Newsletter no. 3, January 2013

Balkan Green Belt capacity building ...... 2 Italian Cooperation Director visits the Buna River ...... 3 Filming launched: international documentary on IUCN project ...... 4 Project achievements – year one ...... 4 Data collection: INTERVIEW with Mrs Giuliani and Mr De Sanctis, project experts ...... 6 Shaping the pilot sites’ management plans ...... 7 adopts sea turtle conservation action plan ...... 8 Challenges for protected areas in Albania ...... 9 Velipojë Protected Landscape in Video.……………………………………………………………...10

Balkan Green Belt capacity building

In October 2012, the IUCN team contributed to a number of capacity building workshops for nature conservation organizations of and , held in Librazhd and Shebenik-Jabllanicë National Park, Albania. The workshops aimed at training young professionals in wildlife and vegetation survey methods, e.g. conduction of structured interviews, principles of camera-traps and foot snares use, but also at familiarizing them with the latest concepts and trends in nature conservation. Organized by EuroNatur (IUCN Member), MES (Macedonian Ecological Society) and PPNEA (Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania, IUCN Member), the workshops contributed to strengthening cooperation between local NGOs along this part of the European Green Belt.

IUCN contributed to both theoretical and practical sessions of the workshops, providing young nature conservationists the opportunity to learn from first-hand experience on project activities and research on the ground. Andrea Ghiurghi, IUCN Project Manager, gave a presentation on “IUCN Background, Vision and Activities in Albania”, introducing the “Institutional Support for Protected Areas in Albania” project. The designation of a Management Plan for Shebenik- Jabllanicë National Park was presented as a capacity building opportunity for the Albanian Ministry of Environment.

IUCN project’s Local Site Coordinator, Mirjan Topi shared with the trainees the experience of cooperating with the international nature conservation organization such as IUCN, and shared his views on the challenges in sustainable management of protected areas in the region. Finally, the Plant Ecology Unit of the IUCN project conducted a field demonstration on vegetation sampling methods and techniques applied to collect vegetation data in the frame of the project in the Shebenik-Jabllanicë National Park.

Three more workshops will be held in 2013, involving IUCN experts as trainers. This capacity building programme, “Capacity Building for Nature Conservation Organizations in Montenegro and Kosovo as a Contribution to the Safeguarding of the Green Belt Balkans”, is financially supported by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN).

Prepared by Mirjan TOPI, PPNEA.

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Cooperation Director visits the Buna River

Andrea Senatori, Director of the Italian Cooperation in Albania, visited the Buna River Protected Landscape in October 2012. The elaboration of a management plan for this site is supported by the Italian Government, Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the IUCN project “Institutional Support to Protected Areas in Albania”. The visit of Mr. Senatori started at the Administration of Protected Areas (APA) premises with a meeting with the Velipojë Commune representatives and continues with a walk through the reserve and a meeting in the Dajç Commune.

Mr. Senatori visited the APA, which is located next to the Velipojë Reserve, one of the core areas of the Protected Landscape. He met the APA staff during a training on wildlife monitoring given by Project Expert Francesca Pella. While presenting the protected area, Mayor of APA Tonin Macaj noted that “it is very important that Italian Cooperation-IUCN project includes a component on the preparation and initial implementation of the management plan for the Protected Landscape of the Buna River and surrounding wetlands. Such management plan should aim at increasing conservation effectiveness of the protected area sites, as well as boosting their pivotal role in the development of neighbouring communities”. Mr. Ghiurghi IUCN Project Manager added “The project aims at strengthening Albanian institutional capacity to systemically manage protected areas by applying ecosystem-based and participative planning protocols, and the management plan preparation, including the data collection for a proper quantitative analysis of the area, is carried out with the full participation of key institutional, economic and social stakeholders”, added Mr. Ghiurghi, IUCN project manager.

Mr. Senatori met with representatives of the Velipojë Commune who thanked the Italian Government for the support provided by the project to clean sections of the Velipoje beach in June 2012. During the visit of the protected site Mr. Senatori expressed his astonishment for the beauty of the surrounding landscape, its rich alluvial forest, coastal wetlands, vast beach and the Buna river mouth. Mentioning the threats to natural ecosystems and biodiversity, Mr. Senatori stressed that often tourism development activities have happened in areas which are too close to the and, the Velipojë beach. “Less buildings and more natural areas: this is a challenge for a sustainable future. I hope that our support will help you prevent some of the mistakes we have made on many beach areas in ”, said Mr. Senatori. Finally, the delegation met with the Mayor of the Dajç Commune, Arben Gjura, and the Mayor of Ana e Malit Commune, Xhevat Molla. Mr. Senatori recognized the Dajç Commune as a good example of well-functioning local authority working closely with the community and addressing its needs. Both mayors expressed their hope that the support of the Italian government and IUCN to Buna River will continue in the future.

