International Conference on Transboundary Cooperation in the Dinaric Arc 29 June 2010, Capljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina Key findings of UNEP feasibility study on the proposed transboundary protected t area "Prokletije / Bjeshkët e Nemuna Mountains Zbigniew Niewiadomski UNEP Vienna
Prokletije / Bjeshkët e Nemuna Mountains isanother priority TBPA identified by ENVSEC in June 2006 expected toinvolvealbania Kosovo UN administered territory under UN Security Council resolution 1244/99 Montenegro and potentially also Serbia.
Prokletije / Bjeshkët e Nemuna Mountains are among the most important tregions of the Balkans Blk for biodiversity conservation. Theirname (in English: cursed mountains)reflects the character of this region considered as the most inaccessible mountain range in Europe. The highest peaks are Maja Jezercë (2694 m) in Albania and Đeravica/Gjeravica (2656 m) on the territory of Kosovo while Zla Kolata (2534 m), Dobra Kolata (2528 m) and Rosni Vrh (2525 m) are the three highest peaks of Montenegro.
The armed ethnic conflict of 1999 caused damages to the environment (e.g. forest fires and land degradation in locations of former refugee camps) and boosted activities having adverse impact on biodiversity bod esty like poaching on wildlife, illegal fishing, illegaltimber felling and uncontrolled land development.
Destruction or abandonment of mountain settlements presence of landmines and unexploded shells in border areas soil erosion and deforestation in result of landmines removal lead to discontinuation of the traditional land use practices in themountains ti with all negative long lasting consequences to the landscape and biological diversity of the region.
Prokletije: protected areas in 1966
Prokletije: protected areas in 1996
During CBD COP9 in May 2008 the Government of the Republic of Albania committed itself to continue to work towards establishment tblih tof this TBPA and later prepared the proposal for designating in 2010 2011 the "Alps National Park with the total area of 77'458 ha incorporating three already existing protected areas on the Albanian side: National Parks Lugina e Valbones and Thethi and the Strict Nature Reserve Lumi i Gashit.
The Government of Montenegro committed itself to support the establishment of Prokletije National Park carried out ecological assessment of the area and in August 2009 designated this new National Park with the area of 16 038 ha.
Prokletije: protected areas in 2009
On the Kosovo side the designation of Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park encompassing 62 488 ha including the Rugova Canyon Natural Monument t( (4 300 ha) is planned for 2010.
Prokletije: PAs planned in 2010 2012 2012
TheGovernment of Montenegro currently prepares the feasibility study for the designation of Komovi Mts. Regional Park of some 21 000 ha in the border area adjacent to the planned Alps National Park in Albania.
Planned new Regional Parks in Montenegro also include: Turjak Hajla Mts. (14 600 ha) adjacent to the planned Bjeshkët e Nemuna NP and Visitor and Zeletin Mts. (13 680 ha) adjacent to the planned dalps National lpark.
Planned Regional Parks in Montenegro
Should initiatives on all three sides be successful the proposed "Prokletije / Bjeshkët e Nemuna Mountains TBPA could include as many as six protected areas with the total area of some 205 174 ha and become one of the largest protected areas in Europe.
Moreover, Serbia planned the designation of Mokra Gora (2155 m) mountain range as a protected landscape area adjacent to the planned Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park.
The label of one of the largest European protected areas couldprovide for the unique selling point for sustainable nature based tourism and help to mitigate the adverse effects of the negative stereotypes still common among some Europeans resulting from the past armed ethnic conflict.
Pi Priorities iti and challenges hll for cooperation in "Prokletije / Bjeshkët e Nemuna Mountains TBPA
Consultations with local municipalities and forestry administrations Launching public awareness campaigns (possibly also on the regional level) Designation of Alps and Bjeshkët e Nemuna National lparks and regional parks in Montenegro Capacity building for the administrations of newly established protected areas Initiating i i and facilitating i direct personal working contacts between PA staff and meetings of local stakeholders
Development of harmonized PA management plans and harmonized functional zonation Development of common species inventories i and databases, mapping of habitats Common coordinating body for transboundary cooperation and consultations Promotion and marketing of the local Promotion and marketing of the local agricultural and handicraft products
Monitoring i the implementation i of the memorandum on cooperation signed by municipalities in 2006 and providing a follow up by concluding and implementing thematic cooperative agreements.
Drawing the puzzle a vision for the transnational SEE ecological corridor
Thank you.