Healthy habitats in Prespa: making space for life to thrive!

Over the last three years the PrespaNet partners, MES, PPNEA and the SPP, have collaborated on a deep-dive project to pinpoint and extensively map the crucial wetland habitats of our internationally important transboundary lakes, assessing their ecological status, as well as the pressures and threats they face. Kicking off the network’s first large-scale project together in 2018, this work began as a MES activity on their side of the lakes basin, with support from the SPP, but grew to encompass all three sides of the watershed – a great example of how working together and learning from each other can ultimately bring rewarding results.

Working with phyto-sociologist Prof. Giorgos Fotiadis from the Agricultural University of Athens, who led the expert team carrying out this work and supporting our partners, the SPP has completed the final report on the outcomes of this trilateral effort. For the first time, we now have a clear understanding of the area’s most important wetland habitats, several of which are priority habitat types at EU level. Most importantly, we understand the transboundary picture and have management recommendations for how to protect and maintain these critical parts of our ecosystem, allowing us to work with management authorities across the basin to safeguard our shared wetlands for the future.

The PrespaNet project, “Strengthening NGO-led Conservation in the Transboundary Prespa Basin” (2018-2021), was funded by the Aage V. Jensen Charity Foundation and the Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust, with support from EuroNatur.