PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLANNING –
ZONING CONCEPTS TO APPLY
Selected site: Skadar / Shkodra lake (MNE – AL)
Secretariat by
Budapest, May 10th 2012
Protected Area Management Planning
PROCESS
EVENT
Future oriented
Approach
Systematic
Holistic
Involve
Value judgement
Mechanism
for solving
problems
Achieve the mandate of an
Protected area (hereinafter PA)
PROTECTED AREA is an area of
land and/or sea especially dedicated
to the protection of biological
diversity, and of natural and
associated cultural resources, and
managed through legal or other
effective means” (IUCN 1994).
Management by objectives
PROACTIVE
Result oriented
Product:
MANAGEMENT PLAN
documenting management approach
BASIC STEPS:
1. formulation of clear, concise
statements or objectives;
2. development of realistic action
plans for their attainment
(including an analysis of threats to
attaining the objectives);
3. systematic monitoring and
measuring of performance and
achievement; and
4. taking corrective actions
necessary to achieve planned
results.
Other plans associated to the Management Plan

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Operational plans ~ annual work plan, for implementing
specific type of actions of a Managent plan
Corporate plans flow from Managent plan(s); how manager –
agency (direct managemnt authority) should operate
Bussiness plans examine how goods and services of an PA
should be used in the relation to the market
Sectoral plans are for specific but dominating sector(s) in an
PA (visitor management, species protection etc)
Conservation plans are mostly used for the sites with
dominant cultural values or mixed nature and culture sites
Site management plans are for the areas that require
intensive management in a PA (visitor attractive site)
Other plans associated to the Management Plan
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Development plan are to guide investments in infrastructure,
facilities (physical objects)
Master plans ~ Managent plans used in 70ties for managing
PAs their interpretation and development
Physical (Spatial) plans ~ Land use plans are legal and
practical base for relevant aspects in the Management plan(s)
Zoning plans define diferent zones that should be managed
in diferent ways. Zoning plan is part of a Management plan
Zoning plan(s) – concept(s)
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(step1: formulate objectives of PA MP)
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Define “management zones”
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“Zoning defines what can and cannot occur in different areas of the
park in terms of natural resources management; cultural resources
management; human use and benefit; visitor use and experience;
access; facilities and park development; maintenance and
operations. Through management zoning the limits of acceptable
use and development in the park are established” (Young and
Young 1993).
(Where management objectives should be acomplished, in
compliance with Protected Area Management categories (IUCN) )
Zoning plan(s) – concept(s)

(step1: formulate objectives of PA MP)

Define “management zones”


