Final Report submitted to the United States Agency for International Development Biodiversity Kosovo Assessment Under the Biodiversity and Forestry Indefinite Quantity Contract Contract No. LAG-I-00-99-00013-00, Task Order No. 811 Submitted to: USAID/Kosovo Submitted by: ARD-BIOFOR IQC Consortium 159 Bank Street, Suite 300 Burlington, Vermont 05401 Telephone: (802) 658-3890 fax: (802) 658-4247 Email: [email protected] May 2003 Table of Contents List of Acronyms and Abbreviations ...........................................................................................................iii Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................... iv 1.0 Introduction....................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Purpose and Objective ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Methodology .................................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Environmental Requirements for Country Strategic Plans .............................................................. 1 1.4 Acknowledgements.......................................................................................................................... 2 2.0 Background on Kosovo..................................................................................................................... 2 2.1 Socioeconomic Overview ................................................................................................................ 2 2.2 Recent Political History and its Effects on Biodiversity Conservation ........................................... 2 3.0 Kosovo’s Biodiversity ...................................................................................................................... 3 3.1 Biodiversity Concepts ...................................................................................................................... 3 3.2 Constraints to Conserving Biodiversity in Kosovo.......................................................................... 4 3.3 Physical Characteristics ................................................................................................................... 4 3.4 Flora ................................................................................................................................................. 5 3.4.1 Species Diversity ...................................................................................................................... 5 3.4.2 Plant Associations ..................................................................................................................... 6 3.4.3 Human Impact........................................................................................................................... 6 3.5 Fauna................................................................................................................................................ 7 3.5.1 Species Diversity ...................................................................................................................... 7 3.5.2 Human Impact........................................................................................................................... 8 3.6 Protected Area System ..................................................................................................................... 9 3.7 Economic Significance .................................................................................................................. 11 4.0 Laws and Institutions for Conserving Biodiversity ........................................................................ 13 4.1 Legal and Policy Framework ......................................................................................................... 13 4.1.1 Global and Regional Conventions .......................................................................................... 13 4.1.2 Laws ........................................................................................................................................ 13 4.1.3 Policies .................................................................................................................................... 14 4.2 Institutional Structure..................................................................................................................... 15 4.2.1 Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning....................................................................... 15 4.2.2 Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Development.................................................... 16 4.2.3 Other Institutions .................................................................................................................... 16 5.0 Threats to Biodiversity.................................................................................................................... 17 5.1 Direct Threats ................................................................................................................................ 17 5.2 Underlying Causes of Threats........................................................................................................ 18 5.3 Constraints to Reducing or Mitigating Threats.............................................................................. 18 6.0 Biodiversity Conservation Priorities and Actions by Donors and NGOs ....................................... 18 6.1 Priority Actions to Conserve Biodiversity ..................................................................................... 18 6.1.1 Scientific Basis for Biodiversity Assessment, Management, and Conservation..................... 18 6.1.2 Protecting and Conserving Biodiversity ................................................................................. 19 6.1.3 Management of Marketed Biodiversity Resources ................................................................. 20 6.1.4 Environmental Management in Support of Biodiversity Conservation .................................. 20 6.2 International Donor and NGO Support for Biodiversity Conservation ......................................... 20 6.2.1 International Donors Directly Supporting Biodiversity Conservation in Kosovo .................. 21 6.2.2 Directly Supporting Biodiversity Conservation in Kosovo .................................................... 21 6.2.3 International Donor Activities Indirectly Contributing to Biodiversity Conservation in Kosovo .................................................................................................................................... 22 USAID/Kosovo Biodiversity Assessment i 7.0 USAID/Kosovo’s Assistance Program ........................................................................................... 24 7.1 Current Strategic Plan (FY 2001-FY 2003) ................................................................................... 24 7.1.1 Relationship of the FY 2001-FY 2003 TSP to Biodiversity Conservation............................. 24 7.2 Proposed Strategic Plan (FY 2004-FY 2008) ................................................................................ 24 7.2.1 SO 1 – Economic Policy and Institutions ............................................................................... 25 7.2.2 SO 2 – Private Sector Development ....................................................................................... 25 7.2.3 SO 3 – Democratic Institutions ............................................................................................... 25 7.2.4 SO 4 – Local Governance and Civil Society Participation ..................................................... 25 7.2.5 Cross-Cutting Areas ................................................................................................................ 26 7.2.6 Relationship of the Projected FY 2004-FY 2008 Strategic Plan to Biodiversity Conservation 26 8.0 Opportunities for USAID/Kosovo to Support Biodiversity Conservation and, in general, Improved Environmental Management, Within the Proposed Strategic Plan ................................................ 26 8.1 Opportunities to Improve Biodiversity Conservation and Environmental Management............... 27 8.1.1 Projected SO 1 Program Areas – Economic Policy and Institutions ...................................... 27 8.1.2 Projected SO 2 Programming Areas – Private Sector Development ...................................... 27 8.1.3 Projected SO 3 Programming Areas – Democratic Institutions.............................................. 28 8.1.4 Projected SO 4 Programming Areas – Local Governance and Civil Society Participation .... 28 Annex A. Scope of Work Annex B. Bibliography Annex C. Lists of Protected Plants and Species in Kosovo Annex D. Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning Organizational Chart Annex E. Map of Protected Areas in Kosovo Annex F. Persons Consulted Annex G. Biodiversity Annex H. USG Foreign Assistance Act, Section 119 USAID/Kosovo Biodiversity Assessment ii List of Acronyms and Abbreviations ADS Automated Directives System amsl above mean sea level CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna CSP Country Strategic Plan EA Environmental Assessment EAR European Agency for Reconstruction E&E Europe and Eurasia Bureau EGAT Economic Growth, Agriculture,