Mavrovo, November 14, 2024 — The two-day Regional Conference on Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in the Shar, Korab Koritnik, and Albanian Alps regions has begun in Mavrovo, welcoming over 100 participants (local NGOs, local business, experts and community representatives) from North Macedonia, Albania, and Kosovo. Organized by CNVP North Macedonia with financial support from PONT, this significant event is dedicated to advancing sustainable tourism and biodiversity protection in the Shar, Korab Koritnik, and Albanian Alps regions.

The conference opened with a welcome address by Nehat Ramadani, Director of CNVP North Macedonia, who emphasized „The particular value of the conference is bringing together and discussing in one place here in Mavrovo, with esteemed scholars, practitioners, businesses, farmers, and policymakers from across the Balkans. Certainly, we are not alone in this path, but we have created a big network of local organizations to deal jointly and fulfil the project’s objective. With our subgrating scheme, we have granted 47 organizations (consisted NGOs, local farmers, even Municipalities), both in Albania and Noth Macedonia. Among others, we have invested a lot in capacity building and development of this network, in order we are all on the same page to deal effectively and efficiently in the field.“

‘’The natural wealth of our land represents a strong potential for alternative tourism, which increasingly attracts foreign and domestic visitors. Today's tourists seek an authentic experience—a closer connection with nature, traditional food, and experiences that bring a sense of connection with local culture and customs. This is our advantage, but also our responsibility—to create an environment where tourism can flourish while ensuring nature is preserved for future generations’’ said: Flakron Bexheti, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Management in his address.

Mirjam de Koning, Executive Director of PONT, highlighted the importance of including and coordinating relevant stakeholders in the development, management, and maintenance of nature-based tourism products. Cross border hiking trails don’t stop at the borders of a national park. Through a new program called ‘PONT Connect’ and the recent call for proposals for sub-grants for conservation actions in important Connectivity Conservation Areas linking the various national parks, we hope to come to a more holistic approach. It is important for stakeholders to join forces to ensure safety for tourists, to fight wildfires, etc. Park authorities, municipalities, local communities, hiking clubs, shepherds, and others all have a role to play as nature-based tourism cannot rely on only one institution.

Additionally Valbon Limani, Mayor of Gostivar, Haris Ibraimi - Director of Mavrovo National Park and  Ibrahim Dehari - Director of Sar Mountain National Park addressed the attendees, reinforcing their commitment In the area of ​​sustainable practices for the development of nature-based tourism and sustainable use of natural resources.

The first day featured two- panel discussions on key themes: “Nature-Based Tourism – Challenges and Solutions” and “Nature-Based Tourism – Success Stories from Local Stakeholders.” Tourism experts from North Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo shared insights into the current landscape, identified challenges, and discussed potential solutions, underscoring the importance of responsible resource management. 

The second day of the conference, scheduled for November 15, will focus on biodiversity protection and sustainable resource use, with a particular emphasis on non-timber forest products and medicinal aromatic plants.

The project "Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Shara, Korab-Koritnik, and the Albanian Alps" is implemented with financial support from the Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT), provided by the German government through the people of Germany.

About the Project

The conference is part of the project “Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Korab Koritnik, Shar, and the Albanian Alps,” implemented by CNVP offices in North Macedonia and Albania and financially supported by PONT. This regional project, which began on September 1, 2022, and runs through August 31, 2025, aims to promote sustainable resource use and improve socio-economic conditions in harmony with nature. It provides direct support to NGOs, protected areas, municipalities, small and medium-sized enterprises, and other community stakeholders in the Polog and Mavrovo regions of North Macedonia.

For more information on the project, please visit: http://www.cnvp-eu.org/eng/project.php?mv=10&id=1426