Meeting with the General Director, Mr. Artur Kala at the National Forest Agency within the framework of the PONT project implementation

At the National Forest Agency, the General Director, Mr. Artur Kala, received representatives of the #ALCDF Foundation, Ms. Lindita Manga, Director of this Foundation, and Mr. Besnik Alku, Project Manager. The meeting discussed the Project "Protection and sustainable use of transboundary protected areas in the Sharr Mountains, Mavrova and Korab-Koritnik," a project financed by the German program Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust - PONT, and implemented in the transboundary area of the Sharr-Korab mountain massif, by the ALCDF Foundation in cooperation with local organizations, the Center for Sustainable Community Development (CSCD) in North Macedonia, and the NGO "Dibra Turistica" in Albania.

The Director of NFA, Mr. Artur Kala, presented the work carried out by the Agency in good governance of the forestry sector in Albania, the opportunities and challenges faced by this sector, as well as the objectives that NFA has for 2024, which has been declared the "Albanian Year of Forests," which will include a variety of activities and initiatives from all governmental and non-governmental actors working in this sector.

The overall objective of the project is to contribute to the effective and impartial governance of the transboundary region of the Sharr-Korab protected area in order to strengthen the ecological, economic and social benefits that they provide. The key issues where NFA will directly contribute to the project are related to activities to improve transboundary management, coordination and cooperation, to ensure legitimate and environmentally responsible governance. Thus #NFA will be an active member of the Transboundary Strategic Partners Group, where coordination and cooperation among all actors will be strengthened. Additionally, NFA will engage in activities that increase the participation of local communities and stakeholders by ensuring the protection and rehabilitation of transboundary natural resources, focused on the protection and control of forest fires, on the creation of sustainable pasture models, on forest management especially for their use for firewood by residents, as well as on activities that ensure active involvement of local actors in monitoring structures. #albanianforestryear #nationalforestencyagency #ministrytourismandenvironment