Projects
Completed Projects
Strategic Action Plan -The first
joint project of the Prespa Park
The Strategic
Action Plan for the sustainable development of the Prespa Park” (SAP) is the first joint
project, elaborated by the three countries, which aims to translate the
political commitment on the transboundary Park into a tangible reality for the
environment and the people of Prespa.
What is the aim of the Strategic
Action Plan?
The SAP study proposes
and formulates a common vision for the future of the Prespa Park area and more
specifically aims:
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to provide and share information with all stakeholders
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to outline the objectives of the transboundary Prespa Park, and
§
to describe, clearly and in detail, the institutional, economic and
management measures and procedures that may lead to the fulfillment of the
above objectives.
The contents of the study
The 145-page of the main
body of the study is divided in four Chapters:
§
Chapter A provides an introduction, presenting the aim of the SAP, a
brief outline of the Prespa Park and its surrounding area, and the existing
designated protected areas in the region.
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Chapter B gives an outline and an analysis of the
study area - with full reference to the abiotic and biotic environment, and
including the anthropogenic environment.
§
Chapter C makes a presentation of the strategic and political keystones
for the development of the Prespa Park. These are formulated in four
objectives: i) to conserve the ecological values of the Prespa Park area; ii)
to enhance opportunities for the sustainable economic and social development of
the local societies; iii) to preserve the cultural values of the area, such as
monuments, traditional settlements and traditional human activities, and iv) to
seek participation, co-operation and involvement of the stakeholders in
decision-making. This chapter, furthermore, identifies indicators for
environmental protection and sustainable development, and makes proposals for
formalizing the transboundary co-operation.
§
Chapter D comprises proposals for specific projects and measures,
presented in cumulative tables and accompanied by technical datasheets as
appendices.
Project implementation details
The Society for the Protection of Prespa (SPP)
has been the main implementation and co-ordination body for the preparation of
the SAP, with the collaboration of WWF Greece, PPNEA and MAP. The project
lasted for more than one year (January 2001 - May 2002) and was funded with
bilateral development assistance funds of the Greek
Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works.
A trilateral expert work
The SAP is a trilateral
study, written in English and translated in Albanian, Greek and Macedonian. It
was prepared by a team of experts from the three countries, under the
scientific co-ordination and supervision of the biologist Ms. Myrsini Malakou.
Contributors
to the SAP
A 25-strong multidisciplinary
team of experts contributed to the preparation of the SAP study.
Albania
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Dr. Spase Shumka, PPNEA (National Co-ordinator)
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†Prof. Dr. Leke Gjiknuri, PPNEA, Tirana University
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Dr. Aleko Miho, Faculty of National Sciences, Tirana University,
§
Prof. Dr. Romeo Eftimi, hydrogeologist, Faculty of Natural Sciences,
Tirana University
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Prof. Dr. Arqile Berxholi, Geographic Study Center, Albanian Academy of
Sciences
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Dr. Wolfgang Fremuth, Frankfurt Zoological Society
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Nina Theodhosi, spatial planner
Greece
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Ms. Myrsini Malakou, biologist, SPP Managing Director (National
Co-ordinator)
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Dr. Panagiota Maragou, biologist, WWF Greece
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Dr. Vivi Roumeliotou, international environmental lawyer, SPP
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Mr. Alekos Kotsampopoulos, economist
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Dr. Vaggelis Nikolaidis, economist, University of Crete
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Dr. Aris Sapounalkis, architect-urban planner, University of Thessaly
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Mr. Apostolis Karalis, MSc Regional Development
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Ms. Vassiliki Gamagari, engineer- spatial planning and regional
development
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Ms. Klio Syrmakessi, engineer- spatial planning and regional
development
The FYR
of Macedonia
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Prof. Dr. Branko Micevski, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences,
Skopje University (National Co-ordinator)
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Mr. Pene Penev, spatial planner
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Mr. Vasil Anastasovski, geographer, Ministry of Environment
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Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby, protected area management expert
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Prof. Dr. Dragan Kolchakovski, Institute of Geography, Faculty of
Sciences, Skopje University
§
Prof. Dr. Radoslav Rizovski, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences,
Skopje University
§
Dr. Svetozar Petkovski, Natural History Museum
§
Prof. Ljupcho Grupche, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences,
Skopje University
Participation: consultations for
SAP
The strategic planning
for the Prespa Park was by no means meant to be merely a top-down procedure. To
ensure that the views and aspirations of all levels of the society would be
included in the SAP, the Prespa Park Co-ordination Committee decided to
continue the consultations with all relevant stakeholders that had already
started in the course of the preparation of the study. Thus, in order to make
the study more manageable, the Secretariat of the Prespa Park Co-ordination
Committee produced an 52-page Executive Summary of the SAP. The Executive
Summary was circulated to the various stakeholders in the three countries in
the summer 2002.
What comes next?
The SAP Executive
Summary is now being used as reference by various stakeholders at all levels
(central government, local authorities, municipalities, consultancy firms).
Furthermore, the Prespa Park Co-ordination Committee has decided to use the SAP
as the overriding document that will guide the activities of the PDF B project, which was approved by the GEF
Secretariat (Global Environment Facility) on 5th June 2003. The SAP
recommendations are expected to drive the future efforts for the protection and
sustainable development of the Prespa area. And the people of Prespa are eager
to see the implementation of the SAP proposals.
Bibliographical reference
SPP, WWF-Greece, ΡΡΝΕΑ,
ΜΑΡ, Strategic Action Plan for the Sustainable Development of the Prespa
Park, Ag.Germanos, Greece, 2002.
