NABU
  • Contacts
  • Press
  • Shop
  • DE | EN
  • About us
      • News
        UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration begins 5 June with a new peatland conservation guideline issued

        UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration begins 5 June more →

      • Ecosystem Restoration
        Restoring peatlands, sequestering carbon

        Restoring peatlands, sequestering carbon more →

      • Topics in depth
      • Regional Development
      • Biosphere Reserves
      • Civil Society
      • Environmental Education
      • Cooperations
      • Projects
      • Water for Life
      • Hutan Harapan
      • Biodiversity Project Ethiopia
      • Ethiopia's Wild Coffee Forests
  • Topics
      • Ethiopia
        Green diversification of Ethiopia’s garden coffee value chain

        Ethiopia’s garden coffee value chain more →

      • Indonesia
        Indonesia: Restoring forests for future needs

        Indonesia: Restoring forests for future needs more →

      • All Topics
      • Climate Change
      • Biodiversity
      • Species
      • Regional Development
      • Land Use
      • Traffic
      • Ecosystems
      • Protected Areas
      • Education
      • Civil Society
      • Cooperations
  • Focus Regions
      • Ethiopia
        Developing forest landscapes for livelihoods and climate adaptation in Southwest Ethiopia

        Developing forest landscapes in Southwest Ethiopia more →

      • Central Asia
         Wild, beautiful and endangered

        Wild, beautiful and endangered more →

      • Focus Regions
      • Europe
      • Africa
      • Asia
      • Caucasus
      • Projects worldwide
      • Europe: Peat Restore
      • Germany: Havel
      • Ethiopia: Coffee-novation
      • Ethiopia: Water for Life
      • Madagascar: Green coasts
      • Kyrgyzstan: Snow leopard
      • Indonesia: Hutan Harapan
  • EU Policy
      • Project
        How do we finance nature and climate protection?

        How do we finance nature and climate protection? more →

      • EU Policy
        The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy needs a drastic reform

        The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy needs a drastic reform more →

      • Topics
      • Agriculture
      • Ecosystems
      • Traffic
      • Species
      • Education
      • Climate change
      • Issues
      • Common Agricultural Policy
      • Electromobility in Europe
      • Common Fisheries Policy
      • Sustainable Finance
  • Get involved
      • Snow Leopards
        Support us with your donation or adoption

        Hoping is not enough more →

      • Africa
        Nature conservation and regional development really have an impact – NABU knows this and acts on it.

        Help Africa’s nature by supporting one of our funds more →

      • Topics
      • Civil Society
      • Private Sector Cooperations
      • Habitat protection
      • Donate
      • Snow Leopards
      • Africa
  • Presse
  1. Topics
  2. Regional Development
  3. Water for Life
  • Water for Life
  • Location
  • Biodiversity
  • Local Population
  • Threats
  • Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve
Read

Ethiopia's largest lake

The Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve

The shores of Lake Tana, Ethiopia's largest lake and the source of the Blue Nile, are home to an ancient cultural heritage and unique biodiversity. Lake Tana is of immense ecological value and provides the means of existence for millions of people.

Lake Tana is Ethiopia's largest lake and supplies 50% of the country's freshwater. It is shallow, with an average depth of just 8 meters, and scattered with thirty-seven low-lying islands. Over the centuries beautiful Ethiopian-orthodox churches and monasteries have been built on these islands and on the lake's shores. These have provided the small patches of sacred forest surrounding them with protection, forming islands of biodiversity and an invaluable natural retreat for indigenous plant and animal species. Wetlands, swamps and lagoons surround the lake. These are home to wetland plant species such as papyrus, as well as providing a habitat for rare bird and fish species.

The Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve was officially inaugurated during a two-day event at Bahir Dar, Ethiopia on the 3rd and 4th of December 2015. Please find the official press release here.


Tanasee - Foto: Bruno D/'Amicis

Biosphere reserve established at Lake Tana in Ethiopia

Ethiopias largest freshwater lake has international importance

NABU has officially opened the Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve together with the Amhara Regional Government. High-ranking guests took part in the event in Bahir Dar, the regional capital on the shores lake Tana. more →

project overview

Hippos! The Lake Tana Watershed has a diverse wildlife - photo: Bruno D/'Amicis
Water for Life

The largest lake in Ethiopia, Lake Tana, is a source of life for 4 million people in the region. Over the course of the last decade, however, the consequences of increased industrialization and development have been posing a threat to this vital water supply. more →

related topics

Lake Tana Tisisat falls along the Blue Nile - photo: Bruno D'Amicis
Protected Areas

NABU supports the creation, establishment and effective management of protected areas as part of our international activities, not exclusively but with special emphasis to UNESCO biosphere reserves, which are characterised by integrative and segregative approaches. more →

Horn bills in the Ethiopian morning mist
Biosphere Reserves

UNESCO biosphere reserves are natural or cultural landscapes serving as model regions for sustainable development. Biosphere reserves are particularly well suited to balancing exploitation by humans and nature conservation efforts on a sustainable basis. more →

hands gently touching crops
Regional Development

NABU is comitted to promoting sustainable regional development worldwide. Our international projects always include income generating activities, which comprehensively address all three dimensions of sustainability—balancing economy, ecology and social equality. more →

Downloads

Project flyer Lake Tana PDF (10.7 MB) Feasibilty Study PDF (5.8 MB)

Links

  • Projects and Partners

Contact

NABU
Charitéstraße 3
10117 Berlin
Germany

phone +49 (0)30.28 49 84-0 |
fax +49 (0)30.28 49 84-20 00
NABU@NABU.de

Info & Service

Contacts
Press
Jobs
NABU-TV
Shop

Imprint
Data Protection Notice
Cookie-Settings
Transparency

Main Topics

Biodiversity
Climate Change
Regional Development
Ecosystems
Land Use
Traffic
Focus Regions

Donate for Nature

Bank für Sozialwirtschaft
BLZ 370 205 00
Konto-Nr. 805 1 805

IBAN: DE65 3702 0500 0008 0518 05
BIC-Code: BFSWDE33XXX
Donate online


  • Press
  • Newsletter
  • Information Center