Friday 30 April 2010

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