Ecopana took part in the International Large Carnivores Habitat Management Conference held on 25 February 2026 in Tirana, Albania. The event brought together over 90 researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and civil society representatives from across Europe to advance cooperation and practical solutions for the long-term conservation of large carnivores and their coexistence with people.
The conference was organized by PPNEA (Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania) and marked the first time that Albania hosted an international forum dedicated specifically to large carnivore habitat management. By connecting expertise from the Alps, the Balkans, the Carpathians, and the Caucasus, the platform strengthened regional exchange and supported the development of more coherent and effective conservation strategies.
Ecopana’s Executive Director, Krenare Salihu, presented key achievements from Kosovo. These included the establishment of the country’s first structured Large Carnivores Intervention Team and the identification of six pilot ecological corridors. These steps represent a transition from fragmented responses to a more systematic and coordinated approach.
“Ecopana started from zero. Today, we have a trained and equipped intervention team, and for the first time, ecological corridors clearly defined on the map,” Salihu stated.
She underlined that the next phase requires full institutional integration. “Our work does not stop here. There is still much to be done to ensure that these efforts do not remain only on paper, but become fully integrated into policy and spatial planning in Kosovo. Functional coexistence requires long-term commitment, prepared institutions, and connected landscapes,” she emphasized.
Through its participation, Ecopana positioned Kosovo within the broader European dialogue on habitat management and reinforced its commitment to building sustainable coexistence models grounded in institutional preparedness and ecological connectivity.
