National Parks Values and Benefits Assessment
Tirana, 21 February 2014;
The first assessment meeting on current and potential values and benefits of the Albanian National Protected Areas took place at the Dajti National Park Information Centre. This activity was organized in the framework of the project “Dinaric Arc Parks” implemented by WWF and INCA. Representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Dajti Park Administration, local authorities and business community as well as academia participated in the meeting.
We have witnessed an enhanced pressure on national parks which continues to increase overtime as a result of growing demand for natural resources, land and water. Organizations working on environmental protection attempt to collect convincing arguments that support management and the protected area status in continuity, in order to protect nature not only for its unique values but also for its direct contribution to our socio- economic development.
The Protected Areas Benefits Assessment Tool (PA-BAT) is a methodology developed by WWF in order to identify hidden and non-hidden benefits from protected areas and collect information and prepare further analyzes about potential beneficiaries. By applying this methodology, the assessment meeting of DAJTI National Park collected information on the overall benefits coming from the enriched biodiversity, the use of water catchment basin of the park, information on the economic benefits for businesses development and population through the mountain truism. It also provided information on protection measurements against erosion processes and climate mitigation. The project work started a week ago with the preparatory meeting for the Valbona National Park certification process by the European Federation Europark. The ECST Certificate insures membership in the European Charter of Sustainable Tourism. ECST is an excellent tool for promoting tourism in the area by including the Valbona National Park in the European map of parks to be visited. In this context, a range of management standards must be fulfilled in order to become a successful member of the elite network of 400 parks of Europark Federation. Development of a strategy which include stakeholder groups, as well as the establishment of a permanent forum for sustainable tourism are two of the most important criteria in the process of application for certification, which is supported by the project.
