TIRANA, Jan.16 – The German government has provided a Euro 3.5 million grant as part of a project aimed at the sustainable protection and development of the Prespa cross-border biosphere reserve, which enjoys protected status for hosting unique habitats and species.
The agreement was signed by the Albanian Minister of Environment Lefter Koka and the German Ambassador in Tirana Hellmut Hoffmann on January 15. The project is expected to kick off this year and will run until 2020.
The aim of the project is biodiversity conservation while improving rural livelihoods at Prespa’s natural reserve. The financing will help establish an administration for the Prespa National Park, which will be responsible for the conservation of the area and the sustainable use of its natural resources. Meanwhile, the Prespa National Park will serve as a model for other natural reserves in Albania, the country’s environment department has declared.
Koka said that the second phase of the project, besides reducing poverty in the region, will contribute to a better management of forests as well as a better use of its natural resources in the future. “Current investments have significantly contributed to alleviating poverty in the area, raising awareness among locals on the natural resources of the area, and also having a more efficient administration, which continues to closely cooperate with its counterparts in FYROM and Greece,” minister Koka declared.
In the meantime, the German Ambassador in Tirana Hellmut Hoffmann said that nature and culture are crucial to economic development in this region, and therefore, the loss of the biodiversity will bring many negative effects to the region. Hoffmann added that the Prespa natural reserve can be protected effectively only if Albania, FYROM, and Greece work together.
The Ohrid-Prespa lake region was officially recognized by UNESCO as an ecosystem of global importance in June, 2014 after being included in the list of World Network of Biosphere Reserves, which now numbers 651 biosphere reserves in 120 countries, including 15 transboundary sites.
Hence, the Ohrid Prespa region is one of Europe’s most important biodiversity spots hosting many rare, endangered, and endemic species.
The local population’s life, besides being closely connected to the environment, relies on agriculture, fishing, forests and tourism. That is why a sustainable exploitation of natural resources such as forests, pastures, and lakes is of utmost importance.
