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Month: March 2020

  • 10 years ago, on this day we captured the first Balkan lynx

    10 years ago, on this day we captured the first Balkan lynx

     Ten years ago, on this day, we captured the first Balkan lynx for scientific purposes! His name was Marko. He has become a pioneer in the telemetry research in the south-west Balkans and an icon for the conservation programme. People know him, and kids often mention him when we meet them. Films were made about him, while his pictures made the cover of many popular articles, leaflets, brochures and posters.

    We will never forget that day. A join team composed of members from Macedonian Ecological Society, Protection and Preservation of the Natural Environment in Albania and Mavrovo National Park managed to overcome their nervousness and put the theory into practice. Marko was captured close to village Sence in Mavrvo NP, Macedonia. He was followed for almost a year, but in early 2011 he became a target of poaching! Poaching still represents one of the greatest threats to this small population (30-45 adults). We believe that at least one Balkan lynx a year falls victim to poaching. Dealing with this threat is still our main priority.

    Marko will not be forgotten. His contribution to the ecological knowledge was very valuable. Not only did he provid ecological insights, but he also helped us train the methods of capturing, GPS and VHF tracking, in finding kills and in awareness rasing. He opened the door for further studies on this critically endangered taxon.

  • Working together for conservation of national endemic plants in Macedonia

    Working together for conservation of national endemic plants in Macedonia

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    [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1584020474385{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Since April 2019, MES has started implementing a three-year project related to monitoring of certain rare plants within the boundaries of the identified national Important Plant Areas (IPAs). A total of five plants (Campanula debarensis, Aesculus hippocastanum, Centaurea rufidula, Crocus jablanicensis and Astragalus physocalyx) and four significant plant areas (Jablanica, the gorge of Crn Drim, Bogdanci and Dojran Lake) will be covered by the monitoring.

    The goal of the project is to renew the past outdated data on the distribution of the selected plants, which will give insight to their population and will update the status information on some of the important vegetation areas in Macedonia. At the same time we will also work on the popularization of the IPAs with a special emphasis on the rare plants.

    The monitoring will be carried out under the guidance of two botanists based on prescribed protocols, but students who are interested in botany will also be included. In addition, part of the activities will be implemented in cooperation with active environmental local organizations, such as “Polimath13” from Bogdanci.

    In Macedonia, 42 IPAs have been identified that are not legally designated. They are located on the official International database of PlantLife http://www.plantlifeipa.org/home. Floristic researches in Macedonia are minimized due to lack of staff and funds for scientific and research work in the field of botany. This project will provide a significant share in obtaining information on the populations of several rare national plants.

     

    The project is financially supported by the CEPF (Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund) and is implemented within one of the CEPF’s strategic objectives of ‘plant protection’, which is part of the long-term program for the preservation of certain Mediterranean hot spots.

    www.cepf.net.

    “The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund is a joint initiative of l’Agence Française de

    Développement, Conservation International, the European Union, the Global Environment Facility,

    the Government of Japan, and the World Bank. A fundamental goal is to ensure civil society is

    engaged in biodiversity conservation.”

     

    During the implementation of the project, Polymat 13 as a local focal point operating in the distribution area of ​​Astragalus physocalyx will mediate the submission of possible complaints and grievances from the local population to MES as a national project coordinator.
    All news, event announcements and meetings will be published in a timely manner, on existing media, websites or social networks (Facebook) of the partner organization and MES web site.
    For any possible conflict, the complainant will be able to contact the project’s local point or the project coordinator or the financier on the following contacts:

    • Nadica Madzirova, Polimat 13, St.Marshal Tito No.64, 1484 Bogdanci, phone: 075 393 306 nadicamadzirova@gmail.com.
    • Natalija Melovska, Macedonian Ecological Society, Blvd. Boris Trajkovski, St. 7, No 9a, 1000 Skopje, phone: 078 371 175, angelova@mes.org.mk
    • Borut Rubinic, Programme coordinator for Balkan, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF)|Regional Implementation Team (RIT) +386 (1)426 5875, borut.rubinic@dopps.si
    • Pierre Carret, CEPF Grant Director, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), 2011 Crystal Dr. Ste. 500, Arlington, Virginia, United States, (703 ) 341 2400, pcarret@cepf.net

     

    We will share all grievances – and a proposed response – with the Regional Implementation Team and the CEPF Grant Director within 15 days. If the claimant is not satisfied following the response, they may submit the grievance directly to the CEPF Executive Director at epfexecutive@conservation.org or by mail. If the claimant is not satisfied with the response from the CEPF Executive Director, they may submit the grievance to the World Bank at the local World Bank office.[/vc_column_text][mk_divider style=”shadow_line” margin_bottom=”30″][mk_fancy_title tag_name=”h3″ size=”30″ force_font_size=”true” size_smallscreen=”30″ size_tablet=”25″ size_phone=”22″ font_family=”none”]MES News[/mk_fancy_title][mk_blog style=”thumbnail” grid_image_height=”300″ cat=”374″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

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  • Another female lynx in Mavrovo National Park

    Meet Lisa, the latest radio-collared female lynx! On 24 February 2020 the lynx team of the Macedonian Ecological Society (MES), together with Mavrovo National Park representatives, successfully box-trapped another individual of the elusive Balkan lynx on Mount Bistra, opposite of the village of Rostushe in Mavrovo.

