transboundary prespa park

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[email protected]+38163359020 http://prespa.iwlearn.org/Albania,Greece,Macedonia:Size:1,386km2

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Participantsincoordinatingtheongoingtransboundarycooperation:NationalGovernment:

• Albania,Greece,MacedoniaLocalGovernment:

• Resen(MKD),• Prespa(GR),• Pustec(AL)• Devoll(AL)

Protectedareaadministration:• PrespaParkCoordinationCommittee(PPCC;2001-2007);• PrespaParkManagementCommittee(2010-present;notactive);

InternationalNGOs:• MAVA,• MediterraneanWetlandsInitiative,• Euronatur

NationalNGOs:• PPNEA(AL),• SocietyfortheProtectionofPrespa(GrR),• UnionofEcologists-Ecoprotection(MKD),

Intergovernmentalorganizations:• UNDP

NationalCorporations:• KfW(DE),• SDC,• GIZ,• SIDA

Objectives:TheVisionforthePrespaLakesBasin,assetoutintheStrategicActionProgram(2012),isdefinedasfollows:“By2025,thePrespaLakesBasinwillrepresentahealthyecosystemthatsupportsasustainableeconomy.”AsetofEnvironmentalQualityObjectives(EQOs)havebeendesignedtoaddressthekeytransboundaryconcernsandthreatstoachievetheVision:EQO1:Topreserveandrestoretheecologicalstatusandvaluesofsurfaceandground

waterresources.

EQO2:Strengtheningland-usemanagementandplanning.EQO3:TheconservationofPrespaLakesBasin’sbiodiversityandhabitats.

EQO4:Toimprovethelivelihoodsofthelocalcommunitiesbyensuringsustainableforestry,agricultureandfisheries.

Valuesandimportance:ThetransboundaryPrespaLakeisoneofEurope’smajortrans-boundary“ecologicalbricks.”IthostsuniquehabitatsandspeciesthatareimportantfrombothEuropeanandglobalconservationperspective,includingdozensoflocalendemicdiatoms,vascularplants,invertebratesandfishes;261speciesofbirdshavebeenobservedinthelast50years,includingover90migratorybirds.TheGreekpartofthebasinisa

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breedingsiteforrarewaterbirdsofglobalandEuropeanimportance,suchastheDalmatianPelican(Pelecanuscrispus),GreatWhitePelican(Pelecanusonocrotalus),PygmyCormorant(Phalacrocoraxpygmeus),GlossyIbis(Plegadisfalcinellus)andseveralspeciesofheron.Theprimaryeconomicsectoristhemostsignificantinallthreecountriesinthebasin.ThePrespaLakebasinislocatedinoneofthemostunstablegeopoliticalcontextsonthecontinent,wherenational,religiousandethnicrivalriesandweakstatescombinetoproducesocial,politicalandecologicalchallenges.Aspectsoftransboundarycooperation:AtthetransboundarylevelaUNDP/GEFprojecthassupportedseveralstrategicallyimportantactions:

• StrategicActionPlanfortheSustainableDevelopmentofthePrespaPark(http://www.spp.gr/sap_executive_summary_edition_en.pdf);

• Transboundaryfisheriesandfishmanagement(http://iwlearn.net/iw-projects/1537/reports/transboundary-fish-and-fisheries-management-planning-in-the-prespa-lakes-basin);

• Transboundarymonitoring(http://www.spp.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=68&lang=en)

• Transboundarywatermanagement(http://www.lakeprespa.mk/content/Publications/Prespa%20Lakes%20Basin(1).pdf).

