Protected Areas and Natura 2000 workshops in Serbia and in Montenegro

Natura 2000 workshop in Serbia

80 representatives from the nature conservation sector in Serbia and in Montenegro took part in workshops on the NATURA 2000 concept for protected areas as well as explaining stakeholder involvement in the process of designation of NATURA 2000 sites. Among the participants were protected area managers, representatives of nature protection authorities and civil society organizations from the two countries.

During the two-day workshops, participants improved their knowledge of how to go about establishing the NATURA 2000 network in their respective countries. Speakers from Romania and Bulgaria presented examples of good practice from the region and how the NATURA 2000 network took shape in the newest EU member states.

Participants in the workshop in Serbia were greeted by Biljana Panjković, Director of the Institute for Nature Conservation of Vojvodina Province. She highlighted the importance of the NATURA 2000 network as a good opportunity to conserve nature and natural resources. She also emphasised the role of civil society organizations as important partners in nature conservation.

Natura 2000 workshop in Montenegro

Experts from the WWF, IUCN, the Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia, the Institute for Nature Conservation of Vojvodina Province and Young Researchers of Serbia also shared their expertise. Representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Mining and Spatial Planning and the Ministry of Agriculture, Trade, Forestry and Water Management introduced the latest legislation on nature conservation and water protection.

At the workshop in Montenegro, Vasilije Bušković from Institute for Nature Conservation of Montenegro talked about the previous steps made in establishing the ecological network in the country. Experts from WWF and Wildlife Society Balkani from Bulgaria shared their experience and stressed the challenges they faced. Experts from Daphne Institute for Applied Ecology from Slovakia, together with the NATURA 2000 team of the Ministry for Sustainable Development and Tourism, presented the methodology and highlighted the challenges of field work.  Natura 2000 team presented achievements in development of Natura 2000 database and Catalogue of biotopes (habitats), etc.
The workshops are part of the project “Strengthening the Capacity of Governments and Civil Sector in Serbia and in Montenegro to adapt to EU Nature Protection Acquis”. The project lasts for three and a half years (2009 – 2012) and is implemented by WWF in cooperation with the NGO Young Researches of Serbia and the NGO Green Home from Montenegro. The project is funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Sonja Bađura, WWF