Workshop in Probistip, Macedonia

On the 25th and 26th of November this year, DEM together with IUCN organized the second workshop of the partnership action project "EU policies and strategies of Environment in Southeast Europe: Building capacities for implementation of EU policies and strategies in Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia" in San Niko Hotel in Probistip, Macedonia.

The workshop was entitled "Building capacity - supporting the development of agri-environment schemes". The welcome was given by Mr. Ranko Davitkov from the Regional Office of Probistip for Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management.

Veronika Ferdinandova (IUCN)
speaking about EU nature policies

The topics that were covered during the first day were:
-An introduction to Ratkova Skala
-The region's biodiversity and need for conservation
-Current farming practices
-IPARD application process
-EU environmental policies (CAP)
-Policy frameworks for implementation of agri-environment schemes
-Introducing opportunities in Bulgaria's implementation of AE schemes
-HNV farming in Macedonia
-Linking the hydrosystem with rural agriculture in the region

Ruska Miceva (DEM) on HNV farming

The second day we took a tour to the hydrosystem, passing through part of the Ratkova Skala region that is used from rural agriculture and livestock.

Blaze Stefanovski (Hydrosystem Zletovica)
explaining the link between waters and rural agriculture

Fishpond "Zletovica"

The workshop had more than 30 participants:
local farmers, representatives from the Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Ministry for Environment - Sector Nature, Union of Agricultural Machinery Rings in Macedonia, local Eco group "Zletovica", Agency for development of agriculture in Macedonia, State University of Cyril and Methodius, Eco group "Molika" - Bitola, Eco group "Eko Misija" - Skopje, Association for Private Forests, Probistip municipality, Hydrosystem "Zletovica", European Forum on Nature Conservation and Pastoralism, State Institute for Nature Protection of Novi Sad, REC Office - Montenegro and our partners Greens of Montenegro and Bird Study and Protection Society of Vojvodina.

The event was covered by a local TV and radio station, as well as daily newspaper Dnevnik.

Power point presentations from the workshop:
Biodiversity and conservation -Биодиверзитет и важноста на конзервацијата на Раткова Скала
Framework for implementation of AE schemes- Политичка рамка за имплементација на агро-еколошки шеми
Promoting HNV farming- Промоција на земјоделие со високи природни вредности (HNV)
IPARD Programme in Macedonia -IPARD програмата во РМ
Current farming practices- Тековни земјоделски пракси во Македонија
Capacity building of EU nature policies- Градење капацитети на ЕУ политики за природа
Implementation of EU in Bulgaria -Имплементација на АЕ во Бугарија - предизвици и можности за една нова ЕУ земја членка

Ratkova Skala at a glance, video material HERE.
To read the situation analysis and stakeholders included click HERE.

More info about CAP...
The CAP explained
Questions and Answers about the CAP
Europeans and the CAP

Workshop in Zrenjanin, Serbia

On October 27 /28 in Zrenjanin, Serbia the first workshop of the project "EU policies and strategies of Environment in Southeast Europe: Building capacities for implementation of EU policies and strategies in Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia" was held, organized by our partners from Serbia- Bird Study and Protection Society of Vojvodina together with IUCN.

The workshop was entitled "Building capacities - support to the implementation of EU directives in the field of environment." The workshop covered many topics about the Potamish region and its significance for the EU, starting from a lecture about the current situation of nature and its protection in Serbia as well as the ecological status of the region, historical and social development of the region, natural values, EU directives and Natura 2000.


As a part of the workshop there was work in groups in which the groups discussed two topics, the potential benefits of declaring the area as a Natura 2000 area and objectives of managing the Potamish region.
The second day of the workshop included a field trip through the region. Participants visited eight locations that reflect the values and activities in Potamish.

Four representatives of DEM attended this workshop as a partner country in the project and an organizer of the next workshop that will be held in Macedonia.


More about the workshop HERE.

Alarm for Nature

Last month DEM joined the Eco Fair in Ljubanista, Ohrid which happened within the festival Alarm organized by NGO Bivium that lasted from 25th to 27th of June 2010.

