On July 23, 2025, a devastating wildfire swept through the village of Souni in Cyprus, leaving behind a stark and heartbreaking landscape. The aerial footage above, captured by drone in the days that followed, reveals the full scale of the destruction: vast areas of forest reduced to ash, blackened hillsides, and homes damaged or destroyed.
What was once a thriving Mediterranean ecosystem is now a scarred and fragile land at risk of further erosion and ecological collapse.
Our Response
As a reforestation initiative, we are currently developing a comprehensive restoration plan for the affected areas. Our approach is both immediate and long-term — focused on protecting the land, supporting natural regeneration, and preparing for future resilience.
Key components of our restoration plan include:
- Preventing soil erosion before the rainy season: Without vegetation cover, the bare soil is highly vulnerable to erosion. We are preparing a range of measures including mulching, digging water retention pits, and other natural barriers to help stabilize the land and slow down water runoff.
- Sourcing native seeds: We are currently identifying suppliers of native seeds suitable for reforesting the burned area. In parallel, we are planning to organize local seed collection efforts, involving volunteers in gathering seeds from surviving vegetation in nearby regions.
- Water retention strategies: We are exploring small-scale check dams and water catchment structures to slow down water runoff, reduce erosion, and recharge the soil moisture — all of which are critical for seedling survival and long-term forest recovery.
- Community engagement and education: Local residents and volunteers will be involved at every step — from soil stabilization to tree planting — helping to rebuild not only the ecosystem but also the sense of connection with the land.
What Comes Next
Recovery will take time. But nature is remarkably resilient when given the chance. Our goal is to accelerate that natural process through smart, science-based interventions that support succession and soil health — without relying on costly or artificial solutions.
We will share updates as the restoration plan progresses. If you’d like to support this effort — whether by volunteering, donating, or simply spreading the word — please get in touch.
Together, we can turn this tragedy into a new beginning.