Bild

Mountain ranges along the European Green Belt in the Western Balkan deserve protection

    Gabriel Schwaderer

Eco.mont Vol. 4 Nr. 2, pp. 45-48, 2012/06/01

Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research and Management

doi: 10.1553/eco.mont-4-2s45

doi: 10.1553/eco.mont-4-2s45


PDF
X
BibTEX-Export:

X
EndNote/Zotero-Export:

X
RIS-Export:

X 
Researchgate-Export (COinS)

Permanent QR-Code

doi:10.1553/eco.mont-4-2s45



doi:10.1553/eco.mont-4-2s45

Abstract

The European Green Belt initiative aims to transform the former Iron Curtain into an ecological network. The most characteristic landscapes along the western part of the Balkan Green Belt are mountain ranges that are European biodiversity hotspots. The flagship species of this section of the Balkan Green Belt is the Balkan lynx, which is critically endangered. Especially the mountain ranges in the border zone between Albania, Kosovo (according UN Security Council Regulation 1244/99), Montenegro and FYR Macedonia deserve a coherent network of protected areas. The vision is to create three large complexes of transboundary protected areas. In addition to designating large-scale protected areas, the management of existing areas has to be improved significantly.

Keywords: European Green Belt-Western Balkan-large-scale protected areas-ecological network