Regional leaders agree in Skopje—Sustainable forest restoration is critical

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Economy of the Republic of North Macedonia, in partnership with the 'Hans Em' Faculty of Forest Sciences, Landscape Architecture, and Environmental Engineering, convened an event in Skopje, focusing on good practices and experiences in forest restoration.

The meeting came under an FAO Technical Cooperation Project aimed at providing technical assistance for the country’s forest service and bolstering the Macedonian forest sector's role in the national economy and rural development through enhanced forest damage monitoring and restoration planning.

Leaders and experts from the Western Balkans exchanged good practices and experiences in forest restoration while emphasizing the significance of regional cooperation in forest management, especially given the regional challenges of climate change. The event featured a ministerial round table, bringing together ministers responsible for agriculture, forestry, food, and water management from Albania, Bulgaria, Kosovo¹, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. Academics from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Serbia delivered insightful presentations, covering a wide range of topics, including best practices in forest restoration, silviculture, and reforestation challenges. Their discussions encompassed plant material production, afforestation strategies for barren terrains, hydroseeding for land restoration, eroded area recovery, and biomass production.

Speaking at the opening of the event, Fatmir Bytyqi, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Economic Affairs, and responsible for coordination of economic sectors and investments, highlighted North Macedonia's commitment to aligning with European Union (EU) forestry policies and international agreements on environmental protection. He emphasized the country’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG target 15.2 on the implementation of sustainable forest management and restoration and the halting of deforestation.  North Macedonia has pledged at the UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration and the Bonn Challenge to restore and afforest 15 000 hectares of land as part of its revised National Strategy for Sustainable Development of Forestry.

"Our aim is to bolster rural development and promote the natural beauty of our forests to every individual," Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy of North Macedonia, Ljupco Nikolovski, said at the event's opening. "Forests are key to sustaining life on our planet, providing us with clean air, water, and biodiversity, while also enhancing our resilience to climate change. I am particularly encouraged by the collective commitment that I see today for the preservation of our forests and the well-being of our communities."

Nabil Gangi, Officer-in-Charge for the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, affirmed FAO's dedication to assist countries in the sustainable management of their natural resources to improve livelihoods. ‘’We are delighted to support the Government of North Macedonia in enhancing forest monitoring capabilities and scaling up forest restoration efforts in the years ahead. Our collective aim is to advance the economic value of Macedonian forests while preserving these precious resources as an integral part of the nation's natural landscape.”

Minister Nikolovski underscored that the green transition represents a paramount priority among the five strategic imperatives of both the Ministry and the Government of North Macedonia. He stressed that afforestation stands as a pivotal objective for the successful implementation of green principles within the government's agenda. The Ministry's Programme for Extended Reproduction of Forests directs the afforestation of barren areas, erosion-prone lands, and the recovery of fire-damaged forests. Through this initiative, 400 000 seedlings were planted throughout the country last year, and there are ambitious plans to plant an additional 1.2 million in 2023.

Vladimir Jokovich, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic System and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Management of the Republic of Montenegro, emphasized Montenegro's rich forest heritage and preservation efforts. He discussed ongoing reforms for sustainable state forest management, highlighting priorities such as resilience, rural development, wood industry competitiveness, forestry profession development, burnt area restoration, and climate change adaptation.

Anila Denaj, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Republic of Albania highlighted the undeniable impact of climate change on the country's forests. In collaboration with the World Bank, Albania is pioneering the introduction of a digital platform for climate-smart agriculture to help farmers towards adopting more sustainable agricultural practices. Additionally, Albania is channeling its efforts into the modernization of irrigation and drainage systems while incorporating renewable energy sources to conserve and protect the environment.

Faton Peci, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Development of Kosovo, underscored the importance of regional cooperation, stressing that Kosovo is actively working with international partners such as the European Commission, FAO, Germany, Japan, Sweden and the USA to protect and restore its forests. These collaborative efforts focus on improving forest management, preventing floods, and managing the risk of forest fires and other natural disasters.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food, Miroslav Marinov, highlighted Bulgaria's commitment to afforestation, particularly in combating soil degradation and erosion while preserving land quality and water balance.   thirty percent of Bulgaria's afforestation efforts focus on anti-erosion measures Marinov discussed Bulgaria's response to forest fire challenges through experimental afforestation and irrigation practices, as well as innovative biodiversity conservation in forestry using demonstration sites. The country benefits from the innovative EU-funded automated container sapling production in Bulgaria's forest nurseries.

Kenichi Shono, FAO Forestry Officer, shared a global perspective on best practices in ecosystem restoration, shedding light on management options for degraded coppice forests, as a valuable source of renewable biomass, drought-resistant roots, ecological flexibility, diverse habitats, various products and ecosystem services.

The exchange of good practices and experiences in forest restoration and management sets a promising course toward a greener and more resilient future for the Western Balkans and beyond.