Transboundary Biosphere Reserve Ohrid Prespathemisnetwork.rec.org/uploads/documents/SubReg1_MK...No identity of the TBR is existing A joint corporate identity of the inhabitants of

Transboundary Biosphere Reserve Ohrid Prespa

Values , proclamation , expectations

Dejan Panovski ,LOWBS, MOEPP

What are our values?What is unique?

Biodiversity: Biological Hotspot High number of endemic

species in the three lakes Large breeding

population of the two European Pelicans

Reviving wildlife Brown bears, wolves, Lynx, Balkan Chamois

Large number of wintering waterbirdsfrom the Palae-arcticregion

What are our values?What is unique?

Culture

- Inhabited since Neolithicum

App.7000 years

- One of the oldest

Universities in Europe

- Ohrid town World Heritage

Site of UNESCO

- MK Part Ohrid lake World Nature Heritage site of UNESCO

What are our values?

Socio economic context

Agriculture

Fishery

Forestry

Tourism

Vision: Sustainable use of natural recourses for future of the Region

Setting of the Transboundary Biosphere reserve OhridPrespa

Declaration for Creation of the Biosphere reserve 2.10.2012

(signed by the Municipalities and National Parks)

Nomination File sent to UNESCO30.09. 2013

Legal and management points : JOINT AGREMENT ON PROTECTION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

OF LAKE OHRID WATERSHED

-Signed June 17 2004 , ratified by Macedonian and Albanian Parliaments 2005

-Established Joint bodies : Bilateral Committee and Bilateral Secretariat

General objective Article 1 of the Agreement:

Parties shall work on Giving the Lake ad its watershed status of World Natural and cultural heritage and the status of Biosphere reserve of UNESCOЧлен 1

Other objectives according to Agreement

-Protection of unique values of the Region

-Ensuring cross border cooperation and coordination

-Develop ideas and eco-project for the benefit of the region

Bilateral Committee

Committee is composed of identical number of members of

each Party. Includes representatives of central Government (3

titular) , representative of Local Governments within the

Watershed (3) and a representative of civil organizations (1)

Bilateral Secretariat

Technical Body as a Committee support with tasks to prepare

analysis and projects , to coordinate with Governments and

international organizations and donors, to build public

awareness for the protection of the Watershed.

Duty of the Bilateral secretariat in first phase will be to

coordinate different functions within TBR , coordinate different

stakeholders and develop working groups and public

awareness campaigns.

- Process supported by the MOEPP, MAB

Municipalities and National Parks

- Nomination Act done with support of

national and international experts KfW

/UNESCO .

- Approved on National MAB committee

meetings MAB committees established under

this Process

-Nomination sent to UNESCO through

national Commissions on Sept.30.2013

-Nomination approved buy UNESCO Advisory

Committee on March 2014 ( sent additional

information by request)

-Ohrid Prespa proclaimed as a TBR (13 in the

World) on MAB Council meeting in Jonkoping

on June 12 ,2014

-Information on Proclamation adopted by the

Government on 9.9.2014

- Inauguration of the TBR Ohrid Prespa ,

October 13 , 2014 , Korca ,Albania

Achievable Results of the Workprogramme 2016-2019

• RESULT 1: Administration of the TBR empoweredand its capacity improved

• RESULT 2: Unsustainable Use of Resources istransferred into sustainability

• RESULT 3: Conservation of Biodiversity enhanced• RESULT 4: Functions and Services of ecosystems

stabilized and enhanced• RESULT 5: Awareness and education improved• RESULT 6: Research coordinated, gaps of

knowledge identified and research programmesdesigened and implemented.

Problems Objectives Measures/Activities Indicators

Result 1: Administration of TBR empowered

TBR Administration capacity not adequate

Improve the Governance of the future TBR

Improve equipment, Infrastructure and staff of the secretariat of Ohrid Watershed Commission as future administration of the TBR: Provide staff and train staff for their tasks

Secretariat has adquate infrastructure, necessary equipment and sufficient staff with adequate capacity

TBR Management Plan to be developed

create comprehensive Managementplan for TBR

Elaborate Management Plan with sectoral Managementobjectives based on the exisiting Management Plans of the protected areas in the TBR

Document ready and approved

Not sufficient staff and unprepared for the new tasks

Trained and sufficient number of staff works in the administration of the TBR

Prepare job desciptions and increase the number of staff according a staffing plan built the capacity of the staff through training

Sufficient staff available and trained

TBR not in the Albanian and Macedonian Nature conservation law recognized as protection category.

The national legislations of the littoral countries includes the Biosphere Reserve as a conservation category

Elaborate a relevant legal act ot amend the existing legislation

BRs are incorporated in the national nature conservation legislation

Communication with stakeholders local, regional, national and international level

Provide all necessary information for all stakeholders on different levels

Update, extend and implment the exisiting communication strategy

All stakeholders are well informed

No identity of the TBR is existingA joint corporate identity of the inhabitants of the TBR as a condition to more sustainability

Create a corporate design including a common logo of the TBR.

