Skopje, 19 December 2023 (MIA) - Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy Ljupcho Nikolovski and the Regional Centre for Forestry and Rural Development (REFORD) signed Tuesday a memorandum of cooperation with the aim of jointly implementing awareness raising campaigns against illegal logging, in the framework of project "Fight Illegal Forest Activities," implemented by REFORD in cooperation with United States Forest Service.

The goal of the project is to increase awareness and knowledge related to illegal activities in forests and share best practices in the fight against such activities, the Ministry said in a press release.

Public attention on forests as one of the most important terrestrial ecosystems on planet Earth, in the face of changing climate conditions and their effect on the health and vitality of forest resources and ecosystem services they provide, is increasing.

According to Global Forest Watch analysis, North Macedonia has lost 38,600 hectares of forest covers, or 4.9 percent, since 2001. Forest fires and illegal logging are the main reasons for the devastation of forests.

Illegal logging is a serious and long-term problem that forest police face daily, in addition to their lives being engendered in the fight against organized groups of illegal loggers.

REFORD and the United States Forest Service will help raise citizens' awareness on the significance of forests and damages caused to the forest stock and biodiversity by illegal logging.

The main goal of the memorandum is to achieve wider societal interest in support of rural development through sustainable management of natural resources.

Photo: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy