Aegean islets at the mercy of goats

Goats are contributing to the desertification of the Aegean islets. For centuries, these islets have endured the harsh forces of the open sea and have served as vital habitats for humans under challenging circumstances. However, European Union programs have led to uncontrolled and subsidized overgrazing, resulting in a tragic situation.

Theodoros Tsimpidis, director of the Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation, recently returned from a field research expedition on the Aegean islets aboard the research vessel Aegean Explorer. He expresses his concern, stating: "We are witnessing a tragedy. We are destroying our own environment and disregarding centuries of experience." The interdisciplinary Aegean Islet Conservation Project, involving Archipelagos and the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design at the University of Toronto, aims to address this...