The lake forms the centre of a 25,500 ha tract, encompassing arable land, forest, shrubland and wetland, that has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports populations of rock partridges, black storks, Eurasian eagle-owls, Egyptian vultures, short-toed snake-eagles, golden eagles, lesser kestrels, eastern subalpine warblers, western rock nuthatches, eastern black-eared wheatears and black-headed buntings.
[1] A large fertile plain of about 2,000 square kilometres (770 sq mi) makes up the Tikveš district (part of Povardarie region), located in central North Macedonia and enclosed by mountain highlands on three sides.
Its climate is characterized by long, hot summers and mild and rainy sub-mediterranean winters with an average of 460 mm (18 in) of rainfall each year.
As a result of a harmonious climatic and geographic convergence, the Tikveš region is a perfect place for the cultivation of wine (which is locally popular).
As wine consumers' preferences change globally, the region keep paces with current trends and adjusts its vine varieties accordingly.