7 January 2011: The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) Secretariat has reported that Albania’s Small Grants Fund Project “Bringing together all stakeholders of the lake Shkodra Region” has been successfully concluded.

The project, which was funded through a contribution by the Italian Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea, was carried out by the Regional Environmental Centre (REC) Albania in cooperation with the Administrative Authority for the Ramsar Convention, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Administration of Waters in Albania. The project aimed to improve the management of the Lake Shkodra Region by implementing Ramsar management principles, create awareness and strengthen the institutional cooperation between Albania and Montenegro. The project outputs include: the report of the international conference “Introducing Ramsar principles towards integrated management of lake Shkodra/Skadar and Buna/Bojana River natural resources” held in Shkodra, Albania, from 5-6 June 2010; a study visit at Butrint Ramsar Site to share and increase management experiences as well as to promote networking among managers of the Albanian Ramsar Sites; an assessment of the current situation in the Lake Shkodra/Skadar Lake Ramsar Site, which contains information collected by Albanian and Montenegrian experts; the brochure “Shkodra/ Skadar Lake Ecosystem Services;” and a “Book of abstracts” that contains 45 scientific papers presented at the conference. [Webpage of the Publications] [Ramsar Press Release]