There used to be an environmental wetland at the point of the Papapouli river in Pieria’s Nea Pori called Tethys Park. The wetland was created from the flow of the Papapouli river and the effect of the tides of the sea, forming a network of water pockets in land area, becoming home to numerous species of fish, fauna, birds and reptiles. The ongoing combination of fresh and salt water, together with the region’s environmental conditions, have made the wetland into a food rich ecosystem.
The flora here includes over 600 species of endemic plants, and the fauna is made up of both migratory birds and from permanent aquatic wading and predatory birds, as well as a significant number of fish, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. For migrating birds the wetland area is one of the major points in eastern mainland Greece. Especially the fish fauna consists of more than 30 species, many of which with high commercial and nutritional value and some other significant ecological importance. However, the park no longer exists and the ecosystem has sadly degraded. There are controversial plans to build a highway in the area, which could threaten the wetland. At ecotourism-greece.com we hope that priority is given to the ecoystems if the plans go through.