INTEGRATED DRINI RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT (IDBM/CEPF,

2014-2015)
Working with four villages to end soil erosion in an entire river basin
http://www.birdlife.org/europe-and-central-asia/news/working-four-villages-end-soil-erosionentire-river-basin ,
Video is now up on our YouTube page, the direct link to the video itself is: http://youtu.be/yZd2_mEap6g

http://us4.campaignarchive2.com/?u=17ff123d369db9f424d486492&id=1f9b61f2ef&e=dbe8f30fa1

The Drini River basin provides multiple services to the inhabitants of northern Albania.
Shown here at the border of Albania and F.Y.R.O. Macedonia. Photo: Mehmet Metaj;
AlbaForest. By Shaun Hurrell, Fri, 13/02/2015 - 12:20
The entire catchment area of a river and its tributaries is a large, complex, interaction of
ecosystems. In Albania, the Drini River basin is a Key Biodiversity Area that provides multiple
services to the inhabitants of northern Albania. But currently rain is washing bare soil away into
the river, and all of the beneficial ecosystem services along with it like nutrients to provide
crop fertility, water storage by forests, fresh water filtration and flood protection.

Pobreg, Trthore, Kuks

Soil erosion is a big problem in the Drini River basin. Photo: Mehmet Metaj; Albaforest
National water policies in the Mediterranean are mostly exploiting water with efforts to
increase water supply for a growing population and increase the number of hydroelectric dams.
Recognising the need to take the needs of biodiversity and ecosystems into account (which also
benefits local people), the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) is funding projects that
take an holistic approach to water management. In Albania, CEPF fund a project led by
Albaforest (Centre for Forest Studies and Consulting) to undertake Integrated River Basin
Management (IRBM) of the Drini River basin.
AlbaForest are tackling the big task by starting small - they are piloting four micro-projects
aimed at preventing soil erosion in the basin; which will then be used to inform IRBM for the
entire catchment. They are planting 60,000 trees, seeding grasses and herbs, trialing the
installation of small anti-erosion structure and improving the management of grazing pastures.
Community
Pobreg, Trthore, Kuks

Working with local villages to plant 60,000 trees to prevent soil erosion. Photo: Mehmet Metaj,
AlbaForest
Any attempt to restore or conserve a large area must involve the local communities of people
living there. This is why Albaforest decided to pilot the micro-project in selected areas that
involve four villages - the variation in activities having been adapted to the local context and
needs.
We are strengthening a solid foundation of knowledge of the river basin and the natural and
socio-economic forces that influence it, said Mehmet Metaj, AlbaForests Project Manager.
A fundamental goal of CEPF is to ensure civil society is engaged in biodiversity conservation,
and through AlbaForests integrated approach in this project, local NGOs, stakeholders, land-

users and the community representatives from the four villages are all being trained through
workshops, courses and field visits. Through this process, local people will be taught the knowhow and techniques needed to effectively rehabilitate the basin together. This is important for the
future of their land, and for demonstrating the benefits of IRBM to the Albanian government.
Information, sensitisation and awareness among communities (mainly women, young people
and children) is the only alternative to preventing further soil erosion and ecosystem degradation
in our country, says Mehmet.
CEPF is working with projects in specific areas of the Mediterranean to best manage river basins
with this integrated approach. Grantees from Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro and Morocco
using IRBM have the ability to learn from each other, exchanging advice on conservation
management to avoid desertification of the region.

BirdLife International - including its Middle East office and the BirdLife
Partners DOPPS/BirdLife Slovenia and LPO (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux, BirdLife in
France) - is providing the Regional Implementation Team (RIT) for the Critical Ecosystem
Partnership Fund (CEPF) in the Mediterranean Basin Biodiversity Hotspot (CEPF Med).
Find out more at www.birdlife.org/cepf-med.
The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) is a joint initiative of lAgence Franaise de
Dveloppement (AFD), Conservation International (CI), the European Union, the Global
Environment Facility (GEF), the Government of Japan, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
Foundation, and the World Bank. Additional support in the Mediterranean Basin is provided by
the MAVA Foundation. A fundamental goal is to ensure civil society is engaged in biodiversity
conservation. More information on CEPF can be found at www.cepf.net.
CEPF project title: Integrated Drini River Basin Management
Grantee: AlbaForest (Centre for Forest Studies and Consulting) www.albaforest.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Comment: 18.02.2015
CEPF has already been active and supportive to the Balkans critical ecosystems restoration
projects in the scope of Mediterranean Basin and also its a great enhancement of NGOs working
on degraded and critical habitats and nature conservation, .but not only the CEPF has supported
and integrated watershed management project as is it of Drini Basin Management (IDBM)
implementing by the Center ALBAFOREST, for the period 2014-2015.

In Albania, the Drini River basin is a Key Biodiversity Area that provides multiple services to
the inhabitants of northern Albania. But currently rain is washing bare soil away into the river,
and all of the beneficial ecosystem services along with it like nutrients to provide crop fertility,
water storage by forests, fresh water filtration and flood protection.
The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) is funding projects that take an holistic
approach to water management. In Albania, CEPF fund a project led by AlbaForest (Centre for
Forest Studies and Consulting) to undertake Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) of the
Drini River basin.
AlbaForest are tackling the big task by starting small - they are piloting four micro-projects
aimed at preventing soil erosion in the basin; which will then be used to inform IRBM for the
entire catchment. They are planting 60,000 trees, seeding grasses and herbs, trialing the
installation of small anti-erosion structure and improving the management of grazing pastures.