Prepared by Genti KROMIDHA, INCA.

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Filming launched: International documentary on IUCN project

IUCN will soon start shooting a video documentary aimed to the Albanian and international public and dercribing the project achievements and challenges. Through an international tendering process, the Italian film production company “Terra Incognita” has been selected to produce the documentary.

Fabio Toncelli, film director and Terra Incognita co- founder, started that he is very excited to lead this film production and that he believes that the beauty of the Albanian landscapes will surprise the spectators. ”I would like to show the fascinating challenge of IUCN to support such precious natural areas, and thus contributing to building a brighter future for nature and people”, Mr. Tonceli added. The documentary’s main aim is to raise public awareness of the importance of preserving the natural environment and the need to properly plan and manage the protected areas network. Once completed, the documentary will be broadcast on European and Albanian televisions in nature-focused TV programmes. The documentary shooting will start in February 2013.

Prepared by Andrea GHIURGHI, IUCN.

Project achievements – year one

In October 2012, the IUCN project “Institutional Support to the Albanian Protected Areas” celebrated its first year of activity. The project is successfully progressing and the achievements can be summarized as follows:

Phase 1 covered the period between September and December 2011 and saw the recruitment of the project key staff, the setup of the project office in Tirana, and the signature of the agreements with local partners, Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania (PPNEA) and Institute of Nature Conservation in Albania (INCA). In-depth stakeholder analysis was completed, enabling the team to identify and describe the roles of key stakeholders and actors involved in the management of the Buna River Protected Landscape and the Shebenik-Jabllanicë National Park.

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Phase 2 took place between January and May 2012 and focused on setting up the operational plan for the analysis of key social, economic and environmental dynamics involved in the management of the Buna River and Shebenik-Jabllanicë protected areas. This analysis focused on the ecosystem structure, function and services, as well as on its interaction with the socio- economic system. It was accomplished through participative workshops held in both protected area where, with the help of local institutions and stakeholders, the main components of the environmental, socio-economic and institutional dimensions were identified. A specific database to store both tabular and geographic data for each area, linked to a Decision Support System (DSS), was created and specific training was delivered to key institutional staff on the use of these informatics tools.

Phase 3 started just before the 2012 summer focusing on the field data collection in the two protected areas. The collection and analysis of quantitative data provides experts and decision- makers with the information and knowledge needed to balance conservation needs and economic development objectives. The data collection was done jointly with the project local collaborators, which created an opportunity for building the capacities of the institutional partners. The local collaborators were selected among the staff of the local institutions which are an important source of information and knowledge on the local context. Their participation in the process helps ensure that – once the capacity building process is completed – international data collection procedures for planning and management of protected areas are applied and followed.

Phase 4. Towards the end of year one, the project saw the execution of a third series of participative workshops for the joint quantitative analysis and comparative assessment of available management options for both Buna River and Shebenik-Jabllanicë protected areas. The workshop results will be used as the backbone of the two areas’ management plans.

In addition, the support which IUCN gave to the Albanian Ministry of Environment for the elaboration of the “Guidelines for the preparation of Protected Areas Management Plans in Albania” was an important spin-off of the project in the first year. The process was lead by IUCN from July to September 2012, and involved Ministry representatives, IUCN and Italian Cooperation staff, staff from the United Nations Development Programme, JICA (Japanese Cooperation), GiZ (German Cooperation), and the EU SELEA (www.selea.al) and CEMSA (www.cemsaproject.net) project staff. Different actors involved in financing and implementing projects on protected areas in Albania gathered to set the standards for the preparation of protected areas management plans and define the creation of a national database on biodiversity and protected areas. Following the last meeting held in September 2012, the working group produced a final version of the “Standard Structure of Protected Areas Management Plans in Albania”, which will serve as a base for the preparation of the “Guidelines”.

Prepared by Andrea GHIURGHI, IUCN.

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Data collection: INTERVIEW with Mrs Giuliani and Mr De Sanctis, project experts

For the elaboration of protected areas management plans within the “Institutional Support for Protected Areas in Albania” project, it is important to uses quantitative data. The collected data assure that management plans are based on scientific information. The data are the basis for the creation of databases on the two sites, Shebenik Jabllanicë National Park and the Buna River Protected Landscape, which will enable future sites monitoring. The data collection is done in collaboration with local administrators and managers, to exchange and transfer knowledge on the process. In this interview, Tiziana Giuliani, socio-economic expert, and Michele De Sanctis, plant ecology expert, share their thoughts on the data collection process, its importance and the challenges it brings.

