ECNC

Connecting people and nature

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for Local Sustainable Development in the Western Balkans – SEEBAP
Countries of South-East Europe (SEE) have seen a decline in biodiversity and development indicators in the last decade. Local action for biodiversity is essential for ensuring better conservation status for biodiversity and maintaining ecosystem services. Local sustainable development initiatives exist in SEE, but not in great numbers. This project promotes a comprehensive and integrated approach to biodiversity and ecosystem services for the sustainable development of rural municipalities and their local communities in the Western Balkans, as part of an effort to reduce the downward spiral of poverty, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation and to increase overall human well-being within the wider context of ensuring regional peace and stability.

The project focuses on rural municipalities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo/a (UNSCR 1244). The project aims will be met by increasing local participation and awareness of local authorities and their citizens. The project is being implemented by ECNC and the Regional Environmental Center (REC) with substantial involvement of and support to local stakeholders.

Partner municipalities in this project will be offered support in developing and implementing local biodiversity action plans (LBAPs) while involving local stakeholder groups such as farmers, foresters and hunters, providing expertise, organizing targeted training, and promoting socio-economic benefits of biodiversity for local practical actions.

The project started in December 2008 and will run for three years.

Funding: Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
Partners: Regional Environmental Center (REC) and its offices in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo.
More details: www.ecnc.org/ongoing-projects_30.html?action=detail&id=79


Communicating for nature conservation in the Balkan Region: Capacity building and pilot projects in Croatia and FYR Macedonia – Phase 3
Many countries in South-East Europe (SEE) have a solid tradition of ecological and environmental education, but they have not yet established a routine concerning the strategic use of stakeholder communication in solving problems related to nature conservation and management. Therefore, ECNC started a capacity-building programme in the SEE region with a training project for staff of nature conservation authorities, national parks and NGOs in Croatia and FYR Macedonia. The project aimed to develop skills of staff of nature conservation organizations and authorities in Croatia and Macedonia in the professional use of communication and facilitation as a policy tool.

The first project phase ran from August 2005 to August 2006; the second phase (pilot projects) ran from December 2006 to December 2007.

The third project phase was completed in September 2008, with two in-country training programmes run by the national trainers. The project achieved its aim of extending the knowledge and capacity in the country as well as beyond the project. This project has not only strengthened the capacity of conservationists in Croatia and FYR Macedonia, but it has also created a network between the two countries, and the park managers who were actively involved in the project activities.

The project results were widely communicated through international events and conferences, such as the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, held in May in Bonn, Germany. In November 2008 the project was presented at the first European forum for managers of natural areas, ‘Jobs for Nature’, held in Lyon, France. Both external audiences and the project partners greatly appreciated the concept of communication for nature conservation and the way it is implemented in the project in Croatia and FYR Macedonia.

Funding: Norwegian Government.
Partners: Croatian State Institute of Nature Protection; Macedonian Ministry of the Environment and Physical Planning.
More details: www.ecnc.org/ongoing-projects_30.html?action=detail&id=9


Knowledge for ecological networks – KEN
Legislation, policy and planning of ecological networks are quite well developed across Europe, but the actual implementation of corridors, buffer zones and core areas lags behind. One of the reasons is the complex process of consultation with stakeholder groups. Through a series of desk and case studies for six European countries (Croatia, Estonia, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom) and international workshops and focus group meetings, this project seeks to understand the role different stakeholder groups play in the practical implementation of ecological networks in Europe. The main goal is to have a better understanding of the processes and the development of innovative approaches to a better and more effective participation of the different stakeholders in the implementation of ecological networks.

ECNC is coordinating this two-year project, which started in March 2007.

In 2008 the project produced six country reports on the stakeholder approach in ecological network implementation. The results were widely disseminated through an international conference and workshops held in October 2008 in Oisterwijk, the Netherlands. A website for the project was launched (www.ecologicalnetworks.eu) which includes all relevant information, contacts, data and knowledge generated during the implementation of this project.

Funding: Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.
Partners: Estonian University of Life Sciences (Estonia); Center for Agricultural Landscape and Land Use Research (ZALF; Germany); Croatian State Institute for Nature Protection (SINP; Croatia); Natural England (United Kingdom); Alterra (the Netherlands); Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN; Switzerland).
More details: www.ecnc.org/ongoing-projects_30.html?action=detail&id=11

Biodiversiteit werkt in de regio (Biodiversity works at the regional level)
Local and regional authorities can play a key role in promoting the sustainable use and conservation of ecosystem services and biodiversity. However, the smaller municipalities in particular have limited capacity and knowledge about the opportunities that integrating biodiversity objectives in their policy and implementation can offer. The aim of this project is to collect examples of good practice and disseminate them among local and regional authorities. The best biodiversity initiatives will be awarded a prize.

Activities in 2008 focused on the collection and description of inspirational and innovative examples of local biodiversity-related projects. The project descriptions were prepared for inclusion in the online database on the website of the Netherlands Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment, which has a section dedicated to biodiversity: www.vrom.nl/biodiversiteitwerkt/. The aim of this online projects database is to inspire and inform local and regional authorities (municipalities, provinces and water boards) about the possibilities offered by the integration of biodiversity into their policies and actions.

Funding: Netherlands Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment (VROM).
More details: www.ecnc.org/ongoing-projects_30.html?action=detail&id=2
www.vrom.nl/biodiversiteitwerkt