Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP).

The Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan is a national cross-sectoral strategic document of the Republic of Macedonia for the period 2004-2008. The overall objective of the document is to conserve biodiversity and use biological resources in a sustainable manner for the welfare of the people, taking in consideration the unique natural values and the rich tradition of the Republic of Macedonia.
The document aims to incorporate conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity within all governmental policies, strategies, plans and Programmes by 2006. Also, it plans to increase biodiversity conservation and restoration by 30%, through proportionate internal and external investments; to increase human resources and improve technical capacity building within those institutions connected with biodiversity conservation by 30%, in order to engender projects for research and with practical application, by 2008; to improve the co-operation and exchange of information among governmental, scientific, private and NGO sectors by 30%, through realisation of joint projects, by 2006; to establish a database for species, habitats and protected areas by 2005; to improve the management system within the existing protected areas (in accordance with international standards) and to extend the network of protected areas by 50% by 2008; to reduce the number of threatened species by 5% by 2008; to implement sustainable forestry management by 2008; to approximate national legislation in accordance with EU directives, and to incorporate the provisions of adopted international conventions into the legislation of the Republic of Macedonia by the end of 2007; to introduce appropriate mechanisms for stimulating biodiversity conservation and deterring biodiversity loss outside of protected areas by the end of 2005; to increase public awareness of conservation issues throughout the community by 100%, based upon previously established levels of knowledge, by 2008; and to establish a law obliging the preparation of EIA and SEIA studies for all environmental programmes, plans and interventions by 2005.
The leading Ministry for implementation of the BSAP will be the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning. The government will also establish a Steering Committee to provide oversight. Monitoring of the implementation of the BSAP will be carried out using indicators previously developed and compiled for that purpose. The indicators will be prepared by the BSAP Co-ordinating Body and Expert Groups and approved by the Steering Committee.