Presentation Environmental Association "Kajmakcalan" - Staravina

Promotion of the cultural and natural values of Mariovo

The Environmental Association "Kjamakcalan" from Staravina is among the few entities that attempt to reanimate the "forgotten" but wonderful region of Mariovo.

The association was established in 1997 and has 43 members. Following the well-known principle of the world ecological movement "Think globally, act locally", the association raised several initiatives for protection of the environment in the municipality Staravina, guided by the vision for sustainable development of Mariovo.

The association has realized several activities - continual contacts and talks to PE Makedonski Sumi, regional unit "Kajmakcalan" from Bitola about the cutting of woods and better protection and control of the illegal carpenters; an activity for forestation in municipality Staravina has been implemented once, as well as two actions for cleaning and arranging the river Gradeska (one of the most important and most beautiful natural resources in the region). In cooperation with the local government, the association makes efforts to protect the flora and fauna.

The campaign for introducing the local population to the standards of production of ecologically healthy food is going on at the moment, in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water supply. . Recently (in June this year), the association "Kajmakcalan" has implemented a very interesting initiative - it organized a children camp "Itar Pejo" whose goal was, through the children, their teachers and their parents, to convey the message that Mariovo is a region that has a lot to offer, that it has a rich cultural and natural heritage and that it is a an undiscovered oasis of peace, beauty and tranquillity. The message, it seems, was successfully conveyed, causing great interest in the media, and the children who attended the camp, admired by the people and nature in Mariovo, promised to return their again. The project "Children Camp Itar Pejo" is supported by the Foundation Open Institute Macedonia and the Foundation King Boduen from Belgium, within the "Living Heritage" programme.

The Association realizes its programmes on the basis of values of protecting the biological balance and protection and promotion of the environment, keeping its balance and thus normalizing the disturbed relation man-nature. Besides this, "Kajmakcalan's" goals are: economic and overall social development of the Republic of Macedonia according to the modern ecological standards; research and application of alternative technologies and energy; rational spending of non-renewable resources. For their realization, the association is open for cooperation, and the interested subjects can contact the EA "Kajmakcalan" president Mende Trajkovski on his e-mail address: mendesn@freemail.com.mk.

M.Ivanova