An Interview – Theodore Karfakis

This week on ‘An Interview with WiseOceans’ we spoke with Theodore Karfakis from Terra Sylvestris

Name: Theodore Karfakis

Role: Director Kalamos and Kastos sustainable development program, director of Kalamos island biological field station

Company: Terra Sylvestris

Top Tip: Be persistent and follow your heart

What inspired you to pursue a career in marine conservation? 

I wanted to do something about the issues that touched me deeply as important for the oceans especially for the region I am from

How did you obtain your current position? 

We created a local charity to help address some of the issues with the environment in our area

Which part of your job do you enjoy the most?  

Knowing that I help solve problems for the environment every day

Are there aspects of your position which make you feel that you are really ‘making a difference’? 

We came in as an organization to make a difference. My position is that of a person willing to take up risks that no one else would have. We are a local grassroots independent organization hence we can do things that many other organizations active in our area simply cannot do but are important like working directly with landowners

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were starting out?

That your work would be subjected to criticism and the impacts of this

Are there any skills you never thought you would need but did?

Yes legal ones, there are times I wish I had studied law (joke!)

What advice would you give to budding marine conservationists?  

Be persistent and follow your heart, don’t be afraid to take risks, life begins at the edge of the comfort zone. You don’t need to be a diver to do marine conservation work , nor necessarily also to drive a boat.

What is your favourite marine creature and why?

Corals because of their importance and unique ecology and biology

What is your most unforgettable moment in the sea?

When I dived when still in high school to a reef that was so spectacular with little blue fishes and also bigger ones. The reef is now almost dead due to anthropogenic influences.