Transboundary Prespa – Review of Conservation Efforts: a Report to The
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TRANSBOUNDARY PRESPA – REVIEW OF CONSERVATION EFFORTS A REPORT TO THE PRESPA OHRID NATURE TRUST APRIL 2017 PRESPANET: The PrespaNet NGO network consists of three non-governmental organisations: the Macedonian Ecological Society (MES) in the fYR of Macedonia, the Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania (PPNEA) and the Society for the Protection of Prespa in Greece (SPP). The network was formed in 2013 and the three partners work together to protect the natural and cultural heritage of the transboundary Prespa lakes basin for the sustainable benefit of both people and wildlife, now and in the future. CONTRIBUTORS - MES: Robertina Brajanoska, Natalija Melovska, Svetlana Pejovic, Daniela Zaec CONTRIBUTORS - PPNEA: Klaudja Koci, Prof. Dr. Spase Shumka CONTRIBUTORS - SPP: Olga Alexandrou, Giorgos Catsadorakis, Julia Henderson, Thanos Kastritis, Irini Koutseri, Sevi Liouza, Annita Logotheti, Myrsini Malakou, Daphne Mantziou, Jovanka Papathanasiou, Vivi Roumeliotou, Yvonne Tsorogouni, Marianna Vlassi EDITORIAL TEAM: Robertina Brajanoska - MES, Julia Henderson - SPP, Thanos Kastritis - SPP, Myrsini Malakou - SPP, Vivi Roumeliotou - SPP, Spase Shumka - PPNEA ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The authors gratefully acknowledge the valuable contribution of the following organisations in the completion of this study: Galičica National Park; the Municipality of Resen; Pelister National Park; Prespa National Park, Albania; Prespa National Park Greece; EuroNatur; Frankfurt Zoological Society; KORA; Plantlife; the SAVE Foundation; Connecting Natural Values and People (CNVP), Albania; and, the Society of Communal Forest and Pasture Users of Pustec; as well as all the implementing organisations and agencies who have carried out projects in Prespa and graciously provided detailed information for the study. In addition, Panagiota Kaltsa, Demetris Karavellas, Constantinos Liarikos and Panagiota Maragou at WWF Greece all made valuable contributions to this study. DATE OF PUBLICATION: April 2017, WWF Greece 2 This study for the Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust was assigned to the Society for the Protection of Prespa by WWF Greece, with funding from the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund. This publication may be reproduced for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holders, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. The Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust would appreciate receiving a copy of any publications that use this document as a source. The views and opinions expressed in this study are those of the authors and editors at the time of writing and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of WWF Greece or the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund. CITATION: ‘Transboundary Prespa – Review of Conservation Efforts: A report to the Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust’, Society for the Protection of Prespa, Macedonian Ecological Society, Protection and Preservation of the Natural Environment Albania (PrespaNet), April 2017, Agios Germanos, 154 pages CONTACT: Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust: www.pont.org Address: Abdi Toptani St., Torre Drin Tower nr. 35/2, Tirana, Albania Email: info@pont.org Macedonian Ecological Society: www.mes.org.mk Protection and Preservation of the Natural Environment in Albania: www.ppnea.org Society for the Protection of Prespa: www.spp.gr COVER PHOTO: Fishing for Prespa bleak on Great Prespa Lake/ SPP Archive 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS A) GLOSSARY OF TERMS, ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................... 6 B) INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 10 C) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................... 12 CHAPTER 1: BRIEF REVIEW OF HISTORICAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN THE WIDER PRESPA AREA AND ANALYSIS OF CONSERVATION STATUS IN 2015 .................................................................. 23 1.1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 23 1.2. ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONTEXT - CONSERVATION CHALLENGES .................. 23 1.2.1. BIODIVERSITY CONTEXT................................................................................................... 23 1.2.2. SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONTEXT ............................................................................................. 24 1.2.3. CIVIL SOCIETY .................................................................................................................. 27 1.2.4. INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT ................................................................................................ 