Natural Heritage Under Threat | European Journal

One of the oldest lakes in Europe straddles Albania, Macedonia and Greece and is home to a unique eco-system that's increasingly under threat.Along with Lake Baikal in Russia and Lake Tanganyika in East Africa, Lake Ohrid is one of the oldest lakes in the world. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it's home to ecosystems that have managed to continue thriving for centuries. But it's currently under threat from activities on nearby Lake Prespa. Due to the karstic bedrock, water from Lake Prespa contributes significantly to the supply of several springs along the shore of Lake Ohrid. But on the Greek side of Lake Prespa, farmers tend to irrigate their fields with water from the lake and also dump unfiltered domestic, industrial and agricultural wastewater into it.