TUI Forest Rhodes

The 2023 wildfires on Rhodes caused catastrophic damage to the island’s natural environment, leaving vast areas completely consumed by fire, except for a few, centuries-old olive trees. This devastation impacted both the environment and local communities;  the area has been completely abandoned by farmers and the local community, leading to accelerated soil erosion, as fertile topsoil is washed away by torrential rains, leaving behind infertile rocky ground.

The TUI Forest Rhodes restoration site is only 1,000 metres from a protected Natura 2000 wildlife refuge, home to foxes, hares, badgers, weasels, deer, hedgehogs, lizards, turtles, bats, and numerous bird species. The impact of the fire has forced the island’s wildlife to move towards urban and tourist areas to find food and water, causing disturbances and even road accidents. Additionally, nuns from the nearby Holy Monastery of Panagia Ypseni depended largely on the area’s olive groves for their livelihood, and these have now also been destroyed.

TUI Forest Rhodes restores 80,000 square metres of fire-damaged forest land. 3,060 trees newly planted trees, including 2,000 olive trees, form the core grove, with 500 carob trees providing a protective fire-resistant perimeter, 500 cypress trees offering water efficiency and fire resistance, and 60 zitia (Liquidambar) trees attracting the endemic Jersey Tiger Moth, known as the famous Rhodes butterfly. The project also puts organic and conservative agriculture systems in place which protect the soil and monitor tree health and wildlife species.

Critical infrastructure, including fencing the restored area, prevents uncontrolled grazing by animals, and a sophisticated irrigation network draws water from a natural spring, with backup from the island’s central water network. A comprehensive fire protection system also provides essential safety infrastructure. Additionally, and serving as a hub for environmental education, volunteer coordination and visitor engagement, an existing stone building on the land is converted into an education and information centre.

TUI Forest Rhodes creates multiple nature-based tourism experiences including a natural regeneration trail passing through the restored forest, and experiential seminars for children at the Education Centre focusing on forest ecosystems and biodiversity.  It also offers opportunities for visitors to get involved and plant their own trees. Comprehensive signage at strategic locations provides biodiversity information, and there are educational displays at the Education Centre.

The restoration of 80,000 square metres of forest and habitat helps to mitigate climate change by stabilising the soil, increasing biodiversity and by contributing to carbon sequestration. A new habitat is created for the endemic Jersey Tiger Moth and 28 other animal species, and the first irrigation and fire prevention infrastructure in the fire-damaged area is established. Community engagement increases, with approximately 1,500 volunteers expected to participate in tree planting, species observations, and the creation of biodiversity routes. Economic opportunities expand through the creation or maintenance of 45 jobs, with long-term livelihoods supported for 15 nuns through olive grove maintenance and production. Visitor experiences are enhanced through authentic environmental interactions, with approximately 4,800 people expected to engage in nature-based experiences over three years, including domestic and international tourists, as well as students.

‘Gia Ti Fisi’ is an environmental organisation aiming at the protection and restoration of the natural environment, as well as the anthropogenic heritage of Rhodes and surrounding Dodecanese islands. With reforestations, seed collections, biodiversity recordings, protection of marine life on the coasts that show intense tourist exploitation, as well as with a series of environmental education and awareness-raising activities, the organisation is creating tools for a viable and sustainable path for the triptych: human – tourism industry – natural environment. Through its actions, the organisation cultivates ecological awareness and promotes the protection of nature as an integral part of the everyday life of the economy and society.

The project is implemented in collaboration with the Rhodes Co-Lab Sustainable Destination, an initiative of the South Aegean Region, TUI Group and the TUI Care Foundation, in cooperation with the Municipality of Rhodes, stakeholders, and the local community. It aims to co-create solutions that will transform Rhodes into the world’s first holistic sustainable tourism destination.