06 September 2013
06/09/2013 - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in Kosovo has supported AMMK in implementing the project for the Zoning of the Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park. The agreement for the implementation of this project, signed between the Kosovo Environmental Protection Agency and the Kosovo Mission of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), among other things, provides financial support for activities related to the zoning of the Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park, such as field visits for the study of areas with natural values, engagement of external experts, engagement of student interns, and the purchase of necessary equipment.
The implementation of project activities for the zoning of the Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park has begun. Groups of experts continue to work in the field to research the park's natural values, identify locations of rare plant and animal species, as well as conduct measurements and collect factual material from the field. In addition to experts from the AMMK and MMPH, these groups also include external experts from the Department of Biology and the Department of Geography at the Faculty of Mathematical-Natural Sciences, the Faculty of Education, as well as representatives from Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations. The expert teams will also analyze existing documents, maps, and other relevant materials, and based on the findings, the protected areas of the Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park will be proposed.
The zoning of the park and the determination of areas with different protection regimes are provided for by the Law on the Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park. According to the law, three protection regimes must be established in the park: the first zone, which is part of the territory with extraordinary natural features and should have the character of a strict protection zone; the second zone, which includes parts of the territory characterized by ecosystems and other natural values where activities that are not contrary to the purposes of protection may be carried out; and the third zone, which is an area where sustainable use is allowed, intended for the construction of facilities for leisure, recreation, and tourism, as well as the needs of residents for the sustainable use of natural resources. The park will also have an impact zone, a space that serves to prevent harmful influences.
It should also be noted that UNDP is supporting the implementation of the Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Land Use Management project in Dragash, within the framework of which several activities are being carried out to consolidate the Sharr Mountains National Park, such as: the preparation of the Management Plan for the Sharr Mountains National Park, the preparation of the Financial Plan and Business Plan for the Sharr Mountains National Park, the preparation of the Sustainable Development Atlas, as well as the Economic Valuation of the Ecosystems of the Dragash Municipality.