Community Action in Protected Areas

- This year, the ACAP project continues the development of environmental classes in target schools, with the aim of raising the awareness of students about nature and their involvement in environmental issues. The students of “Balil Pelari” school, conducted an environmental activity focusing on the role that the environment can play in all activities of daily living. Role play, associated with concrete actions such as planting and adopting a flower pot as value added, further emphasizes the involvement of students in activities that improve the quality of life within the school environment.

In the framework of ACAP project, students of the IVA and IVB classes of the "22 Tetori" school in Berat, conducted a class devoted to the elements of nature found in the school yard. One of these elements are precisely the snails that were surround the plants planted in the school, creating a habitat suitable for them. Starting with observing the environment where they are widespread, they studied the ecology of this species, where they live, the body structure and their food, and then a artificial habitat was formed by students themselves as a new home for these delicate species. Developing such classes helps even more pupils to realize that in the schoolyard they can find many elements of nature that they had not noticed before making them aware that by looking more closely in nature they could we find a whole world even in a single leaf.

- In frame of ACAP project, in support of the school curricula of the “Hasan Mëhilli” school, in Dukat an activity on environmental education was held in nature, respectively in LLogara National Park. The purpose of this activity related to the subject of Geography of 9th grade "Tourism in our city", consisted of recognizing one of the protected areas with very high touristic and natural potentials. With the support of Regional Administration of Protected Areas of Vlorë, students were introduced to some general information about the forms of tourism developed in Llogara National Park and what makes it more tourist-friendly. Following one of the environmental paths linked them even more to the importance of the park in the tourist aspect and to the natural beauties it has, thus enhancing their sensitivity and connection with nature. Supporting the campaign launched for this day throughout Albania “Plastic leaves no space for life”, students of “Hasan Mëhilli” school, joined this initiative in cleaning up part of the park, to understand that tourism it can have its negative effects if it is not controllable and does not go in harmony with nature, so we have to leave the place we visit even more cleaner.

- As part of the European Week on Waste Reduction, the “Zihni Toska” School in Berat, organized an event using recycled tools.

The students collected newspapers and shoe laces to create small bags with them. These bags were then distributed to the lower classes to show them a positive example of recycling the remnants of everyday life.

This activity was implemented within the ACAP project. - Implementation of projects funded by the ACAP project migrant program is currently underway with schools near Llogara National Park:
"Balil Pelari", Orikum with a project called "My Parcel", with the planting of 400 seedlings of black pine followed by placing signboards with awareness messages.
“Hasan Mehilli”, Dukat with a project called "Children for Llogara Forest", started with getting all the necessary information from forest engineers and this activity was developed in the visitor center and along the path of "Julius Caesar". In the second phase will start the creation of the school nursery with different plants of Llogara National Park, which will be realized by the students of the school.
The development of these activities was supported by INCA Albania, with the assistance of the Administrata Rajonale e Zonave te Mbrojtura Vlore 

- "Bredhi i Hotovës-Dangëlli" National Park.

It has an area of 34,361.1 ha and is distributed in the districts of Gjirokastra and Korça.

This park has a long tradition of using the area's natural resources by locals. Traditional use of environmental resources offers an opportunity to continuously improve their livelihoods. The park thanks to its geographical location, thriving landscapes and natural and cultural heritage, such as the thermal waters of Benja and the Kamencka and Lengarica canyons. presents some tourist attractions, important for economic development.

Natural ecosystem "Bredhi I Hotovës-Dangëlli" has been declared a "National Park" (2nd category of IUCN) by Council of Ministers Decision no. 1631, dated 17.12.2008.

The national park has high biodiversity value. The forest habitat is mainly composed of coniferous and broad leafy forests such as: The Macedonian Fir which is also dominant (Abies boris-regis), the Hungarian oak (Quercus frainetto), the South European flowering ash (Fraxinus ornus), Oriental plane (Platanus orientalis). ,

The park has a high number of wildlife species. Meet a variety of groups such as:

Amphibians: The yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata), The fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra)

Reptiles: The four-lined snake (Elaphe quatrolineata), horned viper (Vipera ammodytes)

Birds: The rock partridge (Alectoris graeca), The northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), The lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni), The mistle thrush (Turdus viscivorus)

Mammals: Brown bear (Ursus arctos), Wolf (Canis lupus), The European badger (Meles meles), The chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), The European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)

To bring back in mind this important day for the park and the high values it has, in close cooperation with the Regional Administration of Gjirokastra Protected Areas, an environmental education class was held with pupils of “Meleq Gosnishti” and “Nonda Bulka” schools, near the “Bredhi I Hotovës-Dangëlli” tourist center built with the support of the ACAP project. Through traditional songs and environmental in focus, there was an intersection between tradition and nature, which go together to be inherited to younger generations.

This activity was implemented by INCA in the framework of ACAP Project-Azione Comunitaria per le Aree Protette ... in close cooperation with ADZM Gjirokastra and Bulka Nonda Schools and Meleq Gosnishti Pemet School.