€3.786 million proposal strengthens protection of Karaağaç–Borugölü lagoons
The proposal comes in addition to the already secured €760,000 allocated for Lake Vistonida under the Regional Development Program (PPA Eastern Macedonia & Thrace 2021–2025).
Launch of Lake Vistonida Water Management Study
Topsidis attended the opening workshop of the study titled “Water Management Plan for Lake Vistonida and Delimitation of Shoreline and Beach Zones”, organized in Gümülcine by the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace, in the presence of Secretary General Dimitris Galamatis.
The event marked the official launch of a critical environmental study focused on safeguarding Lake Vistonida and its surrounding ecosystems. During the session, experts presented the study’s scope and methodology, followed by in-depth discussions among public authorities, institutional stakeholders, and members of the scientific community.
Secured €760,000 Under Regional Program
The project has been integrated into the “PPA Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace 2021–2025” under the Priority Axis “Promotion, Protection and Utilization of Natural Heritage (Biodiversity, Natura Areas, etc.)”, securing €760,000 in funding.
According to Topsidis, the management plan establishes a stable institutional framework that:
- Enhances flood protection for lakeside communities
- Ensures environmentally safe stormwater management
- Prevents illegal encroachments through official shoreline and beach delimitation
- Supports rational land-use planning and sustainable development of lakeside zones
€3.786 Million Proposal for Lagoons and Porto Lagos
In parallel, the Region has submitted a major funding proposal under the PALYTH Program (Action 1.6.1), totaling €3,786,000, targeting Porto Lagos and the broader Vistonida lagoon ecosystem.
The proposal includes:
- €3,600,000 in Technical Interventions
- Restoration and deepening of sea communication inlets
- Deepening of overwintering basins
- Reinforcement of embankments
- Replacement of fish barriers
- Protective infrastructure works
- €186,000 for Scientific Monitoring
- Collection of hydrological data
- Satellite-based water quality monitoring
- Provision of geospatial data and early-warning alerts for fishermen via a digital platform
- Strategic Commitment to Biodiversity
Topsidis emphasized that these initiatives demonstrate the Region’s strategic commitment to biodiversity protection and the sustainable management of sensitive ecosystems.
“The protection of our natural heritage is not a theoretical objective,” he stressed, “but a structured plan with secured funding and measurable results.”
The Porto Lagos–Vistonida lagoon complex represents one of Northern Greece’s most ecologically significant wetland systems, hosting diverse habitats and playing a crucial role in fisheries, flood management, and regional climate resilience.