Inaddition,transboundaryteamsofexpertshavedevelopedthefollowingactionplansonhabitatsandspecies:

• StatusSurveyandConservationActionPlanfortheBatsofPrespa(Papadatouetal.2011)(http://www.spp.gr/bats%20action%20plan.pdf);

• ConservationActionPlanforGrecianJuniperforestsinthePrespaLakewatershed(Fotiadisetal.2012)(http://www.lakeprespa.mk/content/Publications/Grecian%20Juniper%20Forests%20%20Conservation%20Action%20Plan.pdf);

• ConservationActionPlanforReedbedsinthePrespaLakeswatershed(Angelovaetal.2012)(http://www.resen.gov.mk/content/Documents/Леап/Conservation%20action%20plan%20for%20reedbeds.pdf);

• StatusSurveyandConservationActionPlanfortheCavesandCaveBatsofPrespa(Papadatouetal.2012)(http://www.resen.gov.mk/content/Documents/Леап/Conservation%20action%20plan%20for%20bats%20caves.pdf);

• ConservationActionPlanforMountainteainthePrespaLakeswatershed;(Bojadzietal.2012)(http://www.resen.gov.mk/content/Documents/Леап/Mountain%20tea%20conservation%20action%20plan%20final.pdf);

• BrownBearConservationActionPlanforthePrespaLakeswatershed(Stojanovetal.2012)(http://www.resen.gov.mk/content/Documents/Леап/Conservation%20action%20plan%20for%20bears.pdf);

Stageintheprocess:ThePrespaParkwasestablishedinFebruary2000byajointDeclarationofthePrimeMinistersofGreece,AlbaniaandMacedonia.AtrilateralPrespaParkCoordinationCommittee(PPCC)wasestablishedafewmonthslaterincluding

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representativesfromcentralgovernment,localgovernmentandnon-governmentalorganizations(NGOs),aswellasapermanentobserverfromtheRamsarConventiononWetlands.Inthefollowingyearsmanylocalbodiescollaboratedontransboundaryprograms,withfinancialandtechnicalsupportfromseveralinternationalfundingorganizations.In2010theEnvironmentMinistersofthethreecountriesandtheEUsignedthe“InternationalAgreementfortheProtectionandSustainableDevelopmentofthePrespaParkRegion”establishingthePrespaParkManagementCommittee.TheAgreementwillenterintoforceonceratifiedbytheGreekgovernment.

DateEstablished:02/02/2000OfficialProtectedAreaDesignation:TheareaofPrespaNationalParkinAlbaniacoincideswiththeAlbanianshareofthePrespabasin;theareaofPrespaNationalParkinGreeceisequivalenttotheGreekpartofthePrespabasin.InMacedonia,37%ofGalichicaNationalParkand37%ofPelisterNationalParkfallwithinthePrespabasin,whereastheEzeraniStrictNatureReserveisentirelywithinthePrespabasin.TheMacedonianshareofGreaterPrespaLakehasbeendeclaredanaturalmonumentandaRamsarSite.IntheGreekpartofthePrespabasinalargepartofPrespaNationalParkandalargesectionofVarnousMountainarepartoftheNATURA2000networkofprotectedareas:GR1340001andGR1340003.ThepartofLesserPrespaLakeinGreecehasalsobeendeclaredaRamsarSite.AlbaniahasalsodeclaredaRamsarsiteincludingbothGreaterandLesserPrespaLakes.TheAlbanianandMacedonianpartsofthebasinareincludedintheOhrid-PrespaTransboundaryBiosphereReserve.TheCatalyst:ThetransboundarycooperationinthePrespaLakeBasinhasbeendrivenbyacombinationoflocalactivistsandinternationalorganizations.ThePrespaParkwasestablishedin2000followingaproposalfromtheNGOs“SocietyfortheProtectionofPrespa”(GR)andWWFGreece.In2003UNDP,KfWandtheGreekgovernmentfinancedaPDF-Bprojecttoconductstudiesandconsultationstodevelopafullprojectproposal.Thefullproject"IntegratedEcosystemManagementinthePrespaLakesBasininAlbania,FYROMandGreece"wasimplementedfrom2006to2011.AspartofthisprojectKfWimplementedsupportingactivitiesinGalicica(MKD)andPrespa(AL)nationalparks.In2015thePrespaOhridNatureTrust(ΡΟΝΤ)wascreatedthroughfinancialcommitmentsfromtheMAVAfoundationandtheBMZ(throughKfW).PONT’sco-financingprogramisunderdevelopmentandtheallocationofgrantsisexpectedinearly2017.

