Further enhancement for the European Green Belt?

Two further areas - both located on the Balkan Green Belt in Macedonia - are likely to be designated national parks. These two areas, the Shar Planina Mountains in the north of the country on the Kosovo border, and the Jablanica Mountains along the border between Macedonia and Albania, have one thing in common: they host an unequalled diversity of plant and animal species in Europe.

On occasion of their meeting with the Macedonian minister for environment, Dr. Nexhati Jakupi, EuroNatur director Gabriel Schwaderer and project leader Annette Spangenberger, as well as professor Ljupcho Melovski of the Macedonian partner organization MES and Uwe Riecken of the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, all stressed the ecological significance of both these natural treasures being an essential part of the European Green Belt.

Environment minister Jakupi shares this view and assured to speed up the designation of the Jablanica mountains as a national park. On Albanian territory, this mountain range is a nature reserve already since 2008. Now, the aim is to establish the nature reserve on Macedonian territory as well, in order to create a large-sized protected area of 500 square kilometers on the Green Belt. According to environment minister Jakupi, the Shar Planina Mountains in the north of Macedonia will be declared a national park very soon.

Within the scope of the European Green Belt Initiative, EuroNatur has been officially coordinating the conservation activities on the Balkan Green Belt, the southernmost section of the European Green Belt, since 2004.

More about EuroNatur's projects on Balkan Green Belt

How you can help

Donation

Future needs nature. EuroNatur cares for it. Please use your possibilities to help. With your donation you will make an effective contribution to a more livable environment.

Sustaining membership

EuroNatur focuses on long-term nature conservation projects instead of quick fixes. With your regular donations, you give us the planning security we need.

News

Skavica mega dam: Albanian court to scrutinise special law for U.S. contractor Bechtel

++ Constitutional complaint filed by NGOs accepted for trial ++ First milestone in fight against one of Europe’s largest reservoirs ++ Thousands of…

Growing opposition to Albanian airport

++ Bern Convention calls on Albania to stop airport construction near Narta Lagoon ++ Project in Vjosa Delta endangers thousands of migratory birds ++…

EU Commission targets the wolf

Ursula von der Leyen warns of allegedly "dangerous wolves" - nature conservation organisations criticise misleading statements and dubious data…

Romanian forests: EuroNatur calls for a logging moratorium

+++ Open letter to Commissioner Sinkevičius calls for a logging moratorium in protected areas to end destruction of Romanian forests +++ Fourth…

Controversial airport construction in Albanian protected area casts shadow as far as Munich

++ Operating company Munich Airport International (MAI) is linked to illegal Vlora airport ++ Construction to take place in protected area of special…

Swimming for the monk seal

The Croatian free water swimmer Dina Levačić has been swimming in potential monk seal territories. Her campaign is aimed at drawing attention to the…

Wolf Offspring confirmed in the Black Forest

++ Photo trap image from the community of Schluchsee provides evidence of offspring ++ First wolf pack in over 150 years in Baden-Württemberg ++

Stork Village meeting in Tykocin, Poland

It was an anniversary celebrated in style: For the 20th annual meeting, representatives of the European Stork Villages met for the first time in the…

A slight sigh of relief for the Dalmatian pelicans

The Dalmatian pelicans at Lake Skadar are breeding successfully. This is all the more gratifying because last year's breeding season was disastrous.