Management status of protected areas in Kosovo

AbstractThis paper presents the situation of protected areas network in Kosovo, main problems with their management and protection. Kosovo covers an area of 10,887 square kilometers in the central part of Balkan Peninsula. Territory of Kosovo is under different elevations and impacted by mixed Continental and Mediterranean climate states. 47, 842, 34ha or 4.39% of territory of Kosovo is protected. Protected areas network in Kosovo consist of: one national park, 11 nature reserves, two protected landscapes and 82 natural monuments with different natural characteristics: botanical, geographical, geomorphologic, hydrological etc. The history of protected areas starts in 1953, when the first nature reserves were designated for legal protection, with permanent increase of number and size of other protected areas. The biggest step until now in the protection of natural sites is made in 1986 with declaration of Sharri national park (39,000ha), because of very rich biodiversity.The network of legally protected areas is quite heavily damaged during and after the last war in Kosovo (1998-99). Degradation of ecosystems, overexploitation, fires and other negative activities have being part of protected areas during last decade. The new law on nature conservation is partly regulating this situation, although the protection and management measures face many implementation challenges