The Impact of in North Macedonia Rock Climbing
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
CASE STUDY The Impact of Rock Climbing in North Macedonia THE IMPACT OF ROCK CLIMBING IN NORTH MACEDONIA August 2020 1 THE CLIMBING INITIATIVE ABOUT THE CLIMBING INITIATIVE The Climbing Initiative is a Colorado-based nonprofit supporting climbing communities worldwide. Through research, community engagement, and partnerships, we bring together organizations invested in the future of climbing and develop best practices for supporting the growth of climbing in emerging contexts. We believe rock climbing can empower individuals, create new sources of livelihood, and foster the development of a more sustainable and equitable world. climbinginitiative.org Cover photo by Goran Kuzmanovski Natalija Ristevska climbing the Krali Marko highball boulder in Prilep Design by Mario Minchevski behance.net/mDesign | @mario.minchevski Photographers Goran Kuzmanovski | @goran.kuzeto Keti Talevska | @keti_talevska Cosima Vom Meer | @cosivmeer Veronica Baker | @vero.baker Copyright © 2020 The Climbing2 Initiative. All rights reserved. CASE STUDY The Impact of Rock Climbing in North Macedonia CONTENTS 1 Summary 2 Introduction 4 History 9 Economic Impact 13 Social Impact 15 Enviromental Impact 18 Challenges & Opportunities 23 Recommendations 25 Conclusions 3 THE CLIMBING INITIATIVE 4 Biljana Talevska climbing in Demir Kapija Photo by Goran Kuzmanovski CASE STUDY The Impact of Rock Climbing in North Macedonia SUMMARY North Macedonia counts approximately 1,300 sport climbing and bouldering routes, but locals estimate that 90 percent of the country’s climbing areas remain undiscovered. Although the country carries a strong tradition of mountaineering, climbing is still in an early stage of development, marked by little public understanding of the sport. The Macedonian government is enthusiastic about promoting outdoor tourism. Some areas, such as Prilep and Demir Kapija, experience a steady flow of climbing tourists, but others have yet to capitalize on the rocks in their backyard. Mountain sports have had a significant social impact as a unifying force among ex-Yugoslavian countries and a tool for positive psychosocial development. Trash and environmental degradation are serious issues in North Macedonia, and some hope that outdoor sports like climbing will inspire Macedonians to develop a more intimate relationship with nature. To fulfill its potential as a top climbing destination, North Macedonia must see increased public awareness of climbing, institutional support, publicity, and collaboration between the mountain sports federations. 1 Photo by Goran Kuzmanovski SUMMARY THE CLIMBING INITIATIVE INTRODUCTION North Macedonia, a country nested in STUDY OBJECTIVES the Balkans, is an emerging climbing destination. Its rich history of moun- The Climbing Initiative conducts case taineering acts as a foundation for the studies on climbing areas and com- growth of sport climbing and boulder- munities at varying stages of devel- ing in the modern era. The country is opment around the world. We believe home to a small but dedicated group that communicating patterns in the of climbers and it welcomes a respect- context of climbing worldwide has the potential to change how organiza- tions and communities interact around climbing-related issues. North Macedonia, a country nested in STUDY AREA the Balkans, is an North Macedonia (known as emerging climbing Macedonia before 2019) is a country destination in the heart of the Balkan Peninsula in Southeastern Europe, which gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. The 25,713-square-kilometer able number of European climbing (9,928-square-mile) landlocked country tourists to its most popular boulders is neighbor to Kosovo, Serbia, Bulgaria, and crags each year. While the popu- Greece, and Albania. It is home to 2.08 larity of climbing has excellent poten- million people, a quarter of whom live tial to grow in North Macedonia, a lack in the capital and largest city, Skopje. of public awareness and understand- North Macedonia is blessed with ing of the sport holds it back. This case remarkable natural wonders, from high study sheds light on this lesser-known mountain massifs to expansive national climbing destination and provides rec- parks and one of the oldest lakes in ommendations to help it flourish. Europe. This study was conducted at several sites, including Skopje, 2 INTRODUCTION CASE STUDY The Impact of Rock Climbing in North Macedonia BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA SERBIA MONTENEGRO CROATIA KOSOVO BULGARIA NORTH MACEDONIA ALBANIA ITALY BISLIMSKA KLISURA SKOPJE GREECE KADINA MATKA MAVROVO PLOCHA NORTH MACEDONIA DEMIR KAPIJA PRILEP Mavrovo National Park, Demir Kapija, OHRID Prilep, Ohrid, Zli Dol, and Lake Prespa. PELISTER BITOLA