Completion of the climate reforestation activities for the planting season of autumn 2022-winter 2023

Saturday March 11th, 2023 / IEP

IEP concluded this year’s reforestation campaign which lasted from October 2022 to beggining of March 2023, by planting 1468 black pine, umbrella pine, cedar, and laurel seedlings, together with 400 seeds of horse chestnuts. This activity was implemented as direct action to mitigate and adapt to climate change by engaging local communities and making them aware of the climate change and ways to mitigate it. Seedlings were planted in the protected areas of Divjakë-Karavasta, Kune-Vain (Lezhë), Korab-Koritnik (Kukës), and in Baldushk (Tiranë). Tens of volunteers and locals were engaged in this activity, which proved to be successful in raising awareness on climate change, and demand more direct action by the authorities.
This activity is supported by Minor Foundation.

Afforestation action by planting 500 stone pines in Divjakë-Karavasta National Park

Tuesday January 24th, 2023 / IEP

IEP joined tens of other volunteers in the afforestation action on 8 January, by donating and planting 500 stone pine (Pinus pinea) seedlings in the Divjakë-Karavasta National Park. This action will create in the coming years a barrier that will trap sand and thus create a barrier against the advancing sea. The pine trees will also capture CO₂ and thus contribute to the climate mitigation efforts to capture as much CO₂ as possible through afforestation. IEP will continue this activity by planting hundreds of other seedlings of different species, in other areas of Albania.
This activity is supported by Minor Foundation.

Sustainable Agriculture for Sustainable Balkans 5th Coordinating Meeting

Monday July 2nd, 2018 / IEP

5th Coordinationg Meeting for the project Sustainable Agriculture for Sustainable Balkans (SASB) was held from June 22nd to June 24th in Niš, Serbia.
The project “Sustainable agriculture for sustainable Balkans: Strengthening advocacy capacities of CSOs and developing policies in the Western Balkans” is aimed to strengthen advocacy capacities of CSOs using research, training and networking.
Partners reviewed the activities funded through the sub-granting and grant and training scheme, discussed about new joint initiatives with the grantees, and set the plan for the Regional Policy Framework and the Regional Working Platform made of CSOs, public authorities and scientists, which will develop regional policy in the area of sustainable agriculture, biodiversity conservation and animal welfare at the territory of Western Balkans. This policy will be developed based on research aimed at providing information about High Nature Value Farming in the Western Balkans.

Project is implemented by consortium of CSOs from Republic of Albania (Institute for Environmental Policy – IEP), Republic of Northern Macedonia (FLOROZON), Republic of Kosovo (NGO AKTIV) and Republic of Montenegro (Center for Protection and Research of Birds – CZIP), led by Organisation for Respect and Care of Animals – ORCA from Republic of Serbia.

This project is funded by the European Union. The content above is the sole responsibility of IEP and under no circumstances should it be viewed as an EU position.

Youth Exchange “Ecotourism: Developing an attitude that respects the environment and the cultural heritage”

Wednesday August 31st, 2016 / IEP

Venue: Berat (Albania)
Period: 18 – 23 October 2016 (travel days excluded)
Applying organization: IPSIA Acli
http://www.ipsia-acli.it/
https://web.facebook.com/ipsia.acli/?fref=ts

Hosting Organization: Institute for Environmental Policy IEP
http://iep-al.org/
https://web.facebook.com/Institute.for.Environmental.Policy/?fref=ts

Participants: 38 from Albania (7), Italy (7), Spain (7), Belgium (5), Latvia (6), Kosovo (6)

Language: English
Background and theme of the youth exchange:
Tourism is an inestimable resource for the local communities and should contribute to the protection of the natural and cultural heritage. Instead, it often happens that tourism becomes one the main causes of the ecosystems’ deterioration and has therefore a negative impact on the habitats and landscape, through the pollution of air and waters and the scattering of hardly-biodegradable waste. In this way, despite representing an important economic resource, tourism compromises the bequest we will pass to future generations in terms of richness of the flora and fauna and preservation of the environment.
It is then fundamental for tourism to become ‘green’ and worry about preserving the natural and cultural capital instead of damaging it. For this reason, ecotourism is a concept that is widely spread nowadays.
By ecotourism it is meant a responsible attitude of the traveller, aiming at the preservation of the environment in the respect of the local populations. Ecotourism is then first of all a philosophy, a way of life that arises from the traveller’s consciousness of his/her impact on the environment. The aim of this youth exchange is then exactly to stimulate reflection and come to the consciousness that our behaviour has an impact on what surrounds us, impact that can be reduced with a more responsible attitude.
The youth exchange will be held in Berat, recognised as UNESCO’s cultural heritage.
Many activities will take place in the open air and foresee the interaction with the local people. Simulations will also be done to calculate the participant’s ecological footprint on the environment. In this way, the participants will acquire a deeper consciousness of the consequences of their behaviour on the environment. Through the interaction with the locals, participants will also be lead to reflect about the weight of their cultural patterns when approaching a new culture and develop a more open and tolerant.
For more information, check the infopack Youth Exchange Infopack