A huge plastic and metal tree aims to be the tallest in Europe in Christmas 2025. The problem of this “monster” is that it has been installed in one of the most beautiful forests and natural landscapes of Greece, in Samaria Gorge on the island of Crete.
The lighting of one of the largest Christmas trees in Crete, in Omalos, Chania, took place today, Sunday, December 21.
The 45-meter-tall tree has been installed next to the parking lot of Samaria gorge, an area that is an integral part of the National Park and is governed by a strict protection regime.
The Tree Lighting fiesta included activities for children and adults, food and drinks, while a music stage with live music was also set up.
Video: Lighting ceremony
Visitors and organizers may have had fun, however, the fake tree in the middle of a landscape of wild natural beauty has triggered strong reactions, sparked heated discussions about the management of the country’s protected areas, and many negative comments on social media.
According to local agonaskritis.gr, the entrance to the Samaria Gorge has become a field of confrontation over the boundaries between festive events and environmental protection. The initiative to light a massive Christmas tree in Omalos, Chania, provoked an immediate and strong reaction from the Natural Environment and Climate Change Organization (OFYPEKA) with its president raising the issue of legality and aesthetic compatibility within the National Park.
The image of the illuminated tree in the wild natural landscape of Crete, although impressive in size, provoked various reactions, with the focus of the concern focusing on the necessity and compatibility of such interventions in an ecosystem of global scope.
The president of OFYPEKA, Kostas Triantis, expressed his opposition to this action in the most official and categorical way. Through a public intervention on social media, the head of the protected areas management body did not limit himself to a simple expression of dissatisfaction, but proceeded to make a sharp statement on the essence of protecting the natural environment.
“The protected areas of Greece and especially the Samaria National Park do not need lights and plastic or metal trees,” Triantis noted and went further from the aesthetic or environmental aspect.
“The rest is up to the competent authorities,” the president added clearly implying that the issue does not end with a public statement, but may be followed by institutional procedures or audits by the competent services for the legality of the specific action within the Park.
