soil and help improve soil health in an accelerated way.

Since we don’t currently have access to sheep, I’m trying a different approach. I’m taking fresh compost and placing it directly on the soil surface. We’re not digging and we’re not burying anything. After placing the compost, we cover it with dry or green leaves.

We’ve done this in about 20 to 30 different spots across the farm. I honestly don’t know how this will behave, and I don’t have a way to monitor it closely. This is the first time I’m doing this.

The best-case scenario is that it’s wildly successful: the biology in the compost thrives in the soil and gradually spreads throughout the farm. The worst-case scenario is that it does very little — the quantity may simply be too small to have a major impact.

I don’t have a way to measure the results yet, and as I said, I’m at the very beginning of this process. Still, I don’t think this can do any harm. Even if the impact is small, it doesn’t damage the land. And personally, it has already been beneficial for me — spending time with the land and the soil matters.

If anyone knows more about this than I do, I’d really appreciate hearing from you.

Thanks.

Kostas

Greetings, and all the best for the new year to all !!!



This is at the community food forest project, at its northern end, where this section of land is currently bare. The soil here is extremely light-colored, calcareous (lime-rich), and has a high clay content.

Our immediate objective is to establish cover crops to protect the land from direct sun exposure, prevent further degradation, and begin rebuilding soil health. By doing so, we aim to increase organic matter, improve soil structure, and gradually restore fertility to this area.

Cover crops such as vetch and field peas produce large amounts of organic matter while also fixing nitrogen in the soil.

As mentioned earlier, all seeding is done by hand broadcasting; we do not plow the land. We use a limited number of clay seed balls, mainly because they are difficult to transport—the site is not accessible by car.

If vetch and field peas are scattered directly onto bare soil, they are unlikely to establish successfully. They require some existing ground cover to protect the young seedlings from wind and the sun.

To create suitable conditions for these plants, we broadcast barley in early December at close spacing. The barley was sown just ahead of significant rainfall, giving it the opportunity to germinate and establish, providing shelter and microclimate protection for the legumes that will follow.

The approach of first establishing barley—or other grains such as rye—to cover the land, followed by broadcasting vetch and field peas, appears to be working. When conditions are favorable, vetch is able to reseed itself, gradually creating a system in which soil fertility improves year after year with minimal human input.

At the same time, we are attempting to establish additional species such as alfalfa. Although we have not yet been successful, we will continue experimenting and adapting our methods until it becomes established.

Plants such as arugula also perform very well in this area. Arugula is often the first plant to emerge in the fall, and it thrives under local conditions, contributing significantly to our efforts.

Other species, including Mediterranean heartwort, oregano, and mustard, also establish successfully. Together, these plants are helping us build ground cover, increase organic matter, and gradually improve soil fertility at the site.

The challenges presented by this bare piece of land have turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I am grateful that this problem arose.

Kostas

Greetings to all,

And  I hope happy holidays for all,

Peace on earth !!!

The 1st one is about the ponderosa pines in the western US states. Unfortunately they are on the way out  (and not coming back).

If Franklin Roosevelt was alive and in charge, he would send thousands of well paid workers to plant million of broad leaf trees in their place (and he would have started 10 years ago).

The 2nd story is about the 2025 drought in Vermont and the northeast US. We associate droughts with Mediterranean climate regions like the west US or Europe where there are few trees and long hot summers. A lack of dense tree cover and especially broadleaf trees plays a big part in these droughts. But Vermont is heavily forested; it's not like the Mediterranean regions.

The drought is the results of the global climate conditions not the local conditions, so I guess the conclusion might be we need to look after the whole planet not just our corner of the world. We cannot escape the destruction of the forest in Africa or the Amazon we need to repair the whole earth.

Kostas


https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/the-american-wests-most-iconic-tree-is-disappearing/


https://www.vermontpublic.org/show/vermont-edition/2025-10-07/drought-conditions-hit-vermonts-farms-and-forests

(This was a big surprise for me)

Just a brief update

In this location we've been planting acorns in the past 2 or 3 years, and for whatever reasons very few have survived,

And it's not a reason to be discouraged.

Sometimes, and  we don't know why they happen but we move on forward.

That's what this vid is all about.

Kostas

We are  in the process of collecting acorns from the holm oak trees nearby, which are beginning to mature right now and it's a good time to discuss this very important type of an oak tree.

Kostas

Greetings to all,

We are refining our method of planting  acorns.

In the way we're preparing to learn how to plant acorns in more dry climates than northern Greece by adding vermiculite and maybe hydrogels later on.

We will see how these acorns do in the spring, and whether they sprout or not,  and then how they survive the summers, which are getting hotter and dryer unfortunately.

Kostas