What kind of data are you collecting? Mrs. Giuliani: With local personnel from Communes, NGOs and other institutions, I am collecting socio-economic data related to activities that characterize and/or may support the development of the two protected areas targeted by the project. These activities have been identified and analysed in participative workshops, following a value chain approach, and led to the identification of the main development drivers for both areas. Building on this participative process, the data collection campaign was initiated focusing on tourism, agriculture and livestock breeding, fisheries and aquaculture, as well as a series of social aspects such as population access to potable water and sanitation, education, and health services. Data collection includes forest products Access and Benefit Sharing (medicinal and aromatic plants, as well as berries), which are a fundamental (sometimes the only) source of income for some of the villages in the areas.

Mr. De Sanctis: The choice of the data to be collected resulted from the work done during the first two project workshops. On that occasion we have identified the main components of the environmental, socio-economic and institutional dimensions of the two protected areas, through interesting and long discussions with local stakeholders. For what concerns the plant ecology sector during the workshop we identified the main typologies of habitat and target species present in the two areas. The target species were selected according to different criteria, such as being rare, endemic, threatened according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, of economic importance, alien, etc. .

Mr. De Sanctis, why is data collection important for the management planning process? The analysis of data collected through phytosociological investigations and target species monitoring allowed us to define the distribution and the conservation status of habitats and important species in the protected areas. This also enabled us to better understand the relationships between them and other components of the system (e.g. tourism activities,

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grazing, forest products harvesting). All the gathered information was discussed with local stakeholders during our last workshop in November. Their input from local partners was crucial. When the data we had were not sufficient to explain and quantify the relationships of the system components, we used local knowledge to interpret our observations. By merging local knowledge with that acquired through data collection and analysis, we identified the main values of the two protected areas and defined, through a systematic quantitative analysis of all the system components, the management options for their conservation.

Mr. De Sanctis, what are the main difficulties and challenges you encountered in these first months of data collection? Field activities have been carried out without problems, and have resulted in the collection of a considerable amount of data. The local collaborators of the plant ecology unit have shown great interest and enthusiasm, despite of the several days trekking and camping, and a broad knowledge of the natural system of the two protected areas. It has been interesting and exciting to explore with them the wetlands of Buna River and the mountains of Shebenik. Both areas are rich in valuable natural elements that need protection and which could provide economic opportunities for the local population. On a less positive level, the collection of secondary data has been less fruitful than expected. Botanical data for Shebenik-Jabllanicë National Park are almost non-existent, while many studies have been carried out in the past in Buna River Protected Landscape, yet the gathered works are only floristic study or general descriptions.

Mrs. Giuliani, can you tell us about the capacity building aspect of your work with local collaborators? Capacity building is the most challenging and enriching part of our work, as it involves experience exchanges and personal growth, in addition to professional development. Local collaborators are an essential part of this process as they are an important source of information and knowledge on the local context.

Prepared by Genti KROMIDHA, INCA & Mirjan TOPI, PPNEA.

Shaping the pilot sites’ management plans

The Buna River management plan should secure the preservation of the riverine forest, the regulation of fishing and hunting activities and better law enforcement. The Shebenik-Jabllanicë plan is expected to focus on safeguarding the forest ecosystem, and local forest and agriculture products labelling. These are just some of the management directions identified during the third set of consultation workshops held in November 2012, in Ana e Malit and Librazhd.

The workshop participants identified a series of environmental, social and cultural values that characterize each of the sites. The main values for the Buna River Protected Landscape

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include: important sites for migratory and wetland birds; hygrophilous forests (alluvial and riverine forests rich in endemic and Natura 2000 species); and fish, bird and mammal species that enable fishing and game hunting. The management options that were identified for the Buna River include maintenance of the riverine forests, wetlands and sand dunes, regulation of fishing and hunting activities, and law enforcement. The development of a trade mark that would link agri-livestock products to the site would stimulate sustainable agricultural activities, as well as the promotion of agreements between farmers to improve market access. Improvement of solid and liquid waste management practices and the diversification of the tourism sector were also listed as the activities of great importance for the Buna River.

The values identified as important for the Shebenik-Jabllanicë National Park are endemic plant species in the upland prairies, and species listed as threatened in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species; pine and beech forests, and mixed oak forests at lower altitude; aquatic environments that provide habitat for otters, Brown Trout and endemic plant species associated with the alpine riverine system and Karstic ponds. The Shebenik-Jabllanicë area is home to large mammals, such as Brown Bear, , wolf, Wild Cat, Roe dear and Chamois. The "Glacier", "Christ's" and "Eremite" caves and “Scanderbeg staircase” and “Scanderbeg table” were named as the historical and cultural values. The primary management options for this protected area include: the protection of forest ecosystems through enforcement of logging bans in the core area, fire prevention improvement and the development of alternative income generation activities. Local products labelling was highlighted as important. Market analysis for forest and agriculture products will be carried out to identify the opportunities to create specific protected area products, and the results are planned to be integrated with the annual plans of the Ministry of Agriculture. Ecotourism development has a great potential for income generation, as well as related activities such as handicraft, agro tourism and cultural tourism.

