Feasibility study on establishing transboundary cooperation in the potential transboundary protected area: Tara-Drina National Park Prepared within the project “Sustaining Rural Communities and their Traditional Landscapes Through Strengthened Environmental Governance in Transboundary Protected Areas of the Dinaric Arc” ENVIRONMENT FOR PEOPLE A Western Balkans Environment & Development in the Dinaric Arc Cooperation Programme Author: Marijana Josipovic Photographs: Tara National Park archive Proofreading Linda Zanella Design and layout: Imre Sebestyen, jr. / UNITgraphics.com Available from: IUCN Programme Office for South-Eastern Europe Dr Ivana Ribara 91 11070 Belgrade, Serbia [email protected] Tel +381 11 2272 411 Fax +381 11 2272 531 www.iucn.org/publications Acknowledgments: A Special “thank you” goes to: Boris Erg, Veronika Ferdinandova (IUCN SEE), Dr. Deni Porej, (WWF MedPO), Ms. Aleksandra Mladenovic for commenting and editing the assessment text. Zbigniew Niewiadomski, consultant, UNEP Vienna ISCC for providing the study concept. Emira Mesanovic Mandic, WWF MedPO for coordinating the assessment process. 2 The designation of geographical entities in this publication, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IUCN, WWFMedPO and SNV concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of IUCN, WWF MedPO and SNV. This publication has been made possible by funding from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. Published by: IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Belgrade, Serbia in collaboration with WWFMedPO and SNV Copyright: © 2011 International Union for Conservation of Nature Reproduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorized without prior written permission from the copyright holder, provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder. Citation: Josipovic, M., (2011). Feasibility study on establishing transboundary cooperation in the potential Tara-Drina National Park. Gland, Switzerland and Belgrade, Serbia: IUCN Programme Office for South-Eastern Europe. Number of pages, 32 pp. 3 ENVIRONMENT FOR PEOPLE A Western Balkans Environment & Development in the Dinaric Arc Cooperation Programme Table of Contents Background of the study .......................................................6 Purpose of the assessment .....................................................6 Methodology ..................................................................7 Overview ......................................................................8 CONTEXT FOR TRANSBOUNDARY COOPERATION Historical context of the area ...................................................9 Border context .................................................................9 Socioeconomic context .......................................................10 Demography .................................................................10 Transport infrastructure .......................................................10 Economic Development .......................................................11 Tourism. 13 UNIFING ELEMENTS—NATURE OF THE PROPOSED TRANSBOUNDARY PROTECTED AREA Environmental conditions ....................................................15 Overview of nature values in the region .......................................15 Existing and potential natural and landscape linkages across the border ........18 Potential threats to environment ..............................................20 SUPPORT FOR TRANSBOUNDARY COOPERATION Legal and institutional framework for biodiversity conservation ................21 Protected areas in the planned transboundary protected area ..................22 Administration ................................................................23 Communication. .24 Funding and coordination .....................................................25 Support and involvement of local stakeholders ................................26 Examples of common transboundary initiatives undertaken ....................27 FIRST STEPS IN TRANSOUNDARY COOPERATION: opportunities, challenges, benefits Existing grounds for transboundary cooperation. 29 Opportunities ...............................................................29 Benefits for the local population ...............................................30 Challenges ....................................................................30 Recommendations ............................................................31 4 List of acronyms: AEWS Accident Emergency Warning System BiH Bosnia and Herzegovina CBD COP 9 9th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity CBD PoWPA Convention on Biological Diversity, Programme of Work on Protected Areas EU IPA European Union, Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance GEF Global Environment Fund IUCN SEE International Union for Conservation of Nature Programme Office for South-Eastern Europe NP National Park PA Protected Area REC Regional Environmental Center SR Republic of Serbia SNV Netherlands Development Organisation TBPA Transboundary Protected Area TBR Transboundary Biosphere Reserve UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNEP United Nations Environment Programme WWF MedPO World Wide Fund for Nature Mediterranean Programme Office 5 ENVIRONMENT FOR PEOPLE A Western Balkans Environment & Development in the Dinaric Arc Cooperation Programme ary protected areas), which shows a BACKground of general awareness that protecting this the study natural and cultural wealth can only be achieved through the close coopera- tion of the Dinaric Arc countries. The The Project “Environment for EU perspective is currently the main political driver, since EU accession is People in the Dinaric Arc” the principal objective for the countries of the region. Strong economic growth The project “Environment for People in and progressing integration into the EU the Dinaric Arc” began in 2009 and is are set to bring the stability, security, funded by the Ministry for Foreign Af- and prosperity that the peoples of the fairs of Finland. The project is expected region are hoping for. In this context, to last three years. It represents a joint establishing transboundary collabora- development initiative by IUCN (In- tion on environmental and develop- ternational Union for Conservation of ment issues is of interest to all the Nature) implemented by the IUCN Re- western Balkan countries. gional Office for Pan-Europe and IUCN The “Environment for People in the Programme Office for South-Eastern Dinaric Arc” project aims to trans- Europe, in partnership with the World form this political commitment into Wide Fund for Nature–Mediterranean a concrete action for the Dinaric Arc Programme Office and SNV–Nether- region. In short, the goal of the project lands Development Organisation. is to improve the sustainable devel- The project was developed to sup- opment of rural communities on the port the political commitments of basis of conservation of biological the Dinaric Arc countries towards diversity and traditional landscapes in enhancing cooperation on protected transboundary regions by enhancing area establishment and management regional cooperation and strengthen- within the framework of implement- ing environmental governance, includ- ing CBD PoWPA. In this context, the ing participation and empowerment most important step was the “Big Win” of civil society and local communities commitment for the Dinaric Arc, jointly (IUCN, 2008). signed by Albania, Bosnia and Herze- govina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Why transboundary coopera- and Slovenia in May 2008 during the 9th Conference of the Parties to the tion? Convention on Biological Diversity The need for establishing transbound- (CBD COP 9) in Bonn, Germany. The ary collaboration is based on the idea commitment includes the general that natural systems straddling political statement of all signatories to build an boundaries can be most effectively effective network of protected areas, managed as functional units at the based on the recognition of the natural scale of the regional landscape and and cultural wealth of the Dinaric Arc would, therefore, benefit from ap- region. It also includes a list of specific propriate mechanisms for long-term national and regional priorities for each transboundary cooperation. While the country. These priorities include the es- establishment of TBPAs for integrated tablishment of 13 new protected areas conservation and development can and the evaluation of the contribution enhance environmental protection, it the protected areas could make to the can also reinforce political security and local and national economies. They provide multiple benefits to local com- also include strengthening regional munities. collaboration by creating a series The existence of TBPAs and their buffer of transboundary natural resource zones can help rebuild divided com- management areas (i.e. transbound- munities, promote freedom of move- 6 ment and create new opportunities for Methodology sustainable development, including This analysis is based on a question- low-impact tourism. Such areas can naire completed by two local consult- also make an important contribution ants, one for each side of the border to regional biodiversity