UNEP/GEF PROJECT

UNEP/GEF project Achieving biodiversity conservation through creation, effective management and spatial designation of protected areas and capacity building was financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in cooperation with the relevant ministries and institutions in the country. The project was aimed at overcoming the main issues identified in strategic documents and policies for nature protection in BiH, focused on the underdeveloped network of protected areas (the smallest percentage of protected areas in Europe), lack of biodiversity monitoring and weak financial framework for nature protection.

The project was implemented from 2017 to 2021 with the three main components, as follows:

1. Component: Establishment and effective management of protected areas and biological diversity

• The first component had objective of providing support to the country to expand its protected areas network, by establishing formal protection for the following areas identified in the project preparation phase:Livanjsko carst field, Mt. Orjen, Mt.Bjelašnica-Visočica-Treskavica-Rakitnica river canyon, cave Mokranjska Miljacka, Tišina landscape, Mt. Zvijezda, Tara river canyon, Mediteranetum reserve, cave Vjetrenica, Prača river canyon.
  Proposed areas have been included in the main spatial planning documentation of the country, enabling sufficient legal basis for protected areas spatial designation in the country.

2. Component: Management effectiveness of the national protected areas system

• The second component was aimed at implementing capacity building activities for advocacy and communication of natural values and benefits from protected areas to protected areas' staff and nature protection staff, as well as to increase public awareness on nature conservation importance and benefits. The component included the following activities:
  • Review of the institutional and legal framework for the management of natural and biodiversity resources;
  • Development of recommendations to improve the planning and management of protected areas;
  • Development of innovative financing mechanisms for the network of protected areas of both entities;
  • - Training program for protected areas staff as well as the implementation of the Protected Areas Managers' Day initiative in BiH;
  • Promotion of various aspects of nature protection for local communities throughout the country, especially for those located in or near newly proposed protected areas (radio and TV engagements, presentation of best regional practices.

3. Component: Biodiversity monitoring

• Activities within this component were aimed at enhancement of the biodiversity monitoring system in the country, as a basis for nature conservation through:
  • Development of the Indicator framework for biodiversity and corresponding legislation, and its adoption by the governments;
  • Establishment of the information platform for the biodiversity monitoring in BiH;
  • Development of the recommendations/guidelines for revision of the Red List Index(es) in BiH as a main instrument for the biological diversity monitoring.