The document summarizes the local practices involved in cultivating olive trees in the Amfissa variety olive grove of Amfissa, Greece. It describes the people, organizations, and communities involved in preserving the tradition. The olive grove is over 1,200,000 trees located within the protected Delphic Landscape. The tradition is transmitted across generations through both practical instruction and environmental education programs, but faces threats from lack of involvement of youth and risks like fires. Efforts are ongoing to safeguard the element through UNESCO recognition and awareness campaigns to sustain the tradition into the future.

1. Local practice inthe cultivationof olivetrees
3o Γυμνάσιο Λιβάδειάς GREECE Σελιδά 1
Inventory for the cultivation of the traditional olive grove of Amfissa
1. Name of the ICH The traditional Olive Grove of Amfissa (in Greek: Elaionas of Amfissa), Cultivation of the Amfissa variety olive trees
The archaeological site of Delphi andthe widerregionisa monumentof high aesthetics,of global historical valueandof outstanding
artistic significance, and is listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The wider area includes a multitude of monuments and archaeological sites from prehistoric to modern times with particular
archaeological, historical, aesthetic and social value that together with the surrounding rural and forest area, the so-called Delphic
Landscape, witnesses the history of the region and contributes to forming a pedagogical and spiritual center with all-time universal
values. To protect the area, which in ancient times was called "sacred earth" and was attributed to the God Apollo, the state has
established protection zones since 1991. The aim is to preserve unaltered "the unique quality of the monument that arises from the
intimate harmony between the ruins of the sanctuary and the intact environment’.
2. People
(individuals, communities, agents,
transmitters, institutions, states)
Delphi Network,Departmentof Antiquities,Environmental Centerof Amfissa,Agricultural OliveOil Cooperativeof Amfissa,
municiplityof Delphi andAmfissa.
3. Language involved Greek
4.Location(s) Regional Unityof Fokidainthe Regionof StereaHellas,Municipalityof Delphi,Municipalityof Dorida,Municipalityof Amfissa
5. Characteristics of the
expression/tradition
The Delphiclandscapeincludesanareastartingfromthe archaeologicalsiteof Delphi andendingatItea.Inantiquity,thisareaincluded
the valley where the rivers of Cupid and Yeltsos were flowing, both torrents today.
The mainfeature of the floraof the regionisshrubvegetation.Muchof this,perhapshalf of the surface area,iscoveredbyolivegroves.
Elaionas of Amfissa is the largest part of the mainland and belongs to the famous Delphic Landscape.It is estimated that more than
1,200,000 olive treesgrowthere,some of whichexceedfive metersinheight, whose age islostinthe depthsof centuries.The firstdata
we have at disposal mention the harvesting of the fruits of the olive groves of Amfissa since the Neolithic Age! First,the Pelasgians,
according to sources, however, planted here olives in the prehistoric times. From then on until today, the use of space has never
changed, besides the many conquerors who have passed.

2. Local practice inthe cultivationof olivetrees
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The olive trees we have today come fromthe inoculationof wildolive treesandbelongtothe well-knownvariety"Amfissa".Mostof
these treesinthe "Eleonas"are perennial,whichmakesthemprotected.The "Delphiclandscape"isconsideredtobe indissolublytied,
both aestheticallyand archaeologically, to the archaeological site of Delphi. For thisreason,it has been designatedas Protected Area
since 1981 (Gov.Gazette 551 /bg / 15-09-1981) andhas beendemarcatedinProtectedAreaA andBbythe ArchaeologicalServicewith
1991 [1] and 2012 Declarations.
Protective zone A is banned for building and farming activities, and for every intervention a permit is required by the Archaeological
Service.Recently,aDelphicLandscape ManagementPlanhasbeendrawnupwithaviewtosustainable developmentand the protection
of the landscape.
The olive oil producedinthe Elaionasof Amfissa isedible.The climate of the area, whichis characterizedasdry, preventsthe growth
of the main enemy of the olive tree, the fungus and thus the use of pesticides is extremely limited. The watering of the treesis done
withroughdams,groovesandpits thatholdthe rainwater,alongwiththe dirtthatdrifts.Thus,the watersupplyof Elaionasof Amfissa,
whichis at an altitude difference of 500 meters,isalso ensured,aswell asthe soil'senrichmentwith"fresh"soil. Elaionasof Amfissa
is characterized as traditional and protected by special provisions.
6.Associated tangible elements(if
any)
The "Delphic Network» for Culture and Tourism in Phocis, is a Civil Nonprofit Company in the form of Article 101 Law 3852/2010
(Kallikratis).The Networkhas,from itsoutset,setoutasone of itsmainobjectivesthe establishmentof anew,importantandextrovert
cultural institution under the name "Delphic Festival".
Dimitris Kouretas, Professor at the University of Thessaly, together with Leandros Skaltsounis, Professor at the University of Athens
(EKPA), VasilisVassiliou,Professor and Dean of the Yale University,School of Public Health and Tasos Kyriakidis, researcher at Yale,
conducted a study under the aegis of the University of Thessaly. The study, which is expected to be presented in the US, includes,
according to Mr. Kouretas, data from chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, as well as the integrated management of the olive
chain, with an emphasis on how to harvest and manage waste.
The Delphic Landscape is a World Heritage site protected of UNESCO.
7. Availability of associated tangible
elements
Yes. Mediterraneandiet,the sacredmysteriesof Orthodoxy,Mythology
8. Performed at what occasion(s)? Cultivationisrepeated everyyear.Differentactivitiesare requiredateachtime of year.It is a turnoverthatgoesfromgenerationto
generation.

