{"id":9357,"date":"2025-07-08T09:20:32","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T09:20:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mes.org.mk\/en\/?p=9357"},"modified":"2025-07-08T09:20:32","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T09:20:32","slug":"prespanet-at-iczegar-2025-science-collaboration-capacity-building-for-nature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mes.org.mk\/en\/prespanet-at-iczegar-2025-science-collaboration-capacity-building-for-nature\/","title":{"rendered":"PrespaNet at ICZEGAR 2025: Science, Collaboration & Capacity Building for Nature"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>
\nThe International Congress on the Zoogeography and Ecology of Greece and Adjacent Regions (ICZEGAR),<\/strong> is a long running forum for Mediterranean biodiversity research and PrespaNet was proud to have a strong presence in the 16th<\/sup> congress<\/strong> held in Athens last week (03 \u2013 06 July).<\/p>\n

With seven diverse presentations, our team highlighted the ecological uniqueness and conservation challenges of the transboundary Prespa basin \u2013 from herpetological research, and surveys on insects, micromammals and birds, to wetland connectivity and documenting the values of Prespa\u2019s mountainous ecosystems. The contributions reflect not just scientific research, but also the power of collaboration across borders, generations, disciplines and sectors.<\/p>\n

PrespaNet has invested in supporting young researchers, through internships and volunteer programmes, as well as the organization of targeted field camps and transboundary summer schools, in an effort to transform this remote region into a training ground for emerging conservationists. Our activities under the \u201cPrespa Field Laboratory\u201d are reflected in our contributions to ICZEGAR 2025, where several of our presenters, once participants in related programmes, are now sharing their own research and field experience with the regional scientific community.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Our contributions to the 16th<\/sup> ICZEGAR conference:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \u201cFrom snake island to a hub of research and education: who learned what on Golem Grad Island?\u201d by Dragan Arsovski, Ana Golubovi\u0107, Xavier Bonnet, Vuka\u0161in Bjelica, Ljiljana Tomovi\u0107<\/em><\/li>\n
  2. \u201cAssessment of an insular population of the priority species Testudo hermanni<\/em>: Preliminary findings from Agios Achilleios island, Lesser Prespa Lake\u201d by Nikolaos Lioupis, Dragan Arsovski, Taxiarchis Danelis, Maria-Nefeli Marinou, Irene Koutseri<\/em><\/li>\n
  3. \u201cThe importance of connectivity of wet meadows in supporting the Macedonian crested newt\u201d by Daniela Jovanovska, Dragan Arsovski, Lazar Nikolov<\/em><\/li>\n
  4. \u201cThe entomological value of Mt. Triklario\/ Sfika: Orthoptera and Lepidoptera\u201d by Eleftheria Kaltsouni, Irene Koutseri, Aikaterini Kerasia Zimarikopoulou, Nikolaos Lioupis, Elvira Sakkoudi, Nikolaos Filippidis, Konstantina Nasiou, Apostolis Stefanidis, Vasiliki Kati<\/em><\/li>\n
  5. \u201cBasic life history and conservation of the Rock Partridge (Alectoris graeca<\/em>) in National Park Galichica\u201d by Slave Nakev, Metodija Velevski<\/em><\/li>\n
  6. \u201cExploring the micromammal fauna of a karstic plateau on Mt. Triklario northwestern Greece\u201d by Nikolaos Lioupis, Irene Koutseri, Kyriaki Bairaktaridou, Annita Logotheti, Foteini Papanousi, Giorgos Catsadorakis <\/em><\/li>\n
  7. \u201cSeasonal monitoring of bats in two selected caves in Gali\u010dica National Park, North Macedonia\u201d by Aleksandar Stojanov, Aleksandar Pavlov, Dejan Dimidjijevski, Andrej Gonev<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Acknowledgments are extended to all the research institutions and nature protection agencies that have supported this work over the years:<\/p>\n