“Zoning defines what can and cannot occur in different areas of the
park in terms of natural resources management; cultural resources
management; human use and benefit; visitor use and experience;
access; facilities and park development; maintenance and
operations. Through management zoning the limits of acceptable
use and development in the park are established” (Young and
Young 1993).
(Where management objectives should be acomplished, in
compliance with Protected Area Management categories (IUCN) )
Management objectives
by Protected Area Management categories (IUCN)
Managementt objectives
Ia
Ib
II
III
IV
V
VI
Scientific research
1
3
2
2
2
2
3
Wildeness protection
2
1
2
3
3
-
2
Preservation of species and genetic diversity
1
2
1
1
1
2
1
Maintenence of environmental /eco services
2
1
1
-
1
2
1
Protection of specific natural /cultural features
-
-
2
1
3
1
3
Tourism and recreation
-
2
1
1
3
1
3
Education
-
-
2
2
2
2
3
Sustainable use of resources from natural ecosystems
-
3
3
-
2
2
1
Mantenance of cultural / traditional atributes
-
-
-
-
-
1
2
Key: 1: primary objective, 2: secondary objective, 3: potentaly applicable objective,
- not applicable
IUCN Protected Area Management Categories
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CATEGORY I Strict Nature Reserve/Wilderness Area: protected area managed
mainly for science or wilderness protection
CATEGORY la Strict Nature Reserve: protected area managed mainly for
science
CATEGORY Ib Wilderness Area: protected area managed mainly for wilderness
protection
CATEGORY II National Park: protected area managed mainly for ecosystem
protection and recreation
CATEGORY Ill Natural Monument: protected area managed mainly for
conservation of specific natural features
CATEGORY IV Habitat/Species Management Area: protected area managed
mainly for conservation through management intervention
CATEGORY V Protected Landscape/Seascape: protected area managed mainly
for landscape/seascape conservation and recreation
CATEGORY VI Managed Resource Protected Area: protected area managed
mainly for the sustainable use of natural ecosystems
Mmanagement zones (in IUCN Protected
Area Categories I–IV)
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Special and/or unique values zone
Primitive wilderness zone
Limited development zone
Intensive development / service zone
Traditional / national
regimes of protection:
 Regime / Zone I – strict
protection
 Regime / Zone II – active
protection
 Regime / Zone III –
sustainable use
 Protective zone / belt
UNESCO – M&B principles for zoning
Biosphere Reserves
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Linking functions to space
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For further reading:
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Bioret, F.; Cibien, C.; G&tot, J.-C.; Lecomte, J. 1998 A Guide to Biosphere Reserve
Management: a Methodology Applied to French Biosphere Reserves. MAB Digest 19.
UNESCO, Paris
UNESCO, 1996: Biosphere Reserves: The Seville Strategy and the Statutory Framework of
the World Network, UNESCO, Paris
Types of protection / Management zone in
Biosphere Reserves
Biosphere Reserve types of
the protection /
management zone:
 “Core area” – national
protection and effective
management in place
 “Buffer zone” – support
protection in “core area”,
ecologicaly sound
sustainable development
 Transition area –
sustainable (economic)
development
Traditional / national
regimes of protection:
 Regime / Zone I – strict
protection
 Regime / Zone II – active
protection
 Regime / Zone III –
sustainable use
 Protective zone / belt
Selected site for zoning excercise – Skadar
/ Shkodra Lake (MNE – AL)
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Cross-border water body shared between MNE and AL
Protected Area in both countries: National Park in MNE and
Protected area in AL, Ramsar site, IBA site, IPA site, EMERALD
sites and possible Biosphere Reserve
Oportunities:
(i) preparation of the documentation for nominating Skadar / Shkodra Lake as an
Biosphere Reserve (IPA project: INCA Tirana and Green Home Podgorica) 2011-12
(ii) Management Strategy for Skadar / Shkodra Lake (REC Podgorica for World
Bank and MoEs project LSIEMP – GEF). Draft. 2012
Identified priority habitats and species for
conservation
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Water and water related habitats
and species asociated to these
habitats (aquatic vegetation, water
invertebrates, fish, birds, reptiles
and amphibians
Suit to “core area” / Special values
zone / Zone I – strict protection
Mapping excercise
Settlements excluded from “core area” /
special values zone / zone I
Zoning excercise in transboundary context –
provide a topographic base
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Different geographic projections in topographic maps in MNE
and AL
Available topographic maps – VGI Bgd, scale 1:50.000 and
1:100.000
Topographic base made: sections Titograd 1 -4 (50.000) and
excerpt of Skadar (1:100.000), both VGI Bgd
Zoning concept – applied criteria in
the Zoning plan
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•
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In compliance with spatial distribution of key natural resources: water and water
related habitats are prioritized for CORE AREA – SPECIAL VALUES ZONE, i.e. 1st
regime of protection, for-called active protection.
Core area – special values zone (Ia and Ib), as zone(s) of strict protection that are
within the administrative borders of existing Protected areas (National Park in
Montenegro and Nature Managed Reserve in Albania)
Buffer zone – limited development zone is zone for 2nd regime of protection that
support zone of strict protection, follow the terrain
Transition area – (intensive) development zone is zone for 3rd regime of protection as
a wider protective zone dedicated for development.
Main criteria used in the proposed zoning concept are: (i) Water and water related
habitats are prioritized for ZONE I, i.e. 1st regime of strict protection, for so-called
active protection, (ii) Settlements and Infrastructure are excluded from the zone I Core zone, (iii) Key economic activities are excluded from Core area and Buffer Zone
to the maximum possible extent and delineated in the Transition zone, while Buffer
zone remain for settlements / housing, small scale infrastructure and environmentally
friendly activities, including agriculture adapted to local conditions.
Preliminary Zoning
plan for Joint
Skadar / Shkodra
Lake Management
Strategy and
proposed
Transboundary
Biosphere Reserve
Skadar Lake
Thank you for your atention