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"FROM RESEARCH TO APPLIED MANAGEMENT"

The DRIMON Project End-User Workshop June 2009

On June 3rd, the DRIMON Partners organised a workshop for managers, stakeholders and fellow researchers in Ohrid, Macedonia. A short overview of the workshop contents and discussions is given below. In addition, all presentations from the workshop are available here.

The workshop was attended by participants from all four DRIMON Project countries - Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro and Norway. The main purpose of the workshop was to introduce end-users of both the Prespa and Skadar/Shkodra lakes to the DRIMON results, as well as for the DRIMON Partners to listen and learn from the end-users. Such workshops are also in many ways a result in themselves, as they bring end-users and researchers from different countries together in order to discuss common challenges. Opening adresses were given by representatives of the Royal Norwegian Embassy to Macedonia and the Office of the Mayor of Ohrid. The representative of the Norwegian Embassy, Ms. Eva Aalberg Undheim, stated that the Government of Norway is committed to supporting the West Balkan states on their way towards the EU. She also expressed that Norway, as a nation of vast freshwater resources, is well suited for cooperation with other countries when it comes to water resources management challenges. The office of the City Mayor of Ohrid welcomed the participants to the region of Ohrid, with its large transboundary lakes and natural beauty.
		The workshop venue was in Ohrid, Macedonia.

The workshop was divided into five parts:		DRIMON End-user workshop participants gathered outside Hotel Desaret

Part I: The DRIMON Project - Results and implications for management (presented by DRIMON Partners): DRIMON Project objectives and purpose of the workshop Lake Prespa – environmental state and challenges The catchment of Golema Reka - soils and erosion risks Lake Skadar/Shkodra – environmental state and challenges Natural and social studies results from the Albanian Lake Shkodra Implications for managers in terms of the EU WFD Part II. Prespa Lake Challenges Integrated management of the transboundary Prespa Lake basin (Mr. Dimitar Sekovski, Manager of the Prespa Park Project, Macedonia). Tri-lateral cooperation (Albania, Greece and Macedonia) of Lake Prespa - a demand for improved fish conservation. (Mr. Pellumb Hoxha, Ministry of Environment and Fisheries Inspectorate Albania) Conservation of globally important biological diversity in the Prespa Lake basin (Mr. Nikola Zdravevski Prespa park project, Macedonia) Monitoring of Prespa Lake –Chemical, Microbiological and Phytoplankton investigations (Three presentations from Hydrobiological institute Ohrid, Macedonia) Part III. Skadar/Shkodra Lake Challenges Common understanding and civil society actions towards Conservation of the transboundary Shkodra/Skadar Lake (Ms. Bejko Djana, Regional Environmental Center, Albania.) Conserving the Skadar Lake national park – challenges and oportunities. (Ms. Hajdana Ilic, National Park Skadar Lake, Montenegro) Lake Skadar/Shkodra Integrated Management Project. GEF/World Bank. (Mr. Victor Subotic, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Tourism) Part IV. Mitigation measures Water treatment status in Montenegro (Ms. Natalija Blagojevic, Agency for Water Supply Montenegro) Improvement of Agricultural Water Management – Prespa. (Mr. Ordan Cukaliev, Faculty of Agriculture in Skopje, Macedonia). Methods for sewage treatment from scattered dwellings. (Mr Håkon Borch, Bioforsk and DRIMON - NB: 22 MB) Part V. Discussions The discussions both during and at the end of the workshop focussed on the management challenges of the lakes, as well as on how these can be solved. Several of the participants pointed out the necessity to ensure that both managers and stakeholders set environmental issues on the agenda to a larger degree than today. Several projects are ongoing on water management of the large Balkan Lakes, but only a few are funded by the countries themselves. The need for ongoing pressure towards authorities in order to ensure focus and financial support for improved aquatic environment was therefore emphasised. At the same time, it was pointed out that poverty can stand in the way for environmental protection. Illegal fishing and poaching, as well as lack of sewage systems and good agricultural practices are all linked to economical constraints in the region. In addition, education and improved awareness of environmental issues are necessary in order to improve the situation. EU membership is a target for many Balkan countries, which also means that the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive will be an issue. The need for preparedness of the countries for this implementation was emphasised, both in terms of improved data coverage and knowledge on the water resources, which also implies that human resources development is needed. One important outcome of this workshop is already achieved, since participants from four countries came together and discussed these challenges. Not least, the common dinner at the end of the workshop demonstrated this "bridging of gaps". We believe it is a good sign when separate tables are spontaneously moved into one, and when everybody are singing along to Balkan songs (admittedly, the Norwegians were not always following the words, but perhaps no one noticed...) One important question that was raised several times was - "What now?" The participants emphasised the use of the data and information collected by the DRIMON Project and expressed their hope for some sort of continuation. The DRIMON Partners will certainly pursue opportunities for future cooperation projects.
		Lake Prespa - beautiful but threathened by nutrient inputs and decreasing water levels

		Ms. Bejko Djana (Albania) is presenting the work of the Regional Environmental Center

		Mr. Victor Subotov, Ministry of Environment and Tourism in Montenegro, is presenting the GEF/WB Project on Skadar/Shkodra Lake..

		All is well when the company is good and Balkan songs can be sung! And the representatives from Prespa National Park knew how to set the tune.

		It is believed to be a good sign when several tables are spontaneously moved together to one, and participants from four countries are singing "Nema, Nema" in unison!

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Published by Eva Skarbøvik, Bioforsk, 2009

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