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INTEGRATED DRINI RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT (IDBM/CEPF,
2014-2015)
Working with four villages to end soil erosion in an entire
river basin
http://www.birdlife.org/europe-and-central-asia/news/working-four-villages-end-soil-erosion-entire-river-basin
, Video is now up on our YouTube page, the direct link to the video
itself is: http://youtu.be/yZd2_mEap6g
http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=17ff123d369db9f424d486492&id=1f9b61f2ef&e=dbe8f30fa1
The Drini River basin provides multiple services to the
inhabitants of northern Albania. Shown here at the border of
Albania and F.Y.R.O. Macedonia. Photo: Mehmet Metaj; AlbaForest. By
Shaun Hurrell, Fri, 13/02/2015 - 12:20 The entire catchment area of
a river and its tributaries is a large, complex, interaction of
ecosystems. In Albania, the Drini River basin is a Key Biodiversity
Area that provides multiple services to the inhabitants of northern
Albania. But currently rain is washing bare soil away into the
river, and all of the beneficial ecosystem services along with it
like nutrients to provide crop fertility, water storage by forests,
fresh water filtration and flood protection.
Pobreg, Trthore, Kuks
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Soil erosion is a big problem in the Drini River basin. Photo:
Mehmet Metaj; Albaforest
National water policies in the Mediterranean are mostly
exploiting water with efforts to increase water supply for a
growing population and increase the number of hydroelectric dams.
Recognising the need to take the needs of biodiversity and
ecosystems into account (which also benefits local people), the
Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) is funding projects that
take an holistic approach to water management. In Albania, CEPF
fund a project led by Albaforest (Centre for Forest Studies and
Consulting) to undertake Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM)
of the Drini River basin.
AlbaForest are tackling the big task by starting small - they
are piloting four micro-projects aimed at preventing soil erosion
in the basin; which will then be used to inform IRBM for the entire
catchment. They are planting 60,000 trees, seeding grasses and
herbs, trialing the installation of small anti-erosion structure
and improving the management of grazing pastures.
Community
Pobreg, Trthore, Kuks
Working with local villages to plant 60,000 trees to prevent
soil erosion. Photo: Mehmet Metaj, AlbaForest
Any attempt to restore or conserve a large area must involve the
local communities of people living there. This is why Albaforest
decided to pilot the micro-project in selected areas that involve
four villages - the variation in activities having been adapted to
the local context and needs.
We are strengthening a solid foundation of knowledge of the
river basin and the natural and socio-economic forces that
influence it, said Mehmet Metaj, AlbaForests Project Manager.
A fundamental goal of CEPF is to ensure civil society is engaged
in biodiversity conservation, and through AlbaForests integrated
approach in this project, local NGOs, stakeholders, land-
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users and the community representatives from the four villages
are all being trained through workshops, courses and field visits.
Through this process, local people will be taught the know-how and
techniques needed to effectively rehabilitate the basin together.
This is important for the future of their land, and for
demonstrating the benefits of IRBM to the Albanian government.
Information, sensitisation and awareness among communities
(mainly women, young people and children) is the only alternative
to preventing further soil erosion and ecosystem degradation in our
country, says Mehmet.
CEPF is working with projects in specific areas of the
Mediterranean to best manage river basins with this integrated
approach. Grantees from Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro and Morocco
using IRBM have the ability to learn from each other, exchanging
advice on conservation management to avoid desertification of the
region.
BirdLife International - including its Middle East office and
the BirdLife Partners DOPPS/BirdLife Slovenia and LPO (Ligue pour
la Protection des Oiseaux, BirdLife in France) - is providing the
Regional Implementation Team (RIT) for the Critical Ecosystem
Partnership Fund (CEPF) in the Mediterranean Basin Biodiversity
Hotspot (CEPF Med).
Find out more at www.birdlife.org/cepf-med.
The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) is a joint
initiative of lAgence Franaise de Dveloppement (AFD), Conservation
International (CI), the European Union, the Global Environment
Facility (GEF), the Government of Japan, the John D. and Catherine
T. MacArthur Foundation, and the World Bank. Additional support in
the Mediterranean Basin is provided by the MAVA Foundation. A
fundamental goal is to ensure civil society is engaged in
biodiversity conservation. More information on CEPF can be found at
www.cepf.net.
CEPF project title: Integrated Drini River Basin Management
Grantee: AlbaForest (Centre for Forest Studies and Consulting)
www.albaforest.com
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Comment: 18.02.2015
CEPF has already been active and supportive to the Balkans
critical ecosystems restoration projects in the scope of
Mediterranean Basin and also its a great enhancement of NGOs
working on degraded and critical habitats and nature conservation,
.but not only the CEPF has supported and integrated watershed
management project as is it of Drini Basin Management (IDBM)
implementing by the Center ALBAFOREST, for the period
2014-2015.
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In Albania, the Drini River basin is a Key Biodiversity Area
that provides multiple services to the inhabitants of northern
Albania. But currently rain is washing bare soil away into the
river, and all of the beneficial ecosystem services along with it
like nutrients to provide crop fertility, water storage by forests,
fresh water filtration and flood protection.
The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) is funding
projects that take an holistic approach to water management. In
Albania, CEPF fund a project led by AlbaForest (Centre for Forest
Studies and Consulting) to undertake Integrated River Basin
Management (IRBM) of the Drini River basin.
AlbaForest are tackling the big task by starting small - they
are piloting four micro-projects aimed at preventing soil erosion
in the basin; which will then be used to inform IRBM for the entire
catchment. They are planting 60,000 trees, seeding grasses and
herbs, trialing the installation of small anti-erosion structure
and improving the management of grazing pastures.
