Saving the Cretan Palm
Some of the small Phoenix theophrastii palms sent from The Winter Gardens in Sunderland, grown from seed collected some years ago at Vai, have now been planted at the Bayview Development on the south coast at Magriakalos.

Other palms have been planted in private gardens in the east of the island and these are being carefully monitored for evidence of the red palm weevil. We have found specimens of this destructive insect in the square in Elounda. It is a threat to the endemic Cretan Palm forests at Vai and Préveli and every effort needs to be taken to try to stop its progress.  More here.