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РWУAБTРEИRКAАND ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

IN MAVROVO WE
WITNESS THE DRYING
OF CRUCIALLY
IMPORTANT FORESTS

Ana Colovic Lesoska, Executive
Director of the NGO Eco-sense

In Macedonia we notice abundant water cours- cally endangered species, and the remaining popu-
es in the high mountainous regions, particu- lation of approximately thirty units that live mostly
larly in the national parks as protected areas. in this national park.
Although these courses are vitally important
for the ecosystem and for the survival of the The protests of the communities of Debar in the
wildlife, they are also perceived as a source of elec- world, and in Macedonia as well, as well as the se-
tricity production. quence of legal processes and complaints addressed
to the international factors, resulted in cancelation
The National Park “Mavrovo” is characterized by of the project “Lukovo Pole”, and suspension of the
abundant water courses and presence of hydro-en- project “Boshkov Bridge”.
ergy system built in the 50s. Only a few people know
that these hydro-energy facilities, although they Adzina River, Mavrovo in summer
have benefits for the human in a form of produced
electricity, they also damage the wildlife. As a con- The Balkan lynx is a critically endangered species,
sequence of the bad management with the system, Photo Dime Melovski
and with the water intakes for its purposes, dry ra-
vines are created, that is, rivers without water (par-
ticularly in the summer months). The lack of water
harms the fauna that lives there, however also the
flora that needs water, so in Mavrovo we are also
witnesses of drying of forest communities that are
very important for the part and for Macedonia.

In addition to the existing hydroelectric power
plants in the National Park Mavrovo, two large in-
frastructural energy projects were also planned: the
reservoir lake “Lukovo Pole” and 60 MW hydroelec-
tric power plant “Boshkov Bridge”. The intakes that
were planned for these two projects concerned the
local population from Debar, as well as from Mav-
rovo because there were fears that part of them will
help to reduce the water line of the river Radika,
leading to lack of drinking water. In addition, these
two projects were a serious threat for the survival of
the wildlife, such as the Balkan lynx which is a criti-

36 July-August 2016