Project News

After the first meeting of the Park Management Committee (PMC) on June 29, a MM was prepared by Regional Agency of Protected Area (RAPA), the secretariat of the PMC, and it was issued by the Prefect of Fier, the chairperson of the PMC. What's more the letters that requesting the responsible departments to take measures on the three main issues specified in the MM.

On August 12, we visited the Fier Prefecture office and urged them to follow up on it, and exchanged views how to link the PMC discussions to concrete measures, and the next PMC.

There are four main problems facing the park that were discussed at the PMC, and except for one problem (forest fire), a letter requesting countermeasures has been issued to the relevant organizations.

1. forest fires
2. waste disposal (landfill)
3. blockage of agricultural canal due to the installation of bridges
4. fishery resource issues

As for the waste disposal problem in general, we need to wait for the operation of the waste incineration plant being constructed in Fieri district. We have not been able to consider any specific measures at this moment but it has been agreed that it is necessary to encourage local residents to raise the issue and to approach the relevant authorities to take it into account. As for the stagnation of canal, the Department of Agriculture of Divjake City has already conducted a field survey and is waiting for concrete measures to be taken. Regarding fisheries, it was agreed that it is necessary to continue lobbying the relevant ministries and local agencies. Also jurisdiction and licensing rights need to be sorted out.

Regarding the PMC management, the PMC is an excellent platform for sharing the challenges faced by the park among stakeholders. However, the following problems were also identified: 1) there are limitations in addressing specific issues, and 2) it takes too much time to proceed administrative procedures for solving issues along with the legal framework.

The following points were shared as ideas to be discussed in the next PMC: 1) Achieve results through the specific roles and contributions of members for issues that are easy to tackle (accumulate successful experiences), and 2) Consider a frame that captures the opinions and comments of not only the local government but also the local community.

The PMC will be held in October, when the short-term expert team for the project will be dispatched.

However, after the new government is formed in September. There is a possibility that we will have to start over the PMC with some new faces in-case, it could happen personnel changes even at the directory level.

Director General of Public Administration, Fier (right) and Director of RAPA Fier