Local knowledge is key to conserving and restoring nature

Ecological corridors are natural links that enable wildlife to move safely from one habitat to another. They keep landscapes alive and connected. However, these corridors are not only spaces through which wild animals move; they are also landscapes where people live, work and enjoy nature. For local communities, they provide food, water, medicinal plants and building materials, as well as sources of income. This is precisely why local people and the knowledge they have passed down through generations are essential to conserving and restoring these vital natural arteries.

Successful nature conservation starts with listening to the people who live in close daily contact with nature and know it best. Guided by this principle, the Macedonian Ecological Society (MES) launched fieldwork this summer in the village of Belica, located within the Ilinska–Plakenska–Bigla ecological corridor in western North Macedonia. The work began with a participatory workshop to map the corridor’s natural resources, marking the start of the project “Living Landscapes: Restoring Ecological Corridors for Wildlife and Communities,” funded by PONT with support from the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM). Over the next three years, the project will carry out a range of activities across two key ecological corridors- Ilinska-Plakenska-Bigla and Stogovo-Karaorman-Jablanica – to plan restoration efforts, strengthen ecological connectivity, and conserve the natural values found there.

The full-day mapping workshop, organised at the Eco-Centre for Development in Belica, involved 22 locals, beekeepers, foragers, fishers and hunters, representatives of local associations and the local government, as well as other people familiar with the landscape. Participants came from the section of the corridor along the Belica River and from the villages of Vidrani, Kozica, Judovo, Velmevci, Svinjishta, Brzhdani, Popolzhani and Malo Ilino, thus covering the wider Belica region. Representatives of the Municipality of Kičevo and the Mirko Mileski Scout Group also took part. Together, we marked the most important forests, pastures and watercourses; the routes used by lynx, bears, chamois and other wild animals; and the most important natural resources and ecosystem services provided by the landscape.

While mapping the apiaries, beekeepers highlighted the region’s considerable potential for beekeeping and the value of its native melliferous plants. They also pointed to the challenges they face, including limited economic viability, a lack of younger people willing to continue the work, the need for better organisation and the need to protect apiaries from bears.

Local people still collect mushrooms, herbs, wild fruits and other forest products, which also provide a source of income for some households. They noted that the region has exceptionally well-preserved oak and beech forests, but that these natural assets are still not being used to their full potential to support sustainable local development.

The discussions and exchange of experiences also made it clear that local people are witnessing the degradation of forests, pastures and rivers, particularly the Belica River. Although they recognise that healthy forests are essential both for the survival of wildlife and for people’s quality of life, the workshop also showed that the mosaic character of the mountain landscape needs to be preserved. This landscape is gradually disappearing as livestock farming declines and forests encroach on former pastures.

We also focused on locations affected by threats such as illegal logging, waste, altered riverbeds and habitat fragmentation, as well as areas where restoration and better management are needed. This allowed us to map waste pollution in the Belica River, damaged local springs and sections where the continuity of the river has been disrupted by infrastructure works.

When discussing opportunities for future development, local people highlighted the restoration and propagation of traditional fruit tree varieties as an important resource for both people and wildlife. In their view, sustainable tourism could be encouraged by restoring hiking and cycling trails, improving the path along the Belica River and developing the Eco-Centre in Belica as a place for young people and for environmental education activities.

The same Eco-Centre hosted the traditional “Belica Gatherings”, held at the beginning of August. The event was an excellent opportunity for us to get to know the local community better and introduce our work to them. We organised an open-air screening of “The Path of the Lynx”, an episode of the documentary series “Radius”, produced with the team of the Balkan Lynx Recovery Programme, which MES has been implementing for the past 20 years.

Following the screening, we presented the projects that MES is implementing in the region, including the PONT Connect project and its activities aimed at improving the connectivity of forest habitats and conserving biodiversity.

The direct involvement of local people is essential to selecting the most appropriate measures for improving the corridor. Their participation helps preserve the harmonious relationship between people and nature that is vital to maintaining the important natural values of Ilinska–Plakenska–Bigla.

Written by Macedonian Ecological Society