Voyrkari
Voyrkari
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Description
Vourkari is located on the southeast coast of the municipality of Megara between New Peramos (formerly Great Pine) and Pachi Megara opposite Salamis. It is a coastal wetland fed mainly from sea and rain.The marine area is a shallow bay-lagoon with a depth of less than 1 meter at its greatest extent, which serves as an ideal natural fish farm. The terrestrial part is periodically covered by water and halophytic vegetation and formerly occupied an area of 5 square kilometers but today due to anthropogenic pressures has been limited to only 1 km².In Vourkari -particularly during the migration period- is recorded an extremely rich and important birdlife with more than 130 different species of birds (herons, flamingos, swans, mallards, cormorants etc.) several of which are rare and endangered both nationally and globally (Limoges, Eurasian curlew, red-footed falcon, sandwich, etc.).
The species for which the wetland of Megara surpasses the usual data of small wetlands of southern Greece -which each of them however remains unique and irreplaceable for the needs of the birds- and is now recognized as a wetland of international importance, is the Mediterranean gull.While it may seem incredible, Vourkari is the largest wetland in Greece and one of the most important for wintering of the kind worldwide as a key habitat that consistently reported large numbers corresponding to more than 1% of the world population of the species!After seven years of continuous, methodical, coordinated and multi-level action of the 'Coordinating Body for the protection of Vourkari (collective founded by local associations of the wider region) and its cooperation with agencies and organizations from all over Greece, the wetland of Megara is just one step from being classified as a 'Regional Park' -as the State Council has already approved the elaborated by the Ministry of Environment Draft Presidential Decree on the protection of it- by joining in this way a permanent and strong legal protection status determination protected areas, land use, building restrictions and the management measures.Trying all now turning to rehabilitation and outreach activities of the wetland such as creating bird observatories and environmental education center, placing information signs, removal of debris, restoration of wetlands tangent to the historic 'Wall Megara' etc.
The species for which the wetland of Megara surpasses the usual data of small wetlands of southern Greece -which each of them however remains unique and irreplaceable for the needs of the birds- and is now recognized as a wetland of international importance, is the Mediterranean gull.While it may seem incredible, Vourkari is the largest wetland in Greece and one of the most important for wintering of the kind worldwide as a key habitat that consistently reported large numbers corresponding to more than 1% of the world population of the species!After seven years of continuous, methodical, coordinated and multi-level action of the 'Coordinating Body for the protection of Vourkari (collective founded by local associations of the wider region) and its cooperation with agencies and organizations from all over Greece, the wetland of Megara is just one step from being classified as a 'Regional Park' -as the State Council has already approved the elaborated by the Ministry of Environment Draft Presidential Decree on the protection of it- by joining in this way a permanent and strong legal protection status determination protected areas, land use, building restrictions and the management measures.Trying all now turning to rehabilitation and outreach activities of the wetland such as creating bird observatories and environmental education center, placing information signs, removal of debris, restoration of wetlands tangent to the historic 'Wall Megara' etc.
