21 Jan Communities and conservation
In search for a win-win situation in the Balkan Green Belt
Nature protection approach has become the most popular mode of conserving natural resources in wider contexts. However, this mode of conservation has often been criticized as being detrimental to the surrounding communities whose livelihoods often depend on the resources to be protected. In order to survive the time, man has had to adapt to the environment where they live and change it in order to make the most appropriate of its existence. During this time were appeared the first environmental problems. Thus, the progress, the development of science and technology, on the other hand inappropriate utilization of the environment, all these created the first problems between man and the environment. Obviously, the development of technology made possible the improvement of life and people living better, but from the other side brought many problems to the environment, such as air pollution, burning and deforestation, hunting, overpopulation of the green belt, issues dealing with water resources etc. The environment is very important, but health is essential for human well-being and its activities and it is understood later by a considerable part of the people.
In this context, Alpin association in Tropoje works continuously in order to ease a bit this concept. It has already implemented the project ‘ Protection and rehabilitation of water points at Gashi Reserve. This project was supported by PPNEA within the project “Nature conservation and Sustainable Development at the Green Belt Albania “, and which is being implemented by Euronatur in collaboration with PPNEA. The focus of the project was to increase community awareness on the values that carries environmental preservation and the improvement of the physical conditions of water points in the area of Gashi. Also, it affects in the preservation of biological values of Gashi, in improving the livelihood of the local population through sustainable development and friendly practices with the environment. During consultations held with the local authorities and visits made in the location, Alpin association managed to identify problems in Gashi reserve and mountains around.
The need for rehabilitation of water points in the Green Belt was very necessary. In this regard, we can say that the area has a large number of water points that need intervention. But the working group was able to determine the emergent needs in two different areas. Seeing the necessity of the area and the great needs of residents during summer we managed to rehabilitate two Waterpoints in the mountains of “Gjarpri i Bashaje & Zhgralle of Droçe”. In terms of awareness Alpin has developed a lot of activities: expedition with schoolchildren, in World Tourism Day students have developed external cleaning of the school environment, in the World Day of Protection of Animals we have developed a presentation with students on the topic” Gashi, scientific reserve”, in World Habitat Day is developed an exhibition with herbarium of our area. Including a large number of children in these activities made it possible to raise awareness on Beech area and Green Belt, and recognizing the diversity of living animals.
Astrit Metaliaj
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