Mount Athos: A Unique Monument of Nature

FoMA’s first ever conference and exhibition outside the UK took place in Thessaloniki on 12 September 2025 on the unique landscape of Mount Athos and the ways in which it can be protected. Partnering with the Mount Athos Center for the first time, the event brought together monks, scientists, academics, conservationists and others with an interest in, and love of the Holy Mountain. The one-day conference also saw the launch of a photographic exhibition running to 3 October at the Thessalonki History Centre, featuring pictures of the mountain’s forested and biodiverse landscape and the path clearing activities being carried out there each year for the past 25 years by FoMA members.

Talks included on the flora, fauna and fungal diversity of Mount Athos by Dr Stephanos Diamandis, former Research Director of the Forest Research Institute; the management of the Holy Mountain’s chestnut Forest in view of climate change by Nikos Gounaris, Forestry Consultant for the Mount Athos Authority; and the origin of the Black Pine by Professor Spyros Galatsidas of the Democritus University of Thrace. The second session focussed on walking and working on the Holy paths by FoMA member Andrew Buchanan and a talk on the topography of the Holy Mountain by Peter Howorth, Publisher of the Mount Athos Map.  

Chris Thomas, FoMA’s Vice-Chairman who leads the footpath clearing project, said; “This was an exciting adventure for us and one that I hope we can bring home to the UK before too long. It allowed many people who care for the Holy Mountain to explore and discuss various aspects of the landscape and to highlight concerns such as the impact of over-pilgrimage and other human activities. Mount Athos is the spiritual heart of Orthodoxy and we must do what we can to preserve it in a way that the serves the Holy Fathers who live there and offer us so much support and love. I am enormously grateful to Anastasios Douros and his wonderful team for the excellent organisation and I want to say a big thank you to the global FoMA community who made an enormous contribution, in particular John Arnell, Andrew Buchanan, Peter Howorth, Dimitris Bakalis, Roland Baetens, Panagiotis Tatooles, Rob Carr-Archer, Spiro Deligiannis, David Greybe, Leslie Currie, Harry Spry-Leverton, Konstantinos Dolmas and everyone else whose photographs are featured in the exhibition”.

A summary and communique will be issued shortly and a recording of the conference will be made available.