The Project titled as “Protection of Environment, Economic Development and Promotion of Sustainable Eco-tourism in NP Mavrovo” ended

The Project started in September 2008, lasted for 3 years and was financed on the behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Italy, and was implemented by the non-government organizations Oxfam Italy and GVC, and by the PENP Mavrovo which acted as a major partner in the project.

This initiative aimed at improving the living conditions of the inhabitants of the National Park Mavrovo, and the Municipality Mavrovo and Rostuse through implementation of the strategy for inclusion and participation of the local population in the process of natural resources management and environment protection, all for the purpose of providing sustainability of natural and ecological values of this area and promotion of initiatives for local development.

The project aimed towards achieving the following objectives:

a) Providing support for the on-going planning and decentralization processes;

b) Promoting activities in the field of eco-tourism;

c) Carrying out education workshops on environment;

d) Valorization and joint management of natural resources, and

e) Integrated waste-management.

Within the frameworks of this project, new management plan of the National Park Mavrovo was produced. It is expected that after being approved by the Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning of the Republic of Macedonia, it shall provide economic development for the population, all in accordance with the objectives for preservation of bio-diversity of the Park. As a part of this Project, there were actions undertaken for eco-tourism promotion by opening a tourist info point, by preparation of 500km of foot and mountain-biking tracks as well as by reconstructing the accommodation facility “The House of the Park”. Also, there were realized education workshops on environment, intended for the local population, and training on capacity building, intended for the staff of the Park.  Significant part of this initiative referred to providing support for the production activities, via the Development Fund (Grants) intended for providing support to the private business initiatives made on behalf of the local population, as and also to improving the condition with the waste (i.e. through donation of more than 60 containers and equipment for waste collection in those areas of the Park that are difficult to access).

The major beneficiaries of the Project are the PENP Mavrovo, the Municipality of Mavrovo and Rostuse and the local population. The Project also composed of making the local population become actively involved in the management of natural resources.

At the closing conference held on 7th December 2011 (Wednesday) in the “Stone Bridge” hotel were presented the results achieved within the realization of this Project.

The attendees were addressed by the representatives of all the partner parties that were included in this project i.e. by the Director of PENP Mavrovo Mr. Oner Jakuposki, the Mayor of the Municipality of Mavrovo and Rostuse Mr. Mukrem Mehmedi, the Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning, the Ambassador of the Republic of Italy and the Project Coordinator Danielle Pedreti.

The attendees had the opportunity to become familiar with all the phases of the Project, with the realized project activities as well as with the final results of the Project.

The implementation of the programmes will come as a result of the document itself i.e. of the “Management Plan of the National Park Mavrovo” that starts in year 2012. This provides new opportunities for development of the Park,  and the first results are expected at the beginning of the next year.