Important Bird Areas (IBAs), are sites particularly important for bird conservation. They aim to form a network sites ensuring that migratory species find suitable breeding, stop-over and wintering places along their respective flyways.

The number of IBA sites are so large and the areas are so dispersed throughout the country, which does not allow monitoring by the Hellenic Ornithological Society. The volunteers are our only way to learn about the situation and to collect data over time for a IBA and intervene in cases of threats.

The Vravrona wetland is situated on the coast of Eastern Attica, in the Municipality of Markopoulo. This remarkable landscape, famous already from the antiquity, has managed to remain almost intact. The presence of Erasinos River, the shallow bay on its estuary, the surrounding hills and the contiguous cultivated land have created a rich ecosystem, unique in Attica.

Since 2008, the Hellenic Ornithological Society has been running a European Volunteer Service in the wetland with the support of the "Youth in Action" project of European Commission.

The Gialova Lagoon is notable, not only for its historical importance and the beautiful views but also for being the first important Balkan wetland that migratory birds come across in their return journey from Africa. The Hellenic Ornithological Society implements since 1997 systematic actions for the protection and the promotion of the area. These actions include special management measures for the lagoon and the species that live there, environmental education actions and events to increase public awareness.