History:TheparticipantsinthepolicyprocessesrelatedtotransboundarymanagementofthePrespaLakesbasininitiallybelongedtothreedifferentpolicynetworks,eachcloselyassociatedwiththreelargelyseparatemanagementstructureswithcompetingagendasandeachrelativelywellintegrated.ThefirstemergedinrelationtoaGEF/WorldBanktransboundaryprojectfortheLakeOhridwatershed(AL,MKD),alsocoveringthePrespaLakesbasin.ThesecondpolicynetworkwasrelatedtotheEuroregionnetwork,whichhasinvolvedadifferentsetoffunders,NGObackersandofficials.ThetransboundaryPrespaParkinitiativeandtherelatedinstitutionsrepresentsagraduallyemergingtransnationalpublicpolicy-makingstructureastheproductofacomplexinterplayofpeopleandorganizations,includingMAVA,UNDPandKfW.After15yearsofinternationalsupportthe

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ripariancountrieshavenotcommittedsignificantresourcestomaintaininganddevelopingthegovernanceinstitutions.Thecivilsocietysectorisstilllargelydependentuponinternationalfunding.

Barriers,challenges,obstacles,orconstraints:ThePrespaLakesBasinStrategicActionProgram(2012)hasidentifiedthefollowingrootcausesoftheenvironmentalproblems:

Governance● Insufficientgovernmentpriorityonenvironment● Inadequatewaterbasinmanagement● Inadequatelandusemanagement● Inadequateinter-sectoralcoordination● Inadequatelegal/regulatorybasis● Insufficienteconomicincentives● Insufficientlawenforcement● Inadequatehuman/institutionalcapacity

Scientificcooperationandstakeholdersawareness● Insufficientscientificcapacity/orcooperation/datasharinginformation● Insufficientknowledge/understanding● Inadequateavailabletechnology● Lowpublicawareness

Socio-economicissues● Poverty● Pressuresfromunsustainableuseofnaturalresources(agriculture,forestry,

fisheriesandindustry)● Inadequatemunicipalservicesandinfrastructure● Lackoffunds

The Prespa Lakes Basin Strategic Action Program includes actions addressing theenvironmentalproblemsandtherelatedrootcauses.Theimplementationoftheseactionsis currently not coordinated by a transboundary management structure, but instead byindividualorganizationsthatareabletomobilizeresourcesfrominternationaldonors.

TheGovernanceandManagementStructures

● Cooperativerelationship:TheinitiativeisbasedonaMinisterialDeclaration(seebelow),tobesucceededbyalegallybindingagreement(stillnotinforce,seebelow)

● Legalbasisforcooperation:2000:DeclarationontheCreationofthePrespaParkandtheEnvironmentalProtectionandSustainableDevelopmentofthePrespaLakesandtheirSurroundings(http://www.spp.gr/declaration_en.pdf)2010:AgreementontheProtectionandSustainableDevelopmentofthePrespaParkArea.RatifiedbyAlbania,MacedoniaandtheEU,butnotGreece(http://www.spp.gr/agreement_02.02.10.pdf)

● GovernanceStructure:ThePrespaParkManagementCommitteeistobecomposedofmembersfromthethreeripariancountriesrepresentingthe

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responsibleministries,environmentalNGOs,localprotectedareamanagementauthorities,andpermanentobserversfromtheMedWetInitiativeoftheConventiononWetlands(Ramsar)andtheLakeOhridWatershedManagementCommittee.

