TROPOJA COMMUNITY Development Plan 2019 – 2021 1 Support by: NGO Toka Contact: mob: +355 69 462 4502 email: [email protected] www.toka-albania.org FB: TOKAValbone Tropoja Community | Development Plan | 2019 - 2021 Tropoja Community Development Plan 2019 – 2021 Produced by community members of Tropoja, Albania, working in collaboration with local NGO TOKA as part of the Visegrad-funded project “Rural Community Engagement: A Voice for Tropoja” 2018. A special thank you to the Tropoja Community Stakeholder Forum members who actively contributed to this plan and its development: Aferdita Mirakaj, Aldon Vukaj, Alfred Selimaj, Aljona Halilaj, Ardit Brecani, Andon Brecani, Anila Hykaj, Arben Kerrnaja, Astrit Ismalaj, Bekim Demiraj, Besmir Lushaj, Blerina Shahinaj, Blerina Islamukaj, Catherine Bohne, Dardan Metaliaj, Dorjan Ismalaj, Edmira Selimaj, Eduart Hasukaj, Elez Sokolaj, Elvis Sokolaj, Enerik Demiraj, Enver Halilaj, Feride Rrahmani, Florent Metaliaj, Florjana Prengzaj, Gentjan Hajdarmataj, Gezim Demiraj, Gjyl Prengzi, Hedie Logu, Hysni Sokolaj, Ibrahim Demiraj, Idriz Malsija, Ismail Bucpapaj, Jah Metaliaj, Jetmira Gjyriqi, Jugerta Halilaj, Kasmet Ponari, Kosovare Zelaj, Kreshnik Sokolaj, Kujtim Sulaj, Liridon Mustafaj, Lulzim Logu, Mehmet Metaliaj, Merita Danaj, Nushe Halilaj, Paris Metaliaj, Petrit Zenelaj, Rajmonda Geci, Ram Metaliaj, Rudina Halucaj, Sajmir Selimaj, Sami Demiraj, Shaban Zenelaj, Shkelzen Metaliaj, Shkurte Gjoca, Shqipe Gjyriqi, Skender Dozhlani, Suela Trezhnjeva, Valdrin Selimi, Valentina Demiri, Valentina Nezaj, Viktor Sokolaj And a special thank you to the sponsors and partners of the “Voice for Tropoja” project, for your patience, encouragement, belief and support: Andrea, Danka, David, Fidusz, Igor, Krzysztof, Ola, Viola and Zuzana A special thank you for contribution: Blerim Buçpapaj, Jugerta Halilaj, Rudina Halucaj, Blerina Shahinaj, Enerik Demiri, Liridon Mustafaj, Catherine Bohne, One Designs, Tirana. 3 Tropoja Community | Development Plan | 2019 - 2021 Abbreviations: AKZM National Agency of Protected Areas BRD Balkan River Defence BSP Bear Sanctuary Prishtina BT Tropoja Municipality BW CEE Bankwatch Network CF Community Stakeholder Forum CHwB Cultural Heritage without Borders CSO Civil Society Organizations EP Ecopana ELAW Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide FEE Towards Sustainability Association GwF Grow with the Flow IU International Universities IVF International Visegrad Fund JtV Journey to Valbona KEERC Kosova Environmental Education and Research Center LV Lobo Ventura NjA Local Administration NGO Non Governmental Organization PA4NP Protected Areas for Nature and People PGN Polish Green Network PINS People in Need Slovakia PPNEA Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania TOKA The Organization to Conserve the Albanian Alps WWF World Wide Fund for Nature Adria ZAT Tropoja Education Office 4 Tropoja Community | Development Plan | 2019 - 2021 INTRODUCTION This Development Plan for Tropoja was created by The plan has been produced as part of the project local people, working together to forumulate our own “Rural Community Engagement: A Voice for Tropoja” united vision for a sustainable future. It is the result which took place throughout 2018, and was funded of consultations and workshops held throughout 2018 by the International Visegrad Fund, with project with numerous community members, across a range of partners from Slovakia (People in Need Slovakia), Czech interest groups, from around the region. The first plan Republic (CEE Bankwatch Network), Hungary (FFE of its kind, being community based and incorporating Towards Sustainability Association) and Poland (Polish the people’s desire for a sustainable future, it reflects Green Network) as well as TOKA. The project sought the developments and improvements – social, economic to “contribute to the sustainable livelihoods of rural and environmental – that the people of Tropoja want to communities affected by environmental degradation see happen over the three years starting in 2019. through their empowerment and the strengthened capacities of civil society, and to increase communities’ While we realize the plan may appear ambitious, many participation in decision-making.” of the activities listed already have committed partners. We furthermore believe that by investing in building the Tropojan community members were involved during skills and capacity of the people of Tropoja to meet the workshops and trainings conducted as part of the IVF challenges set in this plan, we can not only achieve these project with experts visiting from project partners; objectives and goals, but in doing so create exciting new during bi-monthly, open Community Forum meetings jobs and futures for the youth of our region. We