3. Local practice inthe cultivationof olivetrees
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9. Key Transmitters
Performed by whom
(age/gender/name)?
All productive peoplecanofferworkinolive cultivation,menand women,fromtheirschool years,underagechildrentothe elderly
whoshare theirexperience withthe youngerones.
10. How transmitted? The knowledgeof cultivationistransmittedlive,the oldereducatethe younger. Also,one canattend afterschool classesorworkshops.
11. Viability, or level of
endangerment;
The level of the endangermentisgreat,asthe youngergenerationsare notas muchinterestedinthe cultivationof the olive treesas
inthe pastyears,as well asthe dangersinherentinthe sustainabilityof the olive grove.Nevertheless,all stakeholdersare making
greateffortstosecure andpreserve the DelphicEleonas.More specifically,Environmental Educationprogramsare beingimplemented
to raise awarenessamongyoungpeopleandeducate teachers,promoteresearchandhighlightthe local,natural andcultural richness
of the DelphicLandscape.
12.Threats (if any); Fire isone of the greatestthreats.A typical example isthe fire inAugust2013, where 5-6-century-oldtreesweredestroyedandthe
Delphiclandscape irreparablydamaged.Anotherthreatisdakos,an insectverydangerousforthe cultivationof the olive tree.The
damage causedisof twokinds,quantitative andqualitative.The quantitative one relatestothe earlyharvestof the olive beforethe
regularharvestingperiod.Qualityreferstothe acidityof olive oilandthe alterationof itsorganolepticcharacteristics,suchastaste.
Also,the bauxite minesinItea,about14 kmfrom Delphi,directlyaffectthe cultivation,sinceitstreatmentinfectsthe subsoil.
Finally,feweryoungpeople are involvedinthe cultivationof olivetrees,resultinginelementsof traditionbeinglostovertime.
13. Safeguarding - local and
international strategies used
Environmental educationprograms,inclusioninprotectedlandscapesbyUNESCO
14. Relevant local organisations
(NGOs and others)(if any);
CenterforEnvironmental Developmentof Amfissa,Delphi Network,Ephorate of Antiquitiesof Fokida(Delphi-AmfissaArcheology
Service),Rural DevelopmentDirectorate of Delphi –Amfissa.CenterforEnvironmental Developmentof Amfissa,Delphi Network,
Ephorate of Antiquitiesof Fokida(Delphi-AmfissaArcheologyService),Rural DevelopmentDirectorate of Delphi –Amfissa
15. Reference to
literature/discography, audiovisual
material/
internet?
Beingan importantpartof the dietandthe economiclife of the Mediterranean areaandGreece,itwasinevitable thatthe longcourse
of the olive tree hadpenetratedthe artisticandcultural life of the local people.Referencestoolive treesandolive oil are made inthe
Homericepics,as well asin poemsbymodernGreekpoets.KostisPalamas,aGreekpoet, praisedthe olive inhishomonymouspoem,
while folk songs often refer to the olive tree and its fruits. It has been, therefore, an inspiration from antiquity to the present day.
Also,olivetreesandoil appearin marvelousfrescoes fromthe MinoanandMycenaeantimes.Inclassicalantiquitywefindolive leaves
in coins and vase decorations. In visual arts, many artists from all over the worldhave works illustrating olive trees because the olive

4. Local practice inthe cultivationof olivetrees
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itself is a work of art and also photographers have recorded it as no other tree.
The cultivationof the Amfissavariety olivetree andthe olive groveof Amfissacanbe foundinonline adsselling extravirginoliveoil.
The ads talkabout the specificdistance betweenthe olivetrees,the shapingof the soil andthe seabreeze thatpermeatesthe olive
treesthroughoutthe year, the handcollectionof the olives,the same time transfertothe olive oil mill,the processof coldextraction
(25 ° C),etc.thatgive the olive oil special aromas,acharacteristicaftertaste andaglobal uniqueness.
16. Community explicitly agreeing to
listing in UNESCO?
Yes
17. Connection to the past/
present/future
The knowledge of the cultivationof the olive tree istransmittedfromone generationtothe next.EnvironmentalEducationPrograms
aimat linkingthe pastwiththe future byinformingandraisingawarenessamongyoungpeople aboutenvironmental issues,so that
attitudesandparticipatorybehaviorscanbe developedtohelpprotectecological balance andqualityof life inadirectionof
protectionandrational managementof the DelphicLandscape.
18. Type of research
(interview,fieldresearch,focus
group interview)
Interview,fieldresearch
19. Informationcollectedby? Studentsof mixedclassesof 3rd
HighSchool of Levadia