The Buna River delta is one of the most important coastal wetlands in the Eastern Mediterranean. It is a Ramsar site that has been designated as Wetlands of International Importance. It supports 900-1,000 plant and animal species, some of which are critically endangered. The site has been selected as one of four for developing and demonstrating best practice management of coastal wetlands in the Mediterranean. The sustainable management of wetlands and their associated ecosystem services is particulary important in the region for the valuable contribution they make for local economies, and more significantly, in their flood moderating effects which help to protect urban and coastal areas.

A kick-off meeting for the Buna Delta Protection project was held on 25 January 2018 in Shkodra, Albania, attended by CNVP's offices in Montenegro, Albania and Kosovo. Keynote speakers included representatives of Albania's National Agency for Protected Areas, Shkodra Municipality, the MAVA Foundation and the Internaional Union for Nature Conservation (IUCN). Discussion focused on the significance of the Buna River for biodiversity in this part of the Mediterranean.

The Buna Delta Protection project will be implemented by IUCN in partnership with Priority Actions Programme/Regional Activity Centre (PAP/RAC), Global Water Partnership (GWP), Tour du Valat and the Institute for Nature Conservation of Albania (INCA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Administration, the Municipality of Shkoder, the National Agency for Protected Areas, and the Shkodra Regional Administration for Protected Areas.

CNVP's support for biodiversity and protected areas' management is focused on understanding wetlands, as well as their conservation, protection and restoration. Its attendance at the meeting will help CNVP to support future partnerships in nature conservation on an in-country, cross-border and regional basis.