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Status and Trends of Biodiversity

Overview

Located in the centre of the Balkan Peninsula, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is a mountainous country with many river valleys and significant water resources. Of the total land area, 40% is forested and 51% is under agricultural production. There is significant diversity among the higher plants (with 3,700 known species, including 117 endemic species). In addition, 1,580 species of lower plants have been described (of which at least 72 are considered endemic). A significant number of plant species are considered to be at some threat of extinction (over 500 species). At present, 9,339 animal species have been recorded in the Republic of Macedonia, including 602 endemic species. The difficult economic transition over the last decade has negatively affected the country’s biodiversity. The economic benefits arising from the use of biological resources have often outweighed the investment in protection measures.

Implementation of the Convention

Measures Taken to Achieve the 2010 Target

The country intends to protect 11.5% of its territory by 2024. A number of significant areas are designated for protection, such as Important Bird Areas (IBA), Important Plant Areas (IPA), and Prime Butterflies Areas (PBA). In addition, the country is committed to incorporating the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity into all governmental policies, strategies, plans, and programmes by 2006. The State also intends to: increase the level of biodiversity conservation and restoration by 30%; establish a database for species, habitats and protected areas by 2005; reduce the number of threatened species by 5% by 2008; implement sustainable forestry management by 2008; and introduce appropriate mechanisms for stimulating biodiversity conservation and deterring biodiversity loss outside of protected areas by the end of 2005. Monitoring of wild endangered species involved in the national and international trade is proposed in the NBSAP. Incidentally, the country has ratified the CITES treaty. The Third National Report also mentions the creation of scientific infrastructure, adequate scientific database, public awareness and education activities, establishment of bio corridors, enlargement of the EMERALD and NATURA 2000 sites, and ex-situ conservation measures.

Initiatives in Protected Areas

The country has established time bound, measurable national-level protected areas targets, presented in detail in the Biodiversity Action Plan. The Physical Plan of the Republic of Macedonia has set as a target to increase the number and area of protected areas. In addition, the recently adopted Law on Nature Protection sets up the time frame for re-categorization of the existing protected areas and for establishing a protected areas network, according to the Natura 2000 principles.

The country’s National Parks protect a total of 83 floral species. All three large natural lakes (Ohrid, Prespa and Dojran) are already protected as natural monuments. Furthermore, expansion of large, not fragmented natural areas (in the scope of the protected areas system) is foreseen in the NBSAP.