The study trip to Slovenia gathered nature conservation experts from across the Balkan region
21 May 2012
21.05.2012 - Representatives of national and nature parks, as well as other representatives from institutions dealing with nature conservation from seven countries in the region, visited Slovenia and for six days visited the national parks. They learned about the way parks are managed in the European Union, what the EU accession process means for Slovenian parks, and the implementation of the Natura 2000 ecological network. This study trip is part of WWF's project "Parks of the Dinaric Arc," which aims to create a network of natural and national parks in the territories of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Slovenia, and Serbia.
Thirty experts working in the nature protection sector from the region have learned how to do something useful for the local population in their protected areas, in a way that would not harm nature and would be economically feasible. Our region has the best biodiversity in Europe, and walking through the Slovenian parks has served as an example of good practice for managing their territories in the best possible way, said Leon Kebe, project leader, Parks of the Dinaric Arc.
During their stay in Slovenia, nature conservation experts from the region visited parks such as: Škocjan Park, Škocjan Cave, the Notranjska Regional Park with Lake Cerknica, Triglav National Park, Kozjansko Park, and Goricko Nature Park. They learned from representatives of the Nature Conservation Institute and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment about the system of protected areas in Slovenia, as well as the preparation of professional institutions for the obligations brought by the EU and the creation of the Natura 2000 network.
The Dinaric Arc Parks Project will last three years and, besides creating a network of parks, it also has an important task in the professional development of park employees in better management and sustainable tourism. Another goal of the project is to work on the recognition of the Dinaric Arc, which it is believed by WWF should be, on a global level, as important as the Alps or the Carpathians. The Dinaric Arc can also become synonymous with sustainable development.
WWF is one of the largest and most respected independent international organizations for nature conservation, with nearly five million supporters and an active global network in more than 100 countries. WWF's mission is to halt the degradation of the Earth's natural environment, natural habitats, as well as to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature, through the preservation of global biodiversity and ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and unnecessary expenses.