● Cooperativemanagementarrangement:

● StrategicActionPlanfortheSustainableDevelopmentofthePrespaPark(http://www.spp.gr/sap_executive_summary_edition_en.pdf);

● PrespaLakesBasinStrategicActionProgram(http://www.lakeprespa.mk/content/Publications/Prespa%20Lakes%20Basin(1).pdf);

● TransboundaryMonitoringSystemforthePrespaPark (http://www.spp.gr/tms_adjustment_final_report%202.pdf);

Results:SignificantprogresshasbeenmadeintransboundarycooperationsincethefalloftheIronCurtain.Overthelasttwodecadesacomplexnetworkofpeopleandorganizations,includinglocal,nationalandinternationalactors,hasdeveloped.Thisnetworkorsomeofitselementshavedemonstratedarobustcapacityforadaptationtothechangingpoliticalcontextandmobilizationoffinancialassistancetoimplementsomeofpriorityenvironmentalprotectionactions.Knowledgeandinformationontransboundaryenvironmentalissueshasgrownrapidlyalthoughdatasetsareoftenincompleteanddiscontinuous.Othersignificantachievementsincludetheestablishmentofaformaltransboundarymanagementstructurethathasendorsedseveralimportantpolicyandplanningdocumentsforecosystembasedmanagement,includingtransboundaryenvironmentalmonitoring,biodiversityconservationandfisheries.TherecentestablishmentofPONTisanimportantstepinprovidingalong-termandsustainedfinancialsupporttothetransboundarymanagementstructuresandactivities.LessonsLearned:NGOhaveplayedakeyroleininitiatingandsustainingthePrespaParkinitiativewithsupportfrominternationalnon-governmentalandgovernmentalorganizations.Theyhavebeeninstrumentalinsupportingtheestablishmentofinformalpolicynetworksofpoliticians,civilservants,policyanalysts,experts,andinterestgroupswhohavepromotedenvironmentalbutalsootherformsoftransboundarycooperationandintegration,eventuallylinkingtoformalinstitutionalstructures.Theinformalrelationshipsbetweenorganizationsandindividualshaveplayedimportantroleinseekingbalancebetweencompetingpublicneedsandpriorities,inparticularwithrespecttotherecentdevelopmentsthatgiveprecedencetoeconomicgrowthoverbiodiversityconservation.Theemergenceofinformalpolicynetworkshasincreasedthepotentialforsociallearningbetweenorganizationsacrossthenationalbordersandprovedtobemoreresilientandadaptivetounexpectedexogenousshocks,therebyincreasingthepotentialforlonger-termmaintenanceoftransboundarycooperation.ThehighlevelofinternationalassistanceandfundinghasbeenofcriticalimportanceforsustainingboththeformalandinformaltransboundarycooperationstructuresinthePrespaLakesbasin.

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ForMoreInformation

Name Title Organization Email Phone

SpaseShumka PhD ProtectionandPreservationofNaturalEnvironmentinAlbania(PPNEA)

[email protected] +355682351130

ZamirDedej Director NationalAgencyforProtectedAreas(NAPA)

[email protected]

+355682080733

MihalaqQirjo Director RegionalAdministrationforProtectedAreas,Korca(RAPAKorca)

[email protected]

+355682603689

MyrsiniMalakou Director SocietyfortheProtectionofPrespa(SPP)


GiorgosCatsadorakis

PhD Independentornithologist,conservationbiologist

[email protected] 306974667413,

PanagiotaKaltsa ProjectManager,PrespaOhridNatureTrust

WWFGreece [email protected] +302103311987(ext.116)

SlavcoHristovski President MacedonianEcologicalSociety(MES)

[email protected]

+38978450049

AndonBojadzi Mr. PublicInstitutionGalicicaNationalPark

[email protected]

+38970282200

NikolaZdraveski MScProjectSpecialist

UNDPMacedonia

[email protected]

+38970362205

ThymioPapayannis

Secretary

RamsarCultureWorkingGroupRamsarConventiononWetlands


SocietyforPrespaParkwebsitehttp://www.spp.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10&Itemid=15&lang=en