Meetings with herders in the Maqellare area

Meetings with herders in the Maqellare area within the framework of the project "Sustainable Grazing for the Preservation of Vital Grasslands Ecosystems"

Beneath the beauty and tranquility of the Korab-Koritnik Nature Park, silent threats are looming over its pristine ecosystems. The ancient tradition of herding, a cornerstone of biodiversity, is facing extinction as migration and land abandonment increase.

Within the framework of the project "Sustainable Grazing for the Preservation of Vital Grasslands Ecosystems", INCA, in collaboration with the local association Agro-Eko Dibra, aims to preserve alpine pastures in the Korab-Koritnik Nature Park by supporting sustainable grazing. The project will assess threatened habitats and address the phenomenon of pasture abandonment, improving the conditions of herders, providing ways to diversify their income and addressing human-wildlife conflicts.

To achieve this goal, meetings have been organized with herders in the Maqellare area, as part of the established network of local users, to discuss the assessment of the extent and conservation status of pasture habitats in the Korab-Koritnik Nature Park, as well as to assess the socio-economic situation of pasture users (herders) in order to identify the drivers of decline and abandonment of the activity.