Into the wild heart of Greece’s mainland

The European Nature Trust is proud to partner with the environmental NGO Callisto. This foundation was established in 2004 to protect the natural environment of Greece as a public and collective good. With expansive programmes to protect wildlife and encourage coexistence across the wildest areas of Greece, including the Pindos National Park, Callisto has emerged as the leading environmental organisation in the country. It is here in the vast, forested valleys of the Pindus that we direct our support for Greece’s natural environment. 

Landscape images: Credit, Costas Zissis

The Wilder Side of Greece

Though Greece is internationally renowned for its islands, cultural history and archaeological significance, the forests of Greece are remarkable with high ecological value and unique biodiversity. The country’s geographical location and geology have contributed to a significant variety of woodlands stretching from the maritime areas to the peaks of the highest mountains. TENT focuses our partnership with Callisto on the Northern Pindus mountains. Here, populations of bears, wolves and wild boar help to regulate healthy ecosystems, including some of the wildest rivers in Europe and the most intact stretches of forests. In North Pindos, the Zagori, Konitsa, Metsovo and the western part of the prefecture of Grevena regions constitute an area of ​​outstanding natural value and biodiversity with a particularly rich cultural and historical heritage. Forests occupy about 80% of the territory.

Working for human-wildlife coexistence

Callisto works to ensure smooth coexistence between native wildlife and communities, preserving ancient traditions with livestock breeders, beekeepers and farmers in Greece’s agricultural sector. Our partners at Callisto believe that mitigating conflict is central to achieving long-term protection of bears and wolves – which healthy ecosystems in wild Greece need – and to alleviating the impacts of livestock damages to communities. 

Callisto operate a range of coexistence programmes, many with the support of the EU’s LIFE Programme. These include, installing electric fences as a damage prevention measure; reducing the impact of road networks on carnivore mortality; establishing a livestock guardian dog exchange network; providing immediate intervention teams to instances of livestock damages; and establishing a social dimensions group focused on understanding issues of human-wildlife coexistence in the community. Large, landscape-scale conservation programmes currently active include the LIFE Wild Wolf initiative seeking to improve healthy coexistence between humans and wolves; the LIFE Bear Smart Corridors programme; and many more.

 

Visit Wild Greece and Support Callisto’s conservation efforts

On our new 8-night Wild Balkans Coexistence Adventure, journey through the rugged mountains and ancient forests of North Macedonia and Greece, where bears, wolves and Balkan lynx roam wild.
Guided by local conservationists from Callisto and the North Macedonian Ecological Society, discover the people and projects working to protect this extraordinary landscape and its wildlife.
From the Pindos mountains to the Prespa lakes, your journey supports efforts to safeguard habitats and build coexistence between communities and large carnivores.
With 50% of every trips cost donated to our conservation partners, experience the wild Balkans while directly supporting its protection.

DISCOVER THE WILD BALKANS HERE

Watch the first of three films created by Callisto, Brown Bears in the Northern Pindos: Research for Their Protection. These short films showcase the vital conservation work being carried out across Greece’s Northern Pindos region, where wildlife monitoring, habitat restoration, and collaboration with local communities are helping to safeguard brown bears, wolves, and the many other species that depend on this remarkable landscape.

“Callisto’s collaboration with TENT is an important step for us in strengthening the work we do in the valuable area of Northern Pindos towards protecting wildlife and the coexistence of humans with it”

Spyros Psaroudas
Director, Callisto