    All went well during animal sedation and taking of measurements and samples, in which a representative from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine – Skopje and an associate from Harz National Park also provided assistance. We established that the individual is a 15-kg female aged 6–7 years. This lady lynx is in great health, as seen from the roe deer kill found just three days after capture.

    Hence, Lisa is the third radio-collared female lynx and the ninth different lynx individual captured within the research activities that MES has been systematically implementing since 2010.

    The radio-collar will provide means to monitor the animal through radio-telemetry and GPS-tracking, updating our knowledge about the ecology and biology of the critically endangered Balkan lynx.

    Such success is a result of the fruitful cooperation with Mavrovo NP, and the help of our associates and volunteers during lynx monitoring activities. We hope for more good news from the field!

  • International Waterbird Census 2020 (IWC)

    International Waterbird Census 2020 (IWC)

    For eleven years now, on the weekend of 11th and 12th January 2020, MES employees and volunteers conducted bird counting on Macedonia’s three natural lakes, also including adjacent water reservoirs and wetlands. Despite the biting cold, the teams’ weather-defying spirit and enthusiasm made an enjoyable endeavour out of the International Waterfowl Census (IWC) in Macedonia, resulting in a total count of as much as 25.000 birds on Ohrid Lake and Prespa Lake, and round 4.000 birds on Dojran Lake. These small numbers can be a reflection to the rather warm winter weather conditions in the abovementioned locations, in comparison to the previous years. Apart from the rather small numbers, the usual winetring species were present on these waterbodies.

     

    The International Waterfowl Census is the largest volunteer waterbird census with a long-standing tradition ever since 1967. Led by the Wetlands International and in cooperation with numerous local organizations, this event has become the much needed source of information, pivotal to creating policies on wetland management and protection.

     

  • Workshop in the scope of the project “Working together for conservation of national endemic plants in Macedonia”

    Workshop in the scope of the project “Working together for conservation of national endemic plants in Macedonia”

    An informative workshop was held on February 25 at “Dom na kultura” in Bogdanci to inform the general public of the Municipality of Bogdanci about the importance of conservation of the endemic plant Astragalus physocalyx found only in the vicinity of Bogdanci. This meeting was а part of the project “Working together for conservation of national endemic plants in Macedonia” implemented by MES with the financial support of the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) and it was organized by MES’s local partner, the POLIMAT 13 from Bogdanci.
    The meeting was attended by representatives of the Municipality of Bogdanci, representatives of the business sector, professors and students from the local schools, student’s representatives of the Biology Students Research Society of and interested locals.
    During the meeting all stakeholders present at the meeting had the opportunity to share ideas, suggestions and possibilities for joining the project and future promotion activities and steps to preserve the plant and the area as an important community value for its development and progress.

  • MES created new Strategic plan up till 2024

    MES created new Strategic plan up till 2024

     

    From 23-24th January in Gevgelija a total of 25 participants from all structure levels of MES took part in the development of MES’s new Strategic plan, aimed to span for 5 years 2020-2024.

    The workshop was led by facilitators from Birdlife international – Lenke Balint, Head of Department for Partnerships, Communities and Development, and Marija Jurcevic, BirdLife Balkan Partnership Development Officer. The participants were contributing towards the development the new structure of the new Strategic plan, and in broadening the scope of the organization’s work.

    They defined the basic structure and planned activities for the new strategic document and presented to the rest of the group with any potential news in their respective work fields.

    As first phase of the preparation of the new Strategic Plan for MES 2020-2024, MES underwent the process of self-assessment, 11-12 December 2019 in Veles.

    The aim of the self-assessment was representatives from different structure levels of the organization to present their views into how the organization has improved and how it can improve its functioning for the future. Topics ranged from conservation and protection of species, proclamation and management of protected areas to improved organizational culture and overall organizational development.

    The new strategic plan will be presented on the annual Assembly of MES in March when is expected it’s official adoption.

     

     

  • MES celebrated World Wetlands Day at Prespa Lake

    MES celebrated World Wetlands Day at Prespa Lake

    MES staff split into two teams in order to properly celebrate World Wetlands Day (February 2nd). One team trained rangers from NP Ezerani and National Park Galicica in water bird counts, whereas the others collaborated with NP Galicica and the environment department of Resen Municipality in order to encourage pupils from all local schools to practice critical thinking in a role playing game – kids imagined to be rich investors with an eye on Prespa, environmental protection officers, researchers, farmers and local people in order to find a creative compromise that will stimulate both nature conservation and sustainable development. The activities were prepared by the PrespaNet “Strengthening NGO-led Conservation in the Transboundary Prespa Basin” project team, together with student volunteers, and are being implemented across the transboundary basin.