Grove of Neas Filadelfias in Greece

New Philadelphia Grove is an important green lung for the city of Athens and where many species of wildlife find temporary or permanent refuge. It spreads over 420 acres and is not a remnant of an older natural landscape. It began to be created gradually from 1914 with tree plantings on the calm hill next to the Podoniftis stream. In 1914 the first official tree planting of the then bare hill took place. During the war, the grove was destroyed and in 1948 a new reforestation took place. The last major tree plantings took place in the years 1994 & 1995, while on a smaller scale they are still held today (approximately every year). On February 29, 1956, the construction of the Lake, which was completed in 1966, was approved, and on June 19, 1959, its fencing was approved. On March 26, 1959, the Municipal Cinema, located at the entrance of Alsos, was founded.
In 1976, with modifications of the road plan, a Tourist Pavilion was built on the site of the lake, while in 1956 it was installed inside the Alsos Meteorological Station (EMY Service). From 1955, the collection of animals and birds began and a rudimentary Zoo became operational. The inauguration of the zoo took place on May 25, 1986, and lasted until 1995. On October 17, 1995, the bears began to be transferred to their natural habitat (Environmental Center "Arcturos", in Nymphaeum, Florina), and on May 20, 1996, their removal wildlife, completed on January 16, 1997 with the removal of the last lion, and since then the zoo has been closed.
Today it is a strip of greenery that stretches from northeast to southwest between the municipalities of New Philadelphia and New Ionia. The rich vegetation, the presence of the lake, the proximity to Podoniftis and the low building factor of the area, have turned the New Philadelphia Grove into an important living area for many species. The vegetation consists mainly of Aleppo pine, but also cypresses, carob trees, eucalyptus, plane trees, etc. The grove has a great protagonist, the green-winged. During the spring evenings during the breeding season, one can see dozens of these beautiful toads walking on the pine needles in search of a mate, and a little later thousands of small green fountains flood the areas with water. Other reptiles that are encountered are rare lichens, large terrestrial turtles, tranosavars, samiamids and lanceolates. From mammals you can find bats, while a species of small mouse that often appears in weeds expects to be identified if it is an agronomist.

Alsos of New Philadelphia

The richness of the birdlife for such a small area is surprising. The grove visiting many common small birds such as goldfinch, greenfinch, finches, robins, lefkosousourades, Yellow Wagtails, mafrolaimides, skathrakia, Eurasian Siskin, stachtomygochaftes, charcoal, mafromygochaftes, stavlochelidona, spitochelidona, monks, Eurasian Blue Tit, Flipbooks, Sardinian Warbler, and each autumn pass small herds rare crosses. From the predators, rock carcinogens, scavengers and occasional hawks have been observed, while in the tall trees several guinea pigs and owls nest. In the small island of the lake, the sporadic presence of water cutters and cobblestones has been observed. Goats, chewing gum and cockroaches fly in the woods while on its borders one meets green parrots. Important is the number of many jackals that nest in the holes of abandoned buildings, and finally the presence of quail and partridges has been reported.

The New Philadelphia Grove with its beautiful trails and rich, for the city, wildlife is an excellent field for environmental education and exploration.