ZLI DOL METHODOLOGY PRESPA In August 2019, The Climbing Initia- tive conducted a case study on the study employed snowball sampling impacts of rock climbing in North and semi-structured interviews. Macedonia. The principal research- ers, Ludivine Brunissen and Veronica SUPPORT Baker, carried out interviews with a variety of climbers, business owners, This study was supported by funds government officials, and others with from the Jackson Institute for Global knowledge of the impacts of climbing Affairs at Yale University. in the country. Interview questions focused on the history of climbing in CONTACT North Macedonia; its economic, so- cial, and environmental effects; rela- The Climbing Initiative welcomes feed- tionships between local businesses, back and opportunities for future re- municipalities, climbing developers, search. We would love to hear from and tourists; challenges they currently you. Please feel free to reach out to face; attempts to address those chal- [email protected] or find us on lenges; and hopes for the future. The Instagram at @theclimbinginitiative. 3 INTRODUCTION THE CLIMBING INITIATIVE Adam Ondra establishing Czech Trip (9a+) in Mavrovo Cave Photo by Dimitar Popov HISTORY MOUNTAINEERING AND THE sport route, Jumbo Jet (7a), was not EMERGENCE OF CLIMBING bolted until 1990 by Vladimir Trpovski and Lazar Lazarov. Today, there are still Rock climbing is a relatively new phe- fewer rock climbing clubs than moun- nomenon in North Macedonia, despite taineering clubs, but the numbers are the country’s rich history of mountain- steadily increasing. Goran Nikoloski, eering spanning more than a century. President of the Mountain Guide Com- While organized rock climbing began mission of North Macedonia, believes in the country in the 1970s, the first “interest is really growing for climbing 4 HISTORY CASE STUDY The Impact of Rock Climbing in North Macedonia and other extreme sports,” fueled by After almost 50 years as one of the six the country’s recent economic growth republics of the Socialist Federal Re- and political stability. “Psychologically, public of Yugoslavia, the Republic of we weren’t very open to tourists. There Macedonia declared independence on was the war in Bosnia, and there were September 8th, 1991. While Macedo- some political problems in 2001, but nians are proud of their newly indepen- now everything is improving. Kosovo dent country, many look back fondly on and Serbia still have some issues, but their Yugoslavian past. Ilina Arsova, an it is calmer now, which leads to more accomplished climber, mountaineer, interest in sports and tourism.” and the first Macedonian woman to reach the Seven Summits, reminisces Despite this, the development of climb- about her country’s historical athletic ing in North Macedonia has been achievements with nostalgia. “It seems slow-paced compared to its neighbors like there was a great sports culture in Greece, Slovenia, and Bulgaria. Natali- the time of Yugoslavia, which we don’t ja Ristevska, a member of the climbing have now. So it was somehow lost in club Vertical Bitola, attributes this to lo- this time,” she said. Arsova attributes cation: “We were part of the same coun- this shift to poor physical education in try in Yugoslavia, but Slovenia is really schools, the loss of partnerships with Photo by Dimitar Popov close to Austria and Austrians had a big other ex-Yugoslavian countries, and a impact there. I think their mental state is general feeling of stagnation experi- still Balkan, but they try to be like other enced by some Balkan countries fol- European countries, and they managed lowing the Yugoslav wars. well, really well.” Jovica Ugrinovski, President of the Mountaineering Feder- ation of North Macedonia, believes that financial support from the government has also played an important role in the rapid development of climbing in coun- tries such as Greece, “because the lo- cal community saw that they can benefit by developing climbing in the region. Greek clubs are very well supported fi- nancially by the local authorities and the government,” he said. “This has started Macedonian mountaineers ascending Mount Shara in 1929 in Macedonia, and I hope it will be bet- ter and better in the future.” Photo by Federation of Mountaineering Sports of Macedonia 5 HISTORY THE CLIMBING INITIATIVE Three independent bodies govern DEVELOPMENT OF SPORT mountain sports in North Macedonia: CLIMBING the mountaineering federation (fo- cused on high-altitude hiking and the While traditional climbing grew natu- management of mountain huts), the rally from the longstanding populari- alpinism federation (focused on tech- ty of mountaineering, sport climbing nical mountain ascents), and the sport developed slowly from a self-funded, climbing federation (focused on bolt- do-it-yourself approach that persists ing, competitive