Corporate design created for the TBR and people understand that they are part of it (corporate identity

TBR not known to the Tourimssector

TBR a destination for envrionmental friendly tourism

Present the TBR on International tourism fairs (ITB)

TBR is presented

TBR not well known internationallyPresent the TBR on relevant exhibitions/fairs

Prepare a presentation of the TBR to the World Exhibition fare in Milano 2015

TBR is presented

Problems Objectives Measures/Activities Indicators

Result 2: unsustainable use of resources is converted into sustainability

Firewood/Energy for heating and cooking

Bring the energy consumption to a sustainable level

Assess the energy consumption from different sources: Wood, Gas, Oil, Electricity. Develop measures to reduce the consumption.(e.g. better firing systems, substitutes by renewable energy sources, Improvement of Insulation of houses etc)

Feasibility studies are elaborated and pilot projects are implemented

PastoralismPastoralism is adapted to the carrying capacity of the pastures

revision of the livestock sector Feasibility study and pilot projects in place

Medicinal Plants (Mountain tea)Medicinal plants are harvested and marketed on a sustainable level

Imrpovement of cultivation of medicinal plants like mountain tea(Sideritis raeseri) and improvement of marketing

Integration in Marketing programm

Fish stock in the lakes Sustainable use of the fish stock

Implementation of a management plan, enforcing banned fishing (temporal and spatial), improve marketing to achieve a top up price system

Statistic data on catch shows stability and reproduction of fish stock is improved

low income of agricultural and fishery use of resources

Income Improvement

Introduction of quality standards and a top up price system, creation of a marketing organisation and labelling of products

Monitoring/control of quality standards

Fruticulture Fruticulture is sustainable feasibility study Study and pilot project implemented

Beekeeping

Beekeeping is an important income gerneration for local population and an essential factor for pollination for wild living plants and the orchards

Training of beekeepers, Improvement of the management capacity of beekeepers, Introduction of quality and hygienic standards. Top-up marketing of products.

Introduced and well monitored quality and hygienic standards. Better prices by improved quality marketing by a quality label.

Fishery Sustainable use of the fish stock Application of existing monitoring methods, Improvement of quality standards

Catch amount in balance with the reproduction of fish population

Problems Objectives Measures/Activities Indicators

Result 3: Conservation of natural habitats and its inhabitants is improved

Insufficient biodiversity conservation (illegal hunting, illegal fishery, illegal logging

Improved law enforcement

Increased number of staff in the national parks. Sufficient equipment and infrastructure for the administration of Pas, Staff of PAs, adequately trained, Joint actions with police forces (state police, border police, forest police etc.)implemented

concerted actions against illegal actions organised every there months (in irregular intervals) Police forces are trained and attentive to illegal actions

Endangerment of fires (forest, pastures, urban areas)

Early warning for effective fire fighting feasibility study feasibility study elaborated

Ecosystems (aquatic and terrestrial) overused in the past

Ecosystems are recovered and full functioning

Potential afforestation in identified forested areas. Parts of the lake are protected and subject of core zone management

Afforestation in pilot projects implemented, Fish spawning grounds in the lake are strictly protected.

Wildlife is recovering in the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

well guarded core zones

Improved protection by well guarded core zones and adapted management in buffer zones to increase or stabilize wild life, wild living birds and plants in their natural habitats

Detaile conservation measures are applied according the MPs of the PA.

Connectivity between the ecosystems is endangered

terrestrial ecosystems are well conncected and allow free movements of wildlife

prepare a permeability study for wildlife on terrestrial ecosystems

Study is prepared and pilot actions implmented

Not exisiting use of natural resources like reed from lesser Prespa Lake or wood debris

Biomass maufacturing into briquettes to substitute firewood consumption form forests

Implement of the reed management plan for lesser Prespa lake and start collecting and manufacturing of biomass from different sources into briquettes

Reed harvest and biomass collection organised and briquettes produced

Problems Objectives Measures/Activities Indicators

Result 4: Improvement of ecosystems functions and services

Sewage water is deteriorating the water quality of the lakes and sources of drinking water supply

Improve the water quality

Improve the existing swage water cleaning/treatment system. Apply smal lscale systems for individual houses which cannot be connected to a ring pipe. Construct reed bed cleaning systems at the Greater Prespa

Pilot project in place

Result 5: Awareness and Education improved

Awareness of local population still lowAwareness of local population is adequate to the objectives of the TBR

Awareness raising in alle sectors related to the TBR achieved by campaigns, publications, media presence, exhibitions events etc.

Acceptance study shows increased awareness

No specific education programme existsin all educational institutions a ecological curriculum is implemented

Education concepts are to be prepared targeting at different target groups with adequate measures

Education programmes are in place form kindergardens to universities. Learning about ecosystems is subject of all educational instituitons, the PA and their administrations have detailed education programmes elaborated and provide the necessary infrastructure

Result 6: research and knowledge about the Region improved

Ecosystems, their functions and services are barely understood

the knowledge about ecosystems, their functions and services is increased

prepare a research and science programme. Encourage national and international scientists to research in the TBR

Improved knowledge by published research results

The cultural assets of the region is not well knownMore insights in the cultural history of human presence in the region is achieved

encourage studies on historical and cultural aspects of the entire region

Improved knowledge by published research results

Certificate for Proclamation of TBR Ohrid /Prespasigned by the General Director of UNESCO

TBR OHRID PRESPA LOGO , Adopted by the members of Lake Ohrid Watershed Committee in October 2014