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Prespa National Park (Parku Kombëtar i Prespës) is a national park in the municipalities of Devoll and Pustec of Korçë County in southeastern Albania.

Designations
Established as a national park on 18 February 1999, Prespa initially spanned 277.5 km² but underwent a revision to 276.1 km² following a government legislation on 26 January 2022. The park is under the administration of the Agjencia Kombëtare e Zonave të Mbrojtura (AKZM) in conjunction with the Albanian Ministry of Environment. It is recognised within the category II framework of protected area management by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The Ramsar Convention designated the Prespa Lakes as a unified Ramsar Site on 13 June 2013. Subsequently, in 2014, the park was incorporated into the Ohrid-Prespa Transboundary Biosphere Reserve as part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves under the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme. Both lakes along with Mali i Thatë are listed as Important Plant and Bird Areas. Apart from this, the park is part of the European Green Belt and the Transboundary Prespa Park shared among the adjacent countries.. Furthermore, it has gained the confirmation in the register by the European Wilderness Society as a potential member of the European Wilderness Network.

Geography
Prespa is situated in Korçë County of southeastern Albania bordering North Macedonia to the northeast and Greece to the southeast. The park encompasses the municipalities of Devoll and Pustec and the villages of Buzëliqen, Cerjë, Diellas, Gollomboç, Goricë e Madhe, Goricë e Vogël, Kallamas, Lajthizë, Pustec, Rakickë, Shuec, Tren and Zaroshkë. Its commitment to conservation includes the protection of the mountain range of Mali i Thatë, the islet of Maligrad, the valley of Devoll as well as the basins and Albanian portions of the Great and Small Prespa Lakes, recognised as one of the most ancient existing lakes in Europe. The Great Prespa Lake extends on the tripoint region of Albania, Greece and North Macedonia, while the Small Prespa Lake stretches further southward along the border between Albania and Greece. Mali i Thatë, in connection with the mountain range of Galičica in North Macedonia, forms a disconnection between the Great Prespa Lake and its sister lake Ohrid Lake.

Climate
The climate of Prespa and its surrounding region is characterised as Continental European with Mediterranean influences. Despite its contiguity to the Mediterranean Sea, the sea has a limited influence on the climate of the Ohrid-Prespa region in consequence of its isolated location within high mountains. The warmest month in the region is July with an average temperature rising to 19.2 C, while by contrast, the coldest month is January with an average temperature falling to 0.2 C. Precipitation ranges between 600 mm and 700 mm within the lower parts of the region. In the mountain belt, it increases up to 800 mm or 900 mm, while in the high-mountain belt it can reach up to 1400 mm.

Affected by climate change and human impact, the Prespa Lakes underwent a critical decline in water levels that posed a threat to water quality. Sediment studies on the lakes highlighted climatic fluctuations over the past two millennia, marked by warmer, drier conditions and diminished snowfall. Scientific research established correlations between annual lake variability, wet season precipitation and North Atlantic oscillation. Notable human activities, particularly water extraction during a regional drought from 1987 to 1995, significantly contributed to the reduction in lake levels. Researchers also observed a regional climate shift, characterised by declining annual rainfall and snowfall, coupled with an increase in drought occurrences.

Ecology


Prespa is home to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems with each of them housing its own flora and fauna. The lakes, rivers and wetlands of Prespa are the foremost components of the park's aquatic ecosystem. The Prespa Lakes can be divided into multiple ecological zones despite the variable surface area and depth. The littoral zone of the lakes forms the transitional area between the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, which allows emergent, shrub or tree vegetation to flourish. By contrast, the pelagic zone occupies the deep mainly naturally non-vegetated parts of Prespa. The riverine zone encompasses the stream and channel systems as well as their associated vegetation. Reedbeds are the other principal components of the park's aquatic ecosystem, occurring at the edges of both lakes.

The terrestrial ecosystem of Prespa comprises forests, shrubs, meadows and pastures. Its oak forest zone is dominated by deciduous oak and ranges from 600 m to 1300 m. Thereupon extends the beech zone with deciduous beech to elevations from 1200 m to 1900 m, such as in the eastern slopes of Mali i Thatë. Mixed deciduous beech and coniferous fir forests are broadly distributed in the regions at elevations from 1500 m to 1800 m. Shrubs in combination with forests stretches from the hills around Pogradec through the western slopes of Mali i Thatë to the Albanian-Greek broder in an altitude from 600 m to 1800 m, however, alpine shrubs can be found at regions higher than 1800 m. The alpine meadows and pastures are the regions higher up the beech zone, in particular on Mali i Thatë, whose principal vegetation is grass.

Biology
Flourishing within the marshes and wetlands of the park, the Dalmatian pelican has established itself as a notable resident in Prespa, evidenced by an observable increase in population and expanding colonies across Albania. The Small Prespa Lake further contributes to the pelican's significance, hosting important breeding populations of the species. Additionally, the lakes are renowned for hosting other notable bird species, including the White pelican and Pygmy cormorant.
 * https://rsis.ramsar.org/RISapp/files/RISrep/AL2151RIS.pdf


 * Balkan lynx
 * The strategic location of Prespa adjacent to the Shebenik National Park suggests a crucial ecological role, acting as a potential corridor for the movement of the Balkan lynx.


 * The park falls within the Pindus Mountains mixed forests terrestrial ecoregion of the Palearctic Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome.


 * Approximately 1,130 species of vascular plants have been identified in the park belonging to the European and Mediterranean floristic regions.


 * Prespa National Park houses a diversity of faunal species, including 60 species of mammals, 270 species of birds, 23 species of reptiles, 11 species of amphibia and 23 species of fish.


 * The mountains are one of the last European homes of brown bears, wolves, chamois and wild boar whilst the lake host breeding colonies of Dalmatian and White Pelicans as well as pygmy cormorants.


 * Among the most renowned species in Prespa are the Brown bear, Grey wolf and Red fox.


 * https://spp.gr/news/press-releases/world-wetlands-day-restoring-prespas-wetland-habitats/