Foundation
Sharr Mountain National Park is the first national park declared by the Assembly of Kosovo in 1986. The operation of the National Park began in 1995, and was discontinued during the period 1999-2002, and was reactivated in May. 2002. Sharr Mountain National Park is located in the southern part of the Republic of Kosovo and extends along the border with the Republic of Macedonia. The area of the National Park, according to the Law, is 39000 ha, which is located in the territory of four municipalities: Prizren (19 500 ha / 50%), ërtrpce (15 210 ha / 39%), Suhareka (2 730 ha / 7%) and Kaçanik (1560 ha / 4%).
The Sharr Mountain National Park is managed by the Directorate of the National Park based in Prizren, which operated within the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning (MESP), as part of the Kosovo Environmental Protection Agency.
Activity
The Directorate of Sharr Mountain National Park performs all functions related to the sustainable management of natural resources related to planning, organization, management and control. The main activities within the management of natural resources are: protection and development of natural resources, research and study of natural values, rational and sustainable use of natural resources, completion of legal, organizational and financial infrastructure for sustainable management of the National Park, etc.
Cooperation
The management of the National Park, as it is about the most valuable natural resources of the country, is specific and depends on the coordination and action of many institutional entities at the local and central level. The National Park is managed by the Directorate of PN, but in the functioning of PN, in particular in the protection of natural resources, directly or indirectly are involved other state institutions such as: municipal governments, police, prosecution, courts, inspections, emergencies , fire brigade, etc., as well as non-governmental institutions such as ecological associations, hunters, mountaineers, fishermen, etc. The Directorate of PN has a strategy of cooperation with all these institutions which means daily contacts, coordination of activities and concrete actions in the protection of natural resources. In addition to these institutions, the Directorate of PN also cooperates with other institutions at the central level, mainly in the development aspects of the National Park, such as: MESP institutions (KEPA, IPH, DM, DU, etc.), institutions of other Ministries (MAFRD, KFA, DT, etc.), KFOR-I, international NGOs (PM Grup, Agrifor, USAID, etc.). Proper cooperation with these institutions is important for the sustainable management of the National Park.
Organization
The Sharr Mountain National Park is managed by the Directorate based in Prizren, which operates within the MESP. This Directorate in its composition, at the moment, has two Sectors, the Forestry Sector and the Biology Sector, who perform the work from their professional field. Within the employees of the National Park are distinguished:
- management, professional and administrative staff - whose work is performed in the office and in the field, and
-guards - who are constantly on the ground carrying out activities in the protection and surveillance of natural resources (forests, flora and fauna).
Legislation
The national park is managed according to the Law on the National Park “Sharr Mountain” GZ KSAK 11/86.
Other supporting laws for the management of the National Park are:
· Law on Nature Protection
· Law on Environmental Protection
· Law on Forests no. 2003/6
· Criminal Code of the Republic of Kosovo
In order to ensure proper legislation for the management of the Sharr Mountain National Park, it is necessary to draft and approve the following legal acts:
-Approval of the new Law on the Sharr Mountain National Park
Definition of management competencies on PN forests between MESP and MAFRD (PN Directorate should have management competencies on all natural resources throughout the territory of the National Park avoiding any eventual mix of competencies)
Drafting of the Administrative Instruction on the establishment, responsibilities, functions and organization of the Authority for the management of the National Park.
Drafting the Regulation on the internal order of the National Park which will define in more detail the professional aspects of the management of the National Park.
Planning
The national park is managed based on these Plans:
· Spatial Plan of the National Park
· National Park Management Plan
· Annual work plan
· Executive Plans and Projects
Read more:
Sharr Mountain National Park Natural Values
Natural Beauties of Sharr Mountain National Park (Photo Gallery)