Our region includes the Shar Mountains, a large highland mountain range spanning northwestern North Macedonia and southern Kosovo. The area has a wealth of biological diversity and opportunity. However, the Shar Mountains are at risk of intensive economic development, including intense exploitation, agricultural expansion, and uncontrolled urban development.
Since 2009, CED has lobbied to protect the Shara Mountains, and in 2015 co-founded the Friends of Shara advocacy group. In 2021, the Shara Mountains were declared a National Park. Since then, our projects have explored how we can meet the needs of the environment in tandem with the needs of the people. Our projects develop ecotourism and sustainable agriculture and build the capacity of local institutions to protect the Shara Mountains for generations to come.
Read More about the Friends of Shara