28 1.2.5. CONSERVATION CHALLENGES IN THE PERIOD LEADING UP TO 2015 ................................ 32 1.3. MAJOR CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND RESULTS ........................................................................ 35 1.3.1. WATER RESOURCES PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT ...................................................... 36 1.3.2. WETLAND MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION OF PRIORITY WATER BIRD SPECIES .......... 44 1.3.3. FORESTS, PASTURES AND MEADOWS ................................................................................ 48 1.3.4. PRIORITY SPECIES (ENDEMIC FISH, LARGE CARNIVORES, BATS, WILD PLANTS)................. 51 1.3.5. DEVELOPMENT OF A GREEN ECONOMY ............................................................................ 54 1.3.6. INSTITUTIONAL IMPROVEMENT AND SUPPORT OF PUBLIC STRUCTURES............................ 57 1.3.7. PUBLIC AWARENESS ......................................................................................................... 64 1.3.8. STRENGTHENING CIVIL SOCIETY ....................................................................................... 66 1.4. KEY PRIORITY ASPECTS OF AND THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY IN THE WIDER PRESPA AREA IN 2015 .......................................................................................................................................... 70 1.4.1. PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF WATER RESOURCES ................................................. 70 1.4.2. MANAGEMENT OF WETLANDS AND ESPECIALLY WETLAND VEGETATION .......................... 72 1.4.3. CONSERVATION OF PRIORITY SPECIES .............................................................................. 74 1.4.4. ENHANCEMENT OF FOREST AND MEADOW HETEROGENEITY AND CONNECTIVITY AND LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION ............................................................................................... 80 CHAPTER 2: LESSONS LEARNED FROM CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND EXPERIENCE ............................. 87 2.1. SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE, RESEARCH, STUDIES AND MONITORING ............................................. 87 2.2. CONCRETE CONSERVATION ACTIONS......................................................................................... 89 2.3. PROMOTION AND ENFORCEMENT OF RELEVANT LEGISLATION .................................................. 91 4 2.4. INSTITUTIONAL IMPROVEMENT – STRENGTHENING OF PUBLIC STRUCTURES AND INSTITUTIONS .................................................................................................................................. 92 2.5. STRENGTHENING THE LOCAL GREEN ECONOMY ......................................................................... 93 2.6. PUBLIC AWARENESS AND ENGAGING YOUNGER GENERATIONS .................................................. 95 2.7. CONNECTING NATURAL AND CULTURAL VALUES ....................................................................... 97 2.8. INVOLVEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT OF LOCAL SOCIETIES- DEVELOPMENT OF CIVIL SOCIETY....... 97 2.9. INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT – DONORS, POLICY AND EXPERTISE ............................................... 100 2.10. TRANSBOUNDARY CO-OPERATION ........................................................................................ 101 CHAPTER 3. GAP ANALYSIS AND NEXT STEPS .................................................................................... 106 3.1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 106 3.2. CONSERVATION NEEDS AND GAP ANALYSIS – POTENTIAL AREAS OF INTERVENTION ............... 107 3.2.1. PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF WATER RESOURCES ............................................... 107 3.2.1.1. GAP ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................... 108 3.2.1.2. POTENTIAL AREAS OF INTERVENTION ..................................................................... 110 3.2.2. SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT AND PRACTICES ................................................... 111 3.2.2.1. GAP ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................... 111 3.2.2.2. POTENTIAL AREAS OF INTERVENTION ..................................................................... 112 3.2.3. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND PROTECTION OF HIGH NATURE VALUE (HNV) FARMLAND ..................................................................................................................... 113 3.2.3.1. GAP ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................... 114 3.2.3.2. POTENTIAL AREAS OF INTERVENTION ..................................................................... 116 3.2.4. CONSERVATION OF PRIORITY SPECIES – WATERBIRDS, FISH, LARGE CARNIVORES, BATS, WILD