will re- at the Community Center; and during village visits evalute our progress annually, and revise the plan based conducted by TOKA’s Stakeholder Liaison and outreach on our experience. officer who visited 17 villages around Tropoja as part of the WWF Adria funded “PA4NP” project. More than 150 The information collection and drafting of the plan people contributed their opinions and discussed their were overseen by local NGO ‘TOKA’ and the Tropoja vision for a sustainable future for Tropoja. Community Stakeholder Forum, working from the newly created (2018) Community Center in Bajram The plan will be distributed to existing partners, local and Curri, Tropoja. The mission of TOKA is “to protect and national decision makers, potential donors and of course promote the environmental, social and economic well- the people of Tropoja. We invite you to contact us if you being of the Albanian Alps,” and the organization is are interested in participating in, or contributing to, any strongly committed to principles of sustainability and of the activities mentioned. self-determination. 5 Tropoja Community | Development Plan | 2019 - 2021 THE TROPOJA CONTEXT Tropoja is a municipality of Albania located in the northeastern county of Kukes, bordering with Montenegro (to the north) and Kosova (to the north east). It has a population of roughly 20,000 in a total area of 1,000 square kilometers. The population has been declining for the past 10 years due to urban flight. Half of the territory is extremely mountainous, while the south eastern portion includes a large and fertile valley. It is bounded by the hydroelectric lakes of Fierza and Koman to the south, which are formed by damming of the Drin River in Fierza. Within the territory of Tropoja there are currently 3 protected areas: Valbona Valley National Park (8000 ha, IUCN II), Gashi Strictly Protected Area (3,000 ha, IUCN I) and The Nikaj-Mertur Nature Park (18,000 ha, IUCN IV). Gashi includes UNESCO world heritage European Beech Forest, and the whole area is part of the Emerald Network created under the Bern Convention. These three protected areas comprise 28% of the land territory of Tropoja. Since 2015 there has been a proposal in national government to combine these and other existing north Albanian protected areas into one large “National Park of the Albanian Alps.” Should this be realized, more than 50% of the territory of Tropoja would consist of legally protected areas. Official estimates suggest that 25% of the population is living in the town center of Bajram Curri, although this is hard to gauge due to the fact that many families move into towns in winter for access to schools, while still maintaining extended family homes in villages. In addition, most families have claim to summer pastures in high alpine meadows where flocks of sheep, goats and cows are still taken from June to September. Land ownership is often undocumented, with an estimated 75% of land ownership undefined or contested. This applies particularly to agricultural and grazing land. METHODOLOGY Workshops and Trainings Throughout 2018 the IVF and other projects working with the Community Forum sponsored workshops (sustainable development, the role of civil society, protected areas in economic development), events (the 2 day public “Discussion and Information Event” in March 2018, the museum exhibition in November 2018), trainings (photography and its uses), local school outings and study trips (Una National Park in Bosnia). 6 Tropoja Community | Development Plan | 2019 - 2021 In all activities, participants were encouraged to learn about new ideas, and to think deeply about their own vision and dreams for the future. Community Forum Meetings Open ‘Community Forum’ meetings were held up to twice a month starting in April 2018. These meetings take place in the free Community Center space of TOKA’s offices in Bajram Curri. Although anyone can introduce any topic during meetings, each meeting has a theme, inviting speakers and addressing some matter which has been frequently raised by community members during other events and meetings. Themes so far have included: development opportunities, waste management, English language courses, the municipal budget, hydropower development, protected areas, etc. It was found that almost no one will attend meetings however from June to August as it is either too hot in town to linger or they are too busy on farms or in the Bjeshk. A total of 65 people participated in forum meetings during 2018. Village Visits Considering the limited resources, remoteness and pervading pessimism of the region’s communities, we did not want to rely only on those people living in Bajram Curri and/or willing and able to attend public meetings in town. The Stakeholder Liaison created by