Agricultural University of Athens and Municipality of Nea Smyrni "join forces" for the city's Grove

The start of an important collaboration is marked by the Program Agreement signed on Friday, March 14th between the Agricultural University of Athens and the Municipality of Nea Smyrni, for the Revitalization and Restoration of the Nea Smyrni Grove.

The contract was signed by the Mayor of Nea Smyrni, Giorgos Koutelakis, and the Rector of the Agricultural University of Athens, Spyros Kintzios, while the signing ceremony was attended by the Vice-Rector of Research, Finance and Development, Thomas Bartzanas.

The Rector emphasized that he looks forward to "excellent cooperation" between the two sides, and pledged that the Agricultural University will support the Municipality and its future actions to upgrade the city's greenery.

In a cordial atmosphere, the Mayor had earlier welcomed the Rector and Vice-Rector of the Agricultural University of Athens, expressing his joy for the Municipality's cooperation with "the leading scientific institution of its kind in the country", as he described Agricultural University, but also his impatience for the studies that will upgrade the city's most important green lung to begin.

From the Agricultural University of Athens, 18 highly respected scientists will contribute to the project with the aim of a documented guide to the management and expansion of the city's plant wealth, soil condition and water resources management.

In the first phase, the Program Contract, worth 69,000 euros, which will be delivered in 18 months, provides for the preparation of a study to evaluate the existing vegetation, the possible pathogens in the ecosystem of the Grove and the reinforcement of the existing planting with trees compatible with the ecosystem and resistant to the microclimate of the area-given climate change. It will then propose ways to manage water resources, as well as improve soil quality to support native and ornamental vegetation in combination with a special horticultural study.

The contract was prepared by the Deputy Mayor for Green and Youth, Costas Anagnostopoulos, and the Special Advisor for Environment & Climate Change, Margarita Karavasili, in close collaboration with the Vice-Rector of the Agricultural University, Professor Thomas Bartzanas.

The signing of the contract was also attended by the Deputy Mayors of Municipal Property, Legal Affairs & Choirs, Marialena Angelidou, Municipal Project Coordination, Thalia Adapa, Digital Transformation & KEP, Elias Sozos, and Playgrounds & Disability Policy, Mr. Dimitris Ferentinos.