Vistonida lake
|
Vistonida Lake Vistonia Lake, Vistonis Lake |
||
|---|---|---|
|
||
| The Vistonida lake at high water level | ||
| Geographical location | East Macedonia and Thrace Region , Greece | |
| Tributaries | Kosynthos, Kompsatos and Travos | |
| Drain | Canals to the Aegean Sea | |
| Data | ||
| Coordinates | 41 ° 3 ′ 0 ″ N , 25 ° 7 ′ 0 ″ E | |
|
||
| surface | 42 km² | |
| Maximum depth | 3 m | |
| Middle deep | 2.5 m | |
The Vistonida Lake ( Greek λίμνη Βιστωνίδα , also Vistonia Lake or Vistonis Lake ) is a body of water in northeast Greece between the regional districts of Xanthi and Rodopi .
General
Together with Porto Lagos , Lake Ismaris and neighboring lagoons, Lake Vistonia forms the largest Greek wetland area under the protection of the Ramsar Convention .
Lake Vistonida was formed five million years ago. The name was given to it after the Bistons, a Thracian tribe that lived in the area; the steeds of the bistone king Diomedes are known from the Herakles saga.
The sea area is 42 km². The size of the lake fluctuates - depending on the season - by about 6 km². The average depth of the lake is 2.5 m, the maximum depth 3 m.
The local differences in the salinity of the water are a peculiarity of the brackish water lake. In the northern part of the lake the water is sweet because of the fresh water inflow of the three rivers Kosynthos, Kompsatos and Travos, while the southern part of the lake is very brackish because of three channels that connect the lake to the sea.
Ecological importance
300 of the 422 animal species found in Greece are native to Lake Vistonida. The ecological survival of the area is threatened by hunting (although the use of firearms is prohibited in parts of the area), by settlement and tourism (whereby alternative tourism is subsidized by the state), but also by commercial fishing, agriculture and industry.
Bird species
The lake provides with its Tamariskenufern , extensive reed thickets and marshes of the most important wintering grounds for migratory birds represent all kinds, especially Blässrallen and various ducks - and goose species . Others use it as a stop on their onward flight.
Spoonbills , redshanks , avocets and several species of tern are found as breeding birds . Pelicans , flamingos and the red lapwing , which only occurs here in Europe, are among the bird species that can be visited, as is the rare white-headed Ruddy Duck .
Abundance of fish
In addition to the numerous bird species, the abundance of fish (37 species, including eels and mullets and the rare subspecies Chalcalburnus chalcoides macedonicus , Leuciscus cephalus macedonicus and Triturus cristatus karelini ) is worth mentioning; the endemic herring subspecies Alosa alosa vistonica , which used to be native here, is now considered extinct.
Other animal species
In the riverine forests and bushes around the lake and in particular in the delta of Komsatos live wild cats , jackals , badgers , wolves and deer species .
Plant species
Rare and endangered plant species include the pondweed species, dense pondweed ( Groenlandia densa ), water hazel ( Trapa natans ) and the beach rye subspecies Leymus racemosus sabulosus .
Ownership structure and real estate scandal 2008
Lake Vistonida and the waterfront properties are the main criticism in a scandal over controversial real estate transactions between the Greek state and the Vatopedi monastery at Athos . The lake was allegedly bequeathed to the monastery by the Byzantine emperor almost 1000 years ago. Although the claims were in dispute, the state recognized them. In exchange for the lake with its entire water surface and the bank area, the monastery received 260 more valuable properties in touristic developed areas, such as in the Olympic village in Athens, some of which it immediately resold at a profit. "They sold the lake - in other words" air "- to the state and got valuable offices, land and buildings in Athens for exchange," criticized the opposition. The damage suffered by the Greek state as a result of the lake properties claimed by the monastery being heavily overvalued and the barter properties being greatly undervalued is estimated at 100 million euros. This real estate scandal shook the government of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis severely; it initially led to the resignation of the Merchant Navy Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis, who was involved in the real estate business . Two prosecutors resigned because the government interfered with their investigative work. The government spokesman , Minister of State Theodoros Rousopoulos , friend of the Vatopedi abbot Efraim and at the same time close confidante of the head of government, also came under heavy attack from the opposition ; he resigned from office on October 23, 2008. The Archimandrite Ephraim was arrested on December 25, 2011 by the Greek police a few days later in the high security prison Korydallos in Athens brought.
The lake and the hydrobiotope surrounding it are to form the new "East Macedonia and Thrace National Park". This should underline the claims of the state on the lake towards the Vatopedi Monastery. The monastery wants to take legal action against this decision.
Porto Lagos and its lagoon
South of the Vistonida lake on a spit-like strip of land is the small fishing village of Porto Lagos with a fishing port on a small lagoon.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ List of Ramsar Protected Areas (English) .
- ↑ Tourist brochure of the Xanthi Prefecture (English) ( Memento of the original from February 25, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ BirdLife International: Porto Lagos, Lake Vistonis, and coastal lagoons (Lakes of Thrace).
- ↑ Greek Ornithological Society: Description of the area with a list of bird species (English)
- ↑ Tourist brochure of the Xanthi Prefecture (English), p. 33 ( Memento of the original of February 25, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Tages-Anzeiger of October 22, 2008: "Investigations against monks from Holy Mount Athos"
- ↑ taz of October 20, 2008: "Greek Prime Minister under pressure" "
- ↑ The Standard of October 22, 2008: "Order on Mount Athos triggers real estate scandal."
- ↑ Handelsblatt dated December 27, 2011: "Greek abbot under suspicion of money laundering"
- ↑ Welt-Online of December 28th, 2011: "Real estate abbot must be in high security wing"
- ↑ Tages-Anzeiger of October 22, 2008: "Investigations against monks from Holy Mount Athos"
