Date: 2009/8/29
Subject: Fw: Save Wildlife at Stara Planina (Serbia) - Campaign Launch 24/08/09 - SAV

Serbia Campaign Overview.doc - MS Word document

Molimo , postupite i prosirite vest !
Spasimo Staru Planinu ! Destrukcija prirode je u toku .Spasimo, dok jos imamo sta spasavati .Ispunimo svoju ustavnu obavezu: cuvajmo faunu i floru Srbije , to je uslov i naseg opstanka .


Save Wildlife at Stara Planina (Serbia) - Campaign Launch 24/08/2009 / SAV

Dear all,

Please find below the link to our new campaign post in relation to saving flora and fauna at Stara Planina, Serbia.

Your participation in the campaign would be very much appreciated.

http://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/240809-global-launch-of-campaign-to-save-stara-planina-animals-and-plants-international-supporters-your-individual-help-is-essential-please-copy-and-send-letter-given-in-post-below/


We are very pleased to be working with our friends at the Serbian Association for Conservation and Sustainable Development in highlighting the devastation which is being caused by construction of ski resort facilities at Stara Planina.

The aim of the campaign is via our ‘Serbian Animals Voice’ global supporter network
http://www4.clustrmaps.com/counter/maps.php?user=9b44b4e0

to get campaigners to send letters (ie. the sample letter given in the post) to Serbian embassies all around the world. With mails pouring in to embassies all over the globe, the Serbian government will have no choice but to accept that there is international outcry about what is happening at Stara Planina.

Stara Planina resort will be constructed to have about 40 ski lifts, nearly 30 ski tracks (in total length of more then 100 km) and 2 large tourist complexes (capacity for up to 40.000 people) on locations which are of exceptional significance for conserving the biodiversity.

The Serbian Government proclaimed in 1997 Stara Planina as a Nature Park, enjoying the First Category of Protection - as of utmost importance for the country.

Stara Planina also has the status of a significant International region. It is on the list for

· Internationally Important Bird species,
· Internationally Important Plant Areas,
· Prime Butterfly Areas in Europe,
· on the preliminary list of Cross-border Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO protection (Man and Biosphere, UNESCO),
· on the list of Important Ramsar Sites (peat meadows),
· on the Emerald list (sites significant for conserving the European ecological network),
· on the list of cross-border protected region placed in the European programme Green Belt (IUCN),
· on the list of ProGEO geological heritage sites under The European Association for the Conservation of the Geological Heritage.

There are:

· 344 moss species on Mt. Stara Planina
· at least 1195 growing plant species, of which 116 (9,7% from all recorded species) are locally or regionally endemic.

One part of this fragile population was destroyed during the first phases of the project.

On Stara Planina live 136 species of butterflies, of which:
· 3 are protected by the Bern Convention, · 4 are declared as national rarities by the Decree on the Protection of Natural Rarities by IUCN categorization.

Of the butterflies that live on Stara Planina, THERE ARE 6 ENDANGERED SPECIES.

Considering fish fauna of the mountain (26 species), the most important are:

· Brown Trout
· Golden Loach (Sabanejewia aurata) which is under protection by the Decree on the Protection of Natural Rarities.

The Bern Convention issues protection of six fish species which also live in the streams and rivers of Stara Planina Mt.

On Stara Planina live 18 species of amphibians and reptiles, of which 10 are protected under the Bern Convention, while 8 are protected by the Decree on the Protection of Natural Rarities.

So far, 206 bird species are recorded on Stara Planina. From that number, 140 bird species are protected by the Bern Convention, but some of them have ALREADY BECOME EXTINCT

There are some 60 species of mammals on Stara Planina, among which some are very rare, including the Snow Vole (Chionomys nivalis), also an extremely rare living fossil of Tertiary origin which lives on the highest slopes of the mountain; it is directly threatened by the ski resort.

Together with Snow Vole, under the Decree on the Protection of Natural Rarities, an additional 19 mammal species and their habitat are protected. Under the direct threat of habitat destruction are the:

· Lynx (Lynx lynx), · Marbled Polecat Vormela peregusna, · Mole Rat (Spalax leucodon), · Suslik (Spermophilus citellus), · Water Shrew (Neomys fodiens) and the · Southern Water Shrew (Neomys anomalus).
The Bern Convention, Apendix II is protecting 6 species:
· Suslik (S. citellus) · Brown Bear (Ursus arctos), · Marbled Polecat (Vormela peregusna), · Grey Wolf (Canis lupus), · Wild Cat (Felis silvestris) and · Otter (Lutra lutra),
while Apendix III also protects an additional 12 species.

Only the Grey Wolf and Wild Cat in Serbia are not protected by law and sadly enough, considered as game animals by Serbian hunters who have a love for the destruction of nature.

If the ski resort is stopped, then alternatives must be found to generate local income. It is vigorously recommended that an alternative of rural (agro / eco and ethnic) tourism should be developed and made profitable on a sustainable basis without any major habitat destruction. This would require less investment and would benefit and preserve the local communities.

Tourism of this kind would very much improve the quality of life of local people by enabling them to find additional outlets for their food and craft products and local services.

The amount of money which Republic of Serbia (Ministry of Infrastructure and Ministry of Economy and Regional Development) wants to invest only during 2008 in building ski paths, infrastructure and equipment for artificial snow and ski lifts, is 31,213,000 Euros.

Such a sum is sufficient to provide

· 100,000 sheep, · 500 tractors with accessory machinery and · finance of up to 20,000 Euros per Stara Planina house-hold for tourist categorization, house reconstruction and adaptation for ethno tourism.

The stated amount is enough for supporting development of at least 500 house-holds willing to start agricultural or any other kind of production, processing or services (with 100% financing from the state),

Please spread the word and help us to halt the construction work at Stara Planina.

Thanks and regards

Mark

Founder – ‘Serbian Animals Voice’
Kent, England.

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-6780866119360461696&ei=yk-QSqbXIMOG-Qahj_iUAg&hl=en


Remember;
without the destruction by the human species, it is a wonderful World !

Please Crosspost.

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