World Notes GREECE

The forests of Greece are vanishing, victimized by woodcutters and urban development, fire and torrential downpours. Now concern is growing that goats may be an even greater challenge to Greece's shrinking woodlands.

Nearly 5 million goats trample the Greek countryside, munching on leaves and nibbling at seedlings. While countries such as Bulgaria and Yugoslavia have banned goat raising to protect their forests, Greeks apparently prize the animals much too highly to contemplate life without them. Says Niki Goulandris, a museum curator in Athens who has mounted an exhibit about the damage done by the gluttonous grazers: "Greeks must eat their goats before the goats eat their forests." To that, most Greeks would respond with a vigorous "Baa."