The eco program that included activities such as:
eco photo workshop
drawing comics
making a recycling machine
making a solar furnace
eco film and making eco handmade instruments (covered by DEM).

We were pleasantly surprised by the great interest of the people there to sit and make instruments with us. Besides the workshop, DEM's stand offered numerous posters and brochures about the organization and its members as well as CD's from previous activities.

Our stand

Our eco instruments workshop

Exhibition of some of the instruments we made-
-in the end we had two pairs of rattles from sand and plastic bottle caps, two rattles with metal caps that simulate the sound of a tambourine, castanets and various other rattles.

For more info on the eco action Alarm for Nature, click here.

Earth Day

The first Earth Day was held on the 22-nd of April, 1970. The idea for the name for this environmental holiday came from the simple fact that Earth Day rhymes with Birthday. Ever since 1970, Earth Day has become more and more popular and significant worldwide.

In honor to Earth's birthday, on the 22nd of April, we had an interesting activity in the kindergarten "Koco Racin" : a colorful lesson about nature protection and recycling.

Conference on the 30th of March

On the 30th of March 2010 an introductory meeting for the HNV project was held at Hotel Continental attended by representatives from different state institutions (the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning - MOEPP, the Ministry of agriculture, forestry and water management - MAFWE etc), institutes, universities, representatives from civil society organizations, agencies and others.
The workshop was opened by Mrs. Lydia Zafirovska, state secretary in the MOEPP, moderator - Martien Lankester, CEO of Avalon, and the presenters included: Mark Redman, project leader, Tamsin Cooper, a consultant from the Institute for European environmental policy and Robertina Brajanoska of MES.

Because the meeting took place on the same date with the Day of the Tree, some of us went to plant one after the conference had finished.

More pictures...

Training in Veles: Promotion of agriculture with high natural values and agri-environmental payments through civil society organizations in Macedonia

Agriculture can be a threat to nature, especially through the use of high levels of pesticides and fertilizers, loss of habitats and their characteristics, or inappropriate land use. However, certain types of agriculture - like cattle raising, traditional permanent crops - are essential for the survival of nature. That is why high natural value (HNV) agriculture is the only agriculture that is compatible with nature.

This topic was discussed on the training for representatives of local organizations - members of DEM, that took place in the Hotel Romantic in Veles from the 26th to the 28th of March. The purpose of this training was to train local organizations as well as collaborators about the aspects and the concept of high natural values, including the policy for rural development by the European Union.

Main speakers on the training were Tamsin Cooper, Mark Redman and Kaley Hart.

Tamsin Cooper presenting the HNV concept

Mark Redman spoke about farming with high natural values in Romania

The presentation of Kaley Hart for agro-environmental payments

The project is implemented jointly by the Movement of Ecologists of Macedonia - DEM and the Center for Civic Initiative (CCI), in cooperation with the support of two international NGOs - Avalon from the Netherlands and the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) from Great Britain.

This is a project for conservation of nature ..... but with a difference!

About DEM

The Ecologist's Movement of Macedonia-DEM is a nongovernmental, non-profitable and apolitical association. It is a national association that includes 23 local environmental NGOs as full-members.

It was established in 1990 as a necessity to coordinate the work of the existing local groups. We are also members of the Friends of the Earth - International (FoEI) and we have a good cooperation and communication with many neighbors’ NGOs.

DEM's main objective is to raise public awareness concerning environmental protection, sustainable development, and preservation of nature at the lowest level of destruction.

DEM's activists organize many different kinds of actions such as: lobbying, organizing public campaigns, round tables on specific themes concerning the environment, talks with experts, public meetings for local problems, direct actions, protests, publishing leaflets, brochures, posters, bulletins, training, workshops, lectures in primary and secondary schools etc.

Some of DEM's projects:

A National Campaign for protection from fires

Awareness raising campaign concerning GMO in Macedonia

For more information, visit our website:
www.dem.org.mk