Lake Karla
Former lake Karla, located at the southeast edge of the Thessaly plain, was unluckily drained in 1962 in order to provide new farming land and remove the expansive surrounding swamp. This land reclamation undertaking proved largely problematic. In fact, the old lake bed resulted in an extended stretch of poor quality land, unsuitable for cultivation and susceptible to floods. In addition the region's entire micro-climate was negatively affected, the underground water was severely decreased, wildlife vanished and a vigorous fishermen community in the surrounding villages was terminated.
In front of such failures, an ambitious project to restore lake Karla was set up in the 90s. A complex enterprise of building artificial embankments, pump-stations, irrigation canals and an extensive water management infrastructure only recently completed. The new reservoir covering an 38,5 km2 area is slowly replenished, re-establishing so the image and the aquatic life of the old lake.
Our involvement with the lake Karla’s changing condition will be launched with a field survey that will allow us to fully comprehend and evaluate the landscape components and qualities. Progressively, we’ll focus on a certain lakeside area and will proceed to a loose planning, including planting proposals, along with more specific small scale interventions. Our aim is to revitalise the dull and barren ground of the new lakeshores and fabricate an attractive setting where rural and recreational uses will merge.
