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Μan and Nature in harmony |
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The Man |
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The wetland is surrounded by three communities: Agras, Vryta
and Nisi, forming part of the Edessa Municipality. The discovery of ancient
pile dwellings at the area of Edessaios springs, as well as other
archaeological findings, at the hill of Filokastro, dated back to the
classical age, indicate that the coexistence of man and the wetland
ecosystem has a history of many thousands years.
Since the ancient times, the area was associated with the city of Edessa, acting both as external border and as a passage to the upper Macedonia. The ancient Egnatia road crossed the area. The same passage is presently used by the national driveway from Thessaloniki to Florina and the railway line, which also crosses the wetland area. Since the middle of the previous century, the water of Edessaios river provided the waterpower for the operation of the local watermills and of the very important textile-mill factories of Edessa. Today, the cherry tree cultivation and stock-raising are important activities for the local economy, while the operation of Agras hydropower plant, that employs many inhabitants, has played a significant role for the socio-economic life of the area. |
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PROJECT LIFE- NATURE, IMPLEMENTATION OF MANAGEMENT MEASURES AT THE AGRAS WETLAND |
| LIFE (C) 2005-2008 . | |
