A cultural organization on the island of Skiathos has been leading a local campaign in an effort to curb pebble-stealing at one of the island’s most popular tourist beaches, an offense which now earns fines ranging from €400 to €1000.
“Take pictures, not pebbles-save Lalaria beach,” reads a campaign poster created by the Cultural Association “Skiathos,” whose members said the ongoing removal of the small rocks from the picturesque Lalaria Beach is changing its topography.
“The rounded white pebbles we call “lalaria”(from the ancient [Greek] word ‘las’ = stone) are created only in that specific area, which is accessible only by the sea,” Thodoris Tzoumas told the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency. “In recent years, we have undertaken, in cooperation with the Port Authority of Skiathos, an information campaign for the protection of the beach.”
According to a statement from the cultural organization, evidence shows that the beach’s unique landscape has changed immensely over the past 10 years, making its conservation all but necessary to at least prevent further degradation.
In 2014, the “Skiathos” association proposed special measures to the island’s port authority, which responded to the issue of pebble-stealing by imposing hefty fines of €400 to €1000.
Additionally, in order to draw more attention to the problem, members from the island’s cultural organization placed a “take pictures, not pebbles” information both on the beach and on all tourist boats operating nearby.
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