Tirana, 28.12.2023 – Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania (PPNEA), Albania’s pioneering nature conservation organisation, is delighted to announce its formal inclusion in the esteemed BirdLife International network. This marks a significant milestone, aligning PPNEA with over 115 national conservation organizations globally and placing Albania in the Birdlife membership map.
BirdLife International functions as a collaborative hub for countries and territories worldwide, fostering shared priorities, policies, and conservation programs. This partnership facilitates the exchange of skills, achievements, and information, thereby enhancing collective abilities, authority, and influence in the pursuit of biodiversity conservation.
As the representative of Albania in this alliance, PPNEA joins a diverse family of over 115 national Partners spanning continents, landscapes, and seascapes, and a membership exceeding 13 million individuals and supporters, employing a unique local-to-global approach for high-impact, long-term conservation initiatives that benefit both nature and humanity. With a decentralized Secretariat and strategically positioned regional offices in Brussels, Cambridge, Nairobi, and Quito, BirdLife International stands as the largest international partnership dedicated to nature conservation.
PPNEA’s integration into BirdLife International holds particular significance, representing an elevated level of responsibility for the organisation in Albania, as the country is currently in an ever-increasing clash between rapid and unsustainable development on one hand and the conservation of its natural heritage on the other.
“This affiliation follows decades of dedicated efforts in bird and nature conservation in Albania. It signifies trust and belief in our approach, vision, and mission for nature conservation. With the support of over one hundred organizations globally, PPNEA’s voice and actions gain strength, empowering us to achieve significant milestones for nature. Simultaneously, it underscores the responsibility to amplify the nature conservation movement and integrate it seamlessly into the country’s governance ethics in the future. Albania is currently facing major challenges for nature conservation, pressed by the current unsustainable trend of quick and dirty development, exemplified in notorious examples such as the case of the illegal development of the Vlora Airport within a protected area and important bird area. Through this partnership, we will be more equipped to face these challenges and for the benefit of people, nature, and birds in the country.”
Dr. Aleksandër Trajçe, Director of PPNEA
This membership represents a valuable opportunity for enhancing the protection of Albania’s biodiversity through the exchange of experiences and transfer of best examples from partners worldwide, for wildlife and their habitats. It is another opportunity to work towards restoration perspectives guided by the best principles of protecting nature together with local communities and the scientific community.
For this significant achievement, we take this opportunity to thank all our partners, collaborators, stakeholders, and volunteers who joined us on this journey.
Albania’s participation in BirdLife International represents a significant stride in enhancing global conservation initiatives. PPNEA, as the representative of Albania, will actively contribute to the partnership’s collective endeavors to conserve biodiversity and address environmental challenges at local, national, regional, and global levels.
