Skopje, 29 March 2023 (MIA) - The Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning has approved the 2022-2031 Shar Mountain National Park management plan after broad expert consultations.

The consultations involved about 70 experts and representatives from various stakeholders, the Ministry said in a press release.

The management plan will be a tool for the new public enterprise Shar Mountain National Park to ensure the protection of biological diversity and game but also improve the well-being of the local population through the creation of green jobs and improvement of the green infrastructure and services. We remain committed to the process because identified natural and socio-economic values will not mean much if we do not know how to appreciate them and ensure sustainable management, said the Ministry.

The plan's adoption came as a result of the successful cooperation among the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Office, the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, the United National Environment Programme (UNEP) and public enterprise Shar Mountain National Park.

Photo: MIA