The government has designated the mountainous Prespes region in northwestern Greece as an “Untrodden Mountain,” a move the Ministry of Environment and Energy announced Friday is designed to safeguard environmental protection and preserve one of the Balkans’ most sensitive ecosystems.
The ministry said that the majority of the area, which falls within two protected sites under the Natura 2000 network, represents a vital natural landscape with diverse wetland and forest habitats supporting high biodiversity. The designation establishes a high-protection regime that effectively prohibits the construction of new roads and artificial surfaces, preventing the fragmentation of ecosystems – a leading cause of biodiversity loss.
The region is a recognized biodiversity hotspot, hosting rare flora and significant wildlife, including brown bears, wolves, and wild goats. Its lakes also serve as a critical sanctuary for rare waterfowl and shorebirds.
“Prespes is a biodiversity treasure and a unique ecosystem that we must safeguard responsibly,” Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou said. “We protect our nature as a living legacy for future generations.”
“Untrodden Mountains” are officially defined as Roadless Areas (RAs) plus a one-kilometer perimeter buffer zone. Within these high-protection areas, the opening of new motor vehicle roads and any artificial interventions that alter or degrade the natural environment are strictly prohibited.
These measures remain in place pending the finalization of a Special Environmental Study and subsequent presidential decrees to establish permanent land-use rules.
The program has grown steadily since its launch at COP26. It includes the original six areas designated in 2022 – Lefka Ori in Crete, Saos on Samothrace (Samothraki), Smolikas and Tymfi in the Pindus range, Taygetos in the Peloponnese, and Mount Hatzi in Thessaly – along with later additions such as Agrafa, Mainalo, and Mount Dikti.
Most recently, the government extended these strict protections to Mount Parnonas in the southern Peloponnese, Stroggoula Peak in the Athamanika Mountains of Epirus, and now the broader Prespes massif.