1500 Seedlings Planted for Revitalization of Riparian Vegetation in Bregalnica
During the afforestation action under the motto “Plant a poplar and willow and conserve riparian forests along Bregalnica River – 2019” organized by the Macedonian Ecological Society, as part of the Nature Conservation Programme in North Macedonia – phase 2, a project by the Swiss Development and Cooperation Agency and coordinated by Farmahem from Skopje, 1,500 new poplar and willow seedlings were planted on 4 December near the Shtip village of Sofilari.
This action is part of the multiannual project activity for revitalization of the riparian belt on Bregalnica River, with the aim of flood and erosion prevention. The afforestation was organized in cooperation with the Municipality of Shtip, the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning and PE National Forests, while a large number of pupils, students and scouts from Skopje and Shtip did the planting.
Deputy Minister of Environment Jani Makraduli and the Mayor of Shtip Blagoj Bochvarski addressed the afforestation event.
-One thousand and five hundred seedlings will be planted along the river in order to provide an ecosystem service, and that is riparian forests. This ecosystem ensures that the riverbank is protected from erosion, floods, it purifies the water and conserves the environment. To make sure that this system is in a good state, we are starting with revitalization and this is part of the national strategy for biodiversity and the strategy for nature conservation that were adopted by the government of Republic of North Macedonia – said deputy minister for environment and physical planning, Jani Makraduli.
According to the Mayor of Shtip, it is particularly important that various organizations and education institutions have been engaged in this massive action for revitalization of the Bregalnica River riparian vegetation.
-Not just with declarations, but with should undertake real actions to protect the environment and that is why I have to appeal to the citizens so that they can all contribute, as much as possible, and do something for our environment – said the Mayor of Shtip Blagoj Bochvarski after the event.
The afforestation action included students from three elementary and three secondary schools from Shtip, students from the Faculty of Forest Sciences, Landscape Design and Ecoengineering Hans Em from Skopje, students from the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics from Skopje, scouts from Ekvinos in Shtip as well as representatives of the Programme’s partner organizations and other interested institutions.
This event is part of the Nature Conservation Programme in Macedonia – phase 2, a project by the Swiss Development and Coordination Agency, coordinated by Farmahem in Skopje.
