06 July 2026
Within the framework of the project “Shaping the Future of the Bjeshkët e Nemuna Region,” a delegation from Kosovo, consisting of representatives of central and local institutions, including the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (MESPI), the Kosovo Environmental Protection Agency (KEPA), National Park Directorates, municipalities of the Peja region, CNVP Kosovo and other stakeholders, participated in a two-day study visit to Harz National Park in Germany.
The delegation was welcomed by representatives of Harz National Park and experts from Naccon GmbH and the Alfred Toepfer Academy for Nature Conservation, who shared their experience in national park management.
During the visit, the delegation from Kosovo gained experience in, among other areas, monitoring and the re-naturalization of endangered fauna species, particularly the Eurasian lynx, biodiversity conservation measures, forest and pasture management, visitor management, visitor information centers and hiking trails, park zoning, infrastructure development, particularly hiking trails and park roads, sustainable tourism, partnership and cooperation with local organizations and stakeholders, education and communication on nature protection, administrative organization, and EU funds for the development of national parks.
The possibilities for cooperation between Harz National Park and Kosovo’s national parks were also discussed, with the aim of exchanging knowledge and experience in the future, as one of the objectives of the visit was to strengthen cooperation for the sustainable development and long-term management of “Bjeshkët e Nemuna” National Park.
The visit was organized by CNVP (Connecting Natural Values and People), as the main implementing organization of the project, in cooperation with KEPA, Naccon GmbH and the Alfred Toepfer Academy for Nature Conservation, with the support of the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation and the German Federal Foundation for the Environment (DBU).