Natura 2000 Day Marked

21 May – the European Day of Natura 2000 – was marked with presentations and practical activities with the participation of primary and secondary school students from Berovo, Pehcevo and Delcevo in the Education Centre for Nature Conservation in the village of Negrevo (Pehcevo).

As part of the event the students built thematic habitats that are part of the Bregalnica basin biodiversity, thus learning about their importance and the need to protect them.

The presentations informed the primary and secondary school teachers as well as representatives of the key stakeholders about the process of establishing Natura 2000 areas. They were also introduced to the goals and activities of Natura 2000 as a European Union network for nature preservation, whose aim is to ensure protection of natural values from the aspect of habitats, i.e. through adequate protection of habitat types to provide protection for all species living there.

Europe’s Natura 2000 Day has been celebrated since 1992, when the EU Habitats Directive and the LIFE Programme were adopted. This Directive, together with the Birds Directive (adopted in 1979) is the network’s foundation for nature conservation. Today it includes more than 27,800 sites on land and at sea throughout EU member countries, and contributes greatly to the preservation of the unique natural heritage.

The European Natura 2000 Day in Negrevo was organized by the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning of the Republic of North Macedonia, Farmahem, the Macedonian Ecological Society and the Centre for Development of the East Planning Region, as partners of the Nature Conservation Programme in North Macedonia – Phase 2 (NCP), a project by the Swiss Development and Cooperation Agency and the project “Strengthening the Capacities for Effective Implementation of European Legislation in Nature Preservation”.