Living Labs for Sustainable Protected Area Management in Greece: The Prespa Lakes Case

Orfeas Roussos (), Efthalia Thaleia Grigoriadou, Antigoni Voudouri, Lito Papadopoulou, Triantafyllia Gkogkou, Aikaterini Basdeki and Maria P. Papadopoulou
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Orfeas Roussos: Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (N.E.C.C.A.), Mesogeion 207, 115 25 Athens, Greece
Efthalia Thaleia Grigoriadou: Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (N.E.C.C.A.), Mesogeion 207, 115 25 Athens, Greece
Antigoni Voudouri: Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (N.E.C.C.A.), Mesogeion 207, 115 25 Athens, Greece
Lito Papadopoulou: Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (N.E.C.C.A.), Mesogeion 207, 115 25 Athens, Greece
Triantafyllia Gkogkou: Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (N.E.C.C.A.), Mesogeion 207, 115 25 Athens, Greece
Aikaterini Basdeki: Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (N.E.C.C.A.), Mesogeion 207, 115 25 Athens, Greece
Maria P. Papadopoulou: Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (N.E.C.C.A.), Mesogeion 207, 115 25 Athens, Greece

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-24

Abstract: Effective implementation of the new Greek governance system for Natura 2000 site protection and conservation relies on adopting innovative local participation methods. The remote and transboundary nature of Prespa Lakes presents unique challenges to environmental protection and efficient management of this protected area. Within the framework of the Horizon 2020 ARSINOE project, NECCA supervised three national workshops in the Greek part of the Prespa Lakes watershed, bringing together stakeholders from all relevant sectors that were selected based on their interest in and influence on the challenge of water management. These stakeholders mapped the complex interconnections between climate change; water management; and local issues like vegetation changes, population decline, and economic activities, revealing synergies as well as conflicts, eventually identifying innovation pathways for future climate resilience in Prespa and highlighting the importance of participatory governance for freshwater ecosystems. This paper explores the application of the System Innovation Approach and Living Labs methodology that produced mental maps, future visions, and identified innovations, thus fostering a comprehensive, multistakeholder approach to climate adaptation in water resources management. The future goal is to examine the transferability of experience and insights gained in Prespa to other Greek Protected Areas with similar ecosystem characteristics and challenges.

Keywords: ecosystem services; participatory processes; stakeholders; rural areas; Protected Areas; Prespa Lakes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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