Kissavos
February 2, 2017
Sporades Islands
December 19, 2016
Rebirth of an Ancient Lake
Lake Karla at the foothills of Mavrovouni and north Pelion was one of the largest in Greece until it was drained, a process that was completed in 1962. Its surface stretched to as far as 19 hectares and it had a depth of 6 meters.
The small lakeside communities all around it had cohabited together for centuries, in a way that had changed little with the passing of the centuries. Lake Karla was known in antiquity (2500 BC) with the name Voivis.
In the medieval period, the lake changed its name and from Voivis became Karla, while the local population also called it Valtos (swamp).
In the prehistoric period, the water level of the lake fluctuated wildly as a result of the various sediment deposits, which by the 20th century had reached 40-50 meters, when the government decided to partially drain the lake and then build a reservoir.
The history of Lake Karla reveals how the links between the natural environment and the local communities have come apart.The lake was once one of the best-known wetlands in the Mediterranean, with a high degree of biodiversity and a distinct local culture, which was particularly pronounced within the fishing communities of the region
Today a great effort is underway to recreate the lake ecosystem so as to revive the ancient lake once more, even to a smaller size.This important work is proceeding satisfactorily and the restoration efforts are positively impacting its fauna.
Lake Karla and its surroundings are designated as an Important Bird Area and a NATURA 2000 site. Ducks and birds – including pelicans and flamingos – love the lake, while the mountain of Mavrovouni attracts chiefly birds of prey. Cormorant, coot, and mallard duck are just some of the types of waterfowl living in Lake Karla, which has developed into a very important wetland that’s home to many types of birds.
Noteable recordings of local bird species include the Wigeon (Anas penelope), teal (Anas crecca) and some Pochards (Aythya ferina), as well as species of ducks such as the Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis) and the Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus). Also of great importance is the presence of pelicans (Pelecanus crispus), flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus), and grey herons (Ardea cinerea).
At the lake, 128 species of birds have been documented, 106 of which are migrating birds...
According to the Hellenic Ornithological Society, over 200 different kinds of birds have been documented in Lake Karla (with 450 in the whole of Greece). The Society's winter counts in mid-January revealed that Lake Karla was buzzing with over 22,700 birds in 2012, ranking fourth in the number of waterfowl, right after the country's large key wetlands (Ambracian Gulf, Evros and Messolongi). In 2015 the Society recorded 660 pelicans in Karla, making it the fourth largest colony in Greece for this emblematic bird species threatened with extinction. Note that Greece hosts 20% of the world population of the species, making it the most important country for the species on a global scale.