Raising Awareness / Related projects

16 Feb

Current Project
16/02/2024

Alterations to the Agios Germanos River since the 1930s have adversely affected the spawning needs of Prespa’s unique endemic fish species, amplifying the challenges they face from climate change and eutrophication. Restoring the old fluvial spawning habitats would help fish populations increase, while the river’s clear, well oxygenated waters would greatly improve water quality in Lesser Prespa Lake, which needs high-quality waters to maintain its basic hydrology cycles and health,...

20 Mar

Completed project
20/03/2023

Despite their seemingly small length and significance, Prespa’s streams and river, together with their distinct riparian vegetation and habitats, are ecologically important biodiversity hotspots and a valuable source of water and life for Prespa, the lakes and their adjacent wetlands. Aiming to better understand and promote the functions and values of these waterways and riparian habitats on the Greek side of Prespa, the Society for the Protection of Prespa (SPP)...

05 Jul

Completed project
05/07/2023

The principal aim of this project was to improve the conservation status of the Dalmatian pelican and the pygmy cormorant, but the activities also directly benefited at least 18 other species covered by the Birds Directive. The main actions included the reconstruction of a sluicegate that channels water from Lesser Prespa Lake (Mikri Prespa) into Great Prespa Lake (Megali Prespa), in order to improve water-level management of the former; the...

22 Mar

Completed project
22/03/2023

The gradual reduction of traditional animal husbandry over time, combined with various practical problems, has gradually limited the extent of the managed surfaces around Lesser Prespa Lake. Due to reduced water inflows, mainly because of climate change, the lake’s water level no longer rises sufficiently enough to create wet meadows, and this is leading to further shrinkage of waterbird feeding grounds. In 2016, the Society for the Protection of Prespa...

07 Jul

Completed project
07/07/2023

The project "Strengthening NGO-led Collaboration to the Transboundary Prespa Basin" was implemented between 2018 and 2021 by the partners of the PrespaNet network (SPP, Macedonian Ecological Society – MES, Protection and Preservation of the Natural Environment of Albania – PPNEA) with the funding of the Prespa-Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT) and the Aage V. Jensen Charity Foundation and support by EuroNatur.Against of background of long-term efforts to foster transboundary collaboration in...

06 Jul

Completed project
06/07/2023

Mediterranean forests are under considerable pressure from a range of negative environmental trends. In the case of Grecian Juniper Woods (GJW), priority habitat type *9562 and a unique habitat within the Greek Prespa National park (also expanding in the neighbouring countries, Albania and North Macedonia), the major threat is the abandonment of traditional, low intensity human intervention. In the past, human activities like livestock grazing, pruning and cutting for fodder...

29 Aug

Completed project
29/08/2023

The place in mainland Greece that have had the privilege of an authoritative and detailed description of their plants and vegetation gathered into a single volume can be counted on the fingers of one hand, and with this book Prespa is honoured to join their number.Prespa is equally distinguished by the richness of its plant diversity. Within its relatively small area - 275 km2 - the region has both the...

11 Jul

Completed project
11/07/2023

In the words of its author, Giorgos Catsadorakis, the scientific consultant of the Society for the Protection of Prespa (SPP) and one of Greece’s most notable conservationists, this publication is a “…book written with a fourfold purpose: to paint an all-round picture of Prespa, with enough information and technical data to make it intelligible and enjoyable for the lay reader while at the same time catering for more specialist interests;...

06 Jul

Completed project
06/07/2023

The Prespa basin is located at the borders between Greece, Albania and Macedonia. It is surrounded by mountains and contains two lakes. The Prespa lakes contain around 23 species of fish, including nine that are endemic. Native carp are important to the fishery sector. However, the introduction of non-native species poses a threat to the structure of endemic fish populations. Long-term monitoring has shown, for example, that Prussian carp (Carassius...

05 Jul

Completed project
05/07/2023

The Prespa Integrated Ecosystem Management (IEMP) project was a large international project, carried out with Global Environment Facility (GEF) support. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was the implementing agency, and the project was executed in three components, one each for Albania and North Macedonia, and a transboundary component that also referred to Greece. The overall project goal was “The conservation and sustainable use of globally significant biological diversity and...