The last surviving remnant of a once-extensive wetland on Lake Ohrid's eastern shore, holding flora and fauna substantially different from the lake itself. In February 2021 both Lake Ohrid and Studenchishte Marsh were designated Ramsar Sites – Wetlands of International Importance – after twenty-seven years on the Ramsar Shadow List, following a proposal from the citizens' initiative Ohrid SOS supported by the Society of Wetland Scientists.
This is the exact site a 2015 urban plan proposed to drain and build over, and the fight against that plan is what created Ohrid SOS. Restoration is now an active effort bringing together the Macedonian Ecological Society, the Mediterranean Alliance for Wetlands, international restoration experts and government, with the stated aim of benefiting both the wetland and the people living beside it.
Local tip: Read Ohrid SOS before you come. Understanding what nearly happened to this shoreline changes how the whole lake looks.
Good to know
- Where: eastern shore of Lake Ohrid, Ohrid
- City: Ohrid
- Website: official site