Prespa

Prespa National Park in southeastern Albania protects the Albanian portion of the Prespa Lakes basin, shared with North Macedonia and Greece. The park encompasses the shores and surroundings of Great Prespa Lake and Small Prespa Lake in Korçë County, forming part of the transboundary Prespa Park — the first transboundary protected area in the Balkans. The Albanian section covers approximately 27,750 hectares of lake shores, wetlands, agricultural land, and mountain slopes rising to over 2,600 metres. The Prespa basin is internationally recognized for its exceptional biodiversity, particularly its bird life, and holds outstanding natural and cultural heritage values.

The Prespa Lakes are globally significant for wildlife. Great Prespa Lake hosts one of the world's largest breeding colonies of Dalmatian pelican (300–400 pairs) and Pygmy cormorant. The lakes and wetland margins are critical habitat for great white pelican, spoonbill, black stork, and dozens of duck and wader species. The mountain slopes above the lake support brown bear, wolf, otter, and chamois. The lakes contain 17 species of fish, of which 7 are endemic to the Prespa-Ohrid system, including the rare Prespa trout and Prespa bleak. The endemic biodiversity of the Prespa lakes basin is of international scientific significance, with numerous invertebrate endemics also recorded.

The park's vegetation includes extensive reed beds along the lake shores, managed agricultural land with traditional orchards (particularly apple trees), and oak-beech forest on the surrounding hills. Mountain vegetation on the higher slopes includes subalpine scrub of dwarf juniper and mountain pine, transitioning to alpine grassland at high elevations. The lake shores support halophytic vegetation. Water lily and various aquatic macrophytes grow in the shallower lake areas. The Prespa region is known for its apple orchards, which are an important local agricultural heritage feature. The wetland vegetation provides critical nesting and foraging habitat for the pelican colony.

The Prespa basin is a tectonic depression formed by extensional faulting during the Neogene period. The basin is part of a chain of tectonic lakes including Lake Ohrid and Lake Shkodër that formed as the Balkan Peninsula was stretched along north-south trending faults. Great Prespa Lake sits at 853 metres elevation, while Small Prespa Lake is slightly higher at 858 metres. The surrounding mountains are composed of Paleozoic metamorphic rocks and Mesozoic limestone. A remarkable feature of the Prespa-Ohrid system is the underground karst connection between Prespa and Ohrid lakes — water flows from Prespa through limestone aquifers to feed Lake Ohrid springs.

The Prespa basin has a continental climate modified by the moderating influence of the large lakes. Winters are cold with average January temperatures of -2 to -5°C, and the lake surface occasionally freezes partially in severe winters. Summers are warm with July averages of 20–22°C. Annual precipitation is approximately 800–1,000 mm, distributed more evenly than coastal Albania due to the continental influence. The surrounding mountains receive substantially more precipitation, with heavy winter snowfall above 1,500 metres. The lakes create a moderating microclimate that extends the frost-free growing season somewhat compared to surrounding land areas. Late summer thunderstorms are common.

The Prespa basin has been inhabited continuously since at least the Bronze Age, with archaeological remains of lake-dwelling settlements found on islets and along the shores. The area was part of the medieval Kingdom of Samuel of Bulgaria and subsequently the Byzantine, Serbian, and Ottoman empires. The village of Pustec (Lin) on the Albanian shore retains a Greek-speaking Orthodox community with medieval church frescoes. The agricultural tradition of apple growing in the Prespa microclimate dates to Ottoman times. The region was a theatre of conflict during the Greek Civil War (1946–1949), with significant population displacement on all sides of the border.

Albania established its portion of the Prespa National Park in 1999, as part of a coordinated transboundary initiative. Greece and North Macedonia had established their respective protected areas in the 1970s and 1990s. The Prespa Agreement, signed by the three countries in 2000, formalized cooperation in management of the shared ecosystem. International support from organizations including WWF, MedWet, and the EU LIFE program has been crucial to the park's development. The transboundary Prespa Park model has been recognized as a pioneering conservation initiative promoting both ecological protection and diplomatic cooperation among the three neighboring states.

The park's primary attraction is the Dalmatian pelican colony, best observed from boat tours on the lake during the breeding season (April–June). The island of Maligrad in Great Prespa Lake, accessible by boat, houses a medieval church with Byzantine frescoes and cave hermitages. Hiking trails access the mountain slopes above the lake with panoramic views over all three countries. The traditional stone village of Psarades on the Macedonian shore and Agios Germanos on the Greek side offer cultural tourism. Birdwatching tours focus on the pelican colony and the diversity of wetland species in spring. The Prespa apple harvest in autumn is a regional cultural event.

The Albanian shore of Prespa is accessed via the Korçë-Pogradec road, turning south near Pogradec. The village of Pustec serves as the main base for visitors to the Albanian section. Basic guesthouses and agrotourism accommodation are available in the village. Boat tours for pelican viewing can be arranged locally. The park has limited formal visitor infrastructure. Korçë, 80 km to the south, offers the nearest city-level services. The transboundary nature of the park makes it interesting to visit in combination with Macedonian and Greek sections through organized tours. The border crossing at Blato provides access between countries.

The Prespa Lakes basin faces threats from agricultural intensification and water extraction reducing lake levels, untreated sewage discharge from lakeside settlements, illegal fishing including use of illegal nets near the pelican colony, and climate change altering the hydrological balance. Coordination among three countries for consistent conservation standards presents ongoing governance challenges. The declining water level of Great Prespa Lake is a particular concern, attributed to reduced rainfall and increased irrigation demand. Sustainable apple production programs link local agriculture with conservation, providing an economic model that supports both livelihoods and habitat maintenance.