As a result of the islands’ geology, Lesbos has two very different landscapes. On the western side, volcanic rock dominates. The soil is very shallow and rocky and in most places, supports only a vegetation of dwarf shrubs, known as phrygana. Trees are mostly restrained to the river valleys.
In the north and east, the soils are deeper and the landscape is lusher. Here you find the classic Mediterranean mix of tall, evergreen scrubland (macchia) and woodland. Woodland consists mostly of evergreen oaks, but locally there is also Turkish Pine (Pinus brutia) and on limestone soils, extensive old olive groves.

Coastal wetlands

The coast of Lesbos is largely rocky, but in several places there are small wetlands. The largest of these are those at the Bay of Kalloni. Since the bay extends so deep into the island, these are pretty much in the heart of the island – not where you’d expect coastal marshes. The core area consists of saltpans, but there are large areas of grasslands and marshes with saltwort present too. The Saltpans of Kalloni are rich in waders and herons.
Elsewhere, there are small wetlands wherever there are river mouths. Lesbos has quite a few rivers, but since the island is small and the mountains not very high, the wetlands tend to be small and dry out in summer. Even though many of these ‘wetlands’ are not more than a small meadow and a few puddles, they are extremely important for birds, particularly during spring migration.

Rivers and streams

Streams are veins of life all over the Mediterranean, and Lesbos is no exception. Most of them are lined with trees, particularly with Oriental Plane Trees (Platanus orientalis). This tree might well have the biggest girth of any European tree species. Lesbos certainly has jaw-dropping, spectacular specimens. The damper and more nutrient-rich soils of the river valleys and the soothing shade underneath the canopy make the river valleys to great habitat for plants. There are also a number of rare dragonflies, butterflies and birds.

Scrubland

Scrublands come in the form of Macchia and Phrygana. Technically, the difference between the two is the height, macchia being tall (up to man-sized) and phrygana being low (up to knee-height). On Lesbos, these scrublands are also linked to different soils and therefore are found on different areas of the island.

Macchia grows mostly in the east and phrygana in the west, giving the two parts of the island a very different feel. The east is lush, colourful and flowery, at least in winter and spring. The west has a wild and rugged beauty. The plant species also differ strongly, as do the birds and reptiles.

Forests

Forests are mostly found on the higher slopes and in the northern part of the island. In the latter area, oaks dominate, in particularly Valonia Oak (Quercus macrolepis). These forests are mostly open, with flowery grasslands between the trees – a structure that reflects grazing of cattle and pigs. In the mountains of the western part of the island, Turkey Pine (Pinus brutia) is the dominant tree. These forests are denser. Close to the coast in the Gulf of Kalloni, there are some beautiful Turkish Pine forests with massive trees. This is the haunt of the rare Krüper’s Nuthatch (see species top ten).
Around Agiasos in the east, there are also handsome beautiful chestnut groves and forests, which have a beautiful spring flora with wild tulips, anemones and orchids.

Olive groves and arable land

Olives are one of the main agricultural crops of Lesbos. The groves are mostly ancient with trees that are centuries old. Importantly, they are usually not ploughed, which means that bulbous plants do well underneath the trees. Many of the olive groves are full of orchids in spring. The olive groves tend to hold fewer birds than most other habitats in Lesbos, but they are the key habitat for the sought-after Masked Shrike.

Cliffs and rocky slopes

Rocky terrain can be found all over Lesbos, from steep coastal cliffs and rocky islets to the peaks of Mount Olympus. The thin soil and extreme drought (particularly those facingfaces south) make them a harsh environment for plants. Nonetheless, there is a large number of specialist species to be found. For reptiles and insects, the warm rock surface combined with the many shady crags create an ideal location to live. The same goes for birds. Several species are unique to the cliffs, such as Eleonora’s Falcon (on coastal cliffs), Blue Rock Thrush, Chukar and Western Rock Nuthatch. The latter two are again species of the eastern Mediterranean.

The naturalist top 10

Ten highlights of your visit to exploring Lesbos

Lesbos is an easy island to travel around, but it is just too large to explore conveniently  from one base. Staying at two or three places is recommended if you want to explore to cover the whole island. The island has an extensive bus system with a good website in both Greek and English, but most buses run only a few times per day. This means that, in the end, the hire car remains the easiest and most convenient way to travel.

Sustainable tourism

Although it is hard to travel to Lesbos in an environmentally friendly way, it is easy to support the landscape and nature conservation whilst you are there.

• Especially in the villages, a lot of food is grown organically even if it isn’t labelled as such. Seek out the local food in the small village establishments. Most dishes have seasonal ingredients that come directly from the land or the forest.
• Use the small village hotels and BnB’s rather than the large chains on the coast, so the local community receives income from your visit.
• As above – buy in the local shops and buy local produce. There are many women’s cooperatives in the villages that maintain the local crafts and culinary traditions. It is a feast to get to know them and supportsupports the local community.
• Tap water is safe to drink as well as water from the many natural water sources.
• Don’t be reticent, hold back and show that tell locals it is the landscape and wildlife you are coming forfrom. The more people see that the local wildlifewiuldlife is a source of admiration as well as a source of income, the more likely it won’t be over-exploited.
• Coastal lagoons and freshwater ponds are important resting spots for migrant birds. When you go out birding, keep in mind that as these sites are small, birds are easily disturbed.

The book

The Crossbill Guides are the most comprehensive nature travel guides available. Each Crossbill Guide covers in-depth descriptions ofon landscape, habitats, geology and all the species groups, and links these to routes where this can be seen.

These routes are typically a mixture of walking and car routes with stops and short walks. Combined, they cover all the sites for birdwatching, butterflies, dragonflies, plants, mammals and reptiles. They are also set out to give you the finest examples of the ecosystems and geological features.

The Crossbill Lesbos Guide covers:

• 224 pages
• 17 detailed routes
• 22 site descriptions
• Landscape history
• Ecosystems
• Geology
• Flora and Fauna
• Where to watch birds
• Finding mammals, reptiles, butterflies, dragonflies and wildflowers