The 1st Greek Local Event of the project “Wetland4Change – Wetland-based Solutions for Adaptation, Risk Prevention, and Climate Change Mitigation” of the INTERREG EuropeMed cross-border program was successfully held on Tuesday, November 5th, at the premises of Kinimatotheatro of the Municipality of Irakleia. The event aimed to inform attendees about the goals, actions, and expected outcomes of the project, as well as to initiate a dialogue with stakeholders involved in the conservation, management, and promotion of wetland resources and in the design and implementation of adaptation and mitigation measures for climate change.

The event was organized by the Goulandris Natural History Museum/Greek Biotope-Wetland Centre (GNHM-EKBY) in collaboration with the Municipality of Irakleia, the Regional Unit of Serres, and the Special Management Service of the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2023-2027. Over 50 participants attended from various services of the Municipality of Irakleia (Department of Environment and Green, Technical Service, Civil Protection Service, Department of Tourism, Social Protection), the Regional Unit of Serres (Subdirectorate of Technical Works, Civil Protection), the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia-Thrace (Water Directorate, Directorate of Rural Affairs, Directorate of Environment and Spatial Planning), Management Unit of Protected Areas of Central Macedonia-NECCA, the Property Service of Serres, the Greek Buffalo Breeders Association, farmers, ecotourism professionals. Teachers, and students from primary and secondary schools in the area also attended.

In the first part of the event, the GNHM-EKBY presented the project and its actions with emphasis on the ecosystem services of carbon storage and mitigation of floods impacts that are provided by wetlands, and highlighted the need for the adoption of nature-based solutions and measures for the conservation and restoration of wetlands.

The second part of the event focused on dialogue and the exchange of opinions on the following thematic areas: a) Prospects and challenges for projects related to nature-based water retention and wetland restoration, b) Measures and provisions for wetlands in the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy 2023-2027 (CAP Strategic Plan), and c) Prospects and challenges for wetland promotion and tourism.

Overall, the multi-dimensional value of Kerkini Lake and of the wetlands of the Strymon River catchment for climate change, was highlighted. The need for flood protection was recognized as a major issue, with a general consensus that wetland conservation and restoration should be promoted as a nature-based solution alongside flood control infrastructure. Special mention was made on the conservation and restoration of old riverbeds, as well as on the need for the implementation of mountainous water management projects.

In the thematic section on mandatory measures for wetlands in the CAP Strategic Plan (i.e. wetlands as carbon sinks, water bodies, and landscape elements), it became clear that further and more targeted information for farmers is required, in collaboration with the relevant services of the Municipality and the Region. The need for restoration of wetland areas around Kerkini Lake was also emphasized, as well as their potential use for grazing, particularly of buffaloes, with mutual benefits for the National Park and buffalo breeders, as grazing in wetlands is considered a compatible agricultural use for carbon storage.

In the third thematic discussion, the recreational value of Kerkini Lake and the wider area was emphasized, both for the local residents and visitors from Greece and abroad. The tourism services provided focusing largely on Kerkini Lake, depend directly and crucially on the preservation of biodiversity and the landscape, as well as on the conservation and restoration of smaller wetlands within the Strymon catchment, as they, together with Kerkini Lake, form a valuable network supporting wildlife. Furthermore, special tourist groups, such as birdwatchers, researchers, wildlife photographers, and others, have expressed particular interest in projects that promote the conservation and restoration of wetlands and nature in general.

Finally, through the discussion, it was pointed out that ambiguities regarding the legal protection of wetlands complicate the work of services in the planning and monitoring of conservation and restoration measures.

The fruitful dialogue and exchange of opinions at this 1st Local Event of the project, set the basis for the development of collaborations and synergies for better planning and taking-up of wetland-based solutions to address the climate crisis. The 2nd Local Event on the progress of the project will take place in June 2025.