Prepared by Genti KROMIDHA, INCA & Mirjan TOPI, PPNEA.

Albania adopts sea turtle conservation action plan

The adoption of the Action Plan for the Conservation of Sea Turtles and their Habitats in Albania was announced during the 32nd Meeting of the Standing Committee to the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention), at the Council of Europe.

The Action Plan was adopted through a Ministerial Order (No. 596, 22.11.2012) of the Minister of Environment, Forests and Water Administration, Fatmir Mediu. “The Action Plan serves as a roadmap for the development of sea turtle research and protection throughout Albania. Its adoption directly contributes to the implementation of International Conventions to which Albania is party and that include provision for the protection of sea turtles and their habitats” said Mrs. Ramaj, Senior Expert of the Biodiversity Directorate at the General Directorate of Environmental Policies, Ministry of the Environment, Forests and Water Administration (MoEFWA).

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“Over ten years ago, Prof. Haxhiu of Tirana University alerted MEDASSET of the presence of sea turtles in Northern Albania. Our long-term research showed that both the endangered Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) migrate through Albanian waters and that the Drini Bay is an important feeding, overwintering and developmental habitat for the species in the Mediterranean” said Lily Venizelos, MEDASSET’s President, referring to the organisation’s research projects in Albania. “Based on the scientific results and within MEDASSET’s mission to promote sea turtle conservation throughout the Mediterranean, we submitted the Action Plan in order to assist Albania in its efforts to protect the species. We wish to thank the Ministry for the excellent collaboration that led to this important milestone in sea turtle conservation in the Mediterranean. Of course, much work lies ahead in order to achieve the implementation of the Action Plan” she added.

The Action Plan for the Conservation of Sea Turtles and their Habitats in Albania is a result of extensive consultation with Albanian experts and scientists, which was carried out during 2011 by MEDASSET and the MoEFWA, with the support of the MAVA Foundation and under the auspices of the Barcelona Convention and the Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas of UNEP’s Mediterranean Action Plan.

Prepared by Liza Boura, MEDASSET.

Challenges for protected areas in Albania

The identification of the main problems of protected areas in Albania was the goal of the workshop held in October 2012, and organized by Institute of Nature Conservation in Albania, an IUCN Member, within the “Dinaric Arc Parks” project. Listed current needs of protected areas in Albania were ranked by importance and urgency, as indicated by the participants, representatives of Albanian Ministry of the Environment and protected areas in Albania, and WWF and United Nations experts, among others.

WWF Dinaric Arc Parks (www.discoverdinarides.com, http://dinaricarcparks.blogspot.com/) is a regional project which involves eight countries of the region (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, , Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and ). The project aims to establish a park network promoting different activities for a political dialogue among countries. It started in January 2012 and within a period of three years its main goal is to create a network of protected areas in the region, while maintaining and strengthening the political will for regional dialogue and collaboration between the countries of the Dinaric Arc.

Prepared by Genti KROMIDHA, INCA.

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Velipojë Protected Landscape in video

Albania’s nature is beautiful!

Enjoy this short video on the Protected Water and Terrestrial Landscape of the Buna River and surrounding area – one of the two sites of the IUCN’s project Institutional support to the management of Protected Areas in Albania. The video was shot during the visit to Velipojë Protected Landscape in 2012, and prepared by Aleksandra Nesic, IUCN Programme Office for South- Eastern Europe. http://youtu.be/AV8A74Hgpys

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), Programme Office for South Eastern Europe © 2013. All rights reserved. IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organization, with more than 1,200 government and NGO members and almost 11,000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries. IUCN Programme Office for South Eastern Europe promotes improved governance of natural resources and biodiversity, implements projects and supports initiatives to conserve biodiversity and manage ecosystems for human well-being. Working closely with IUCN Members and Commissions, it shapes regional policy and supports two flagship initiatives: Dinaric Arc Initiative and European Green Belt. The “Institutional Support for Protected Areas in Albania” project provides support to the Albanian Ministry of Environment, Forest and Water Administration with capacity building programmes for government officials on the management of protected areas. It is funded by the Italian Cooperation. www.iucn.org/projectalbania Contact: Andrea Ghiurghi, Project Manager at [email protected]

Photo credits: Andrea Ghiurghi, PPNEA/Mirjan Topi; Director of Italian Cooperation, INCA/Genti Kromidha; Terra Incognita, Andrea Ghiurghi; Field work, IUCN; Michele De Sanctis,IUCN; Workshop photo, IUCN; MEDDASET Logo; “Dinaric Arc Parks” project, INCA; Velipojë Protected Landscape, IUCN. .

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