07 February 2020 - Vlora - In order to support CSOs and the community to increase  knowledge and awareness in the area of “Advocacy for sustainable use of natural resources and active participation in decision making", a training was organized in the framework of the project "From the Mountains to the Sea" supported by CEPF and Institute for Nature Conservation in Albania – INCA.  

The project aims at fostering and enabling an active environment for civil society and the community, as well as empowering civil society organizations and various community stakeholders to be efficient and responsible independent actors, increase their capacity to have a dialogue with central government that influences policy and decision-making processes and make them institutionally accountable for their performance towards citizens and society in large-scale.

The training will also serve as a communication table with local collaborators and NGOs to discuss implementation of project activities aiming to enhance the active presence of CSOs’ and local actors, increase their capacities for the implementation of legislation in the fight against corruption and minimizing the negative impacts on the management of natural resources and protected areas. Fostering co-operation between CSOs and public authorities, local communities and the media, will help boost networking and partnerships among them, in the creation of a long-term work program focused on improving the implementation of protected area management plans as part of the project work . The project is based on key documents regarding management of protected areas and specifically on the management plans of Llogara National Park, Karaburun Managed Nature Reserve and Karaburun-Sazani Marine National Park.

Shaping a compelling message about the importance of nature conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources for policymakers, entities and the community is essential. In this respect, fostering the advocacy process for implementing management plans will be part of the collaborative work.