Nature 2000 Area – The future of sustainable development based on nature

National Conference “Nature 2000 Area – THE FUTURE OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT BASED ON NATURE” held in Tirana on 29.11.2023, with the aim to share the first experience on applying the process of evaluation and delineation of the Natura 2000 sites in three pilot Protected Areas in Albanian territory with different specifics and different activities developed and have potential negative impacts inside and close to these areas.

Already for a year and a half, work has been done on the identification, mapping and analysis of potential Nature 2000 areas, relying on a research-scientific process and with the active participation of community groups and important actors for the identification and analysis of natural values and risks of the activities that take place in and near the potential areas studied during the life of the project.

The conference discussed nature conservation issues inside and outside protected areas to better understand the role that different organizations/main actors should play to guarantee a sustainable use of natural resources that contributes to the preservation of nature values and biodiversity emphasizing their comprehensive approach in a long, difficult and collaborative process in legal, scientific and management groups to identify potential Nature 2000 areas according to the criteria set by the EU Birds and Habitats Directives and to initiate the process of their management in cooperation with all key actors who have an interest in the use and protection of these areas.

This conference was organized for the occasion of the closing project “Empowerment of Albanian NGOs to support the creation and management of Nature 2000 network in Albania / Protection of Biodiversity”, financed within the Green-AL program, by the Swedish Government and implemented by Co-Plan and partners.