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Intermediate grants (2025)

Monitoring and Molecular Characterization of Heavy Metal- Tolerant Bacteria Isolated from " Hotspots" in the Republic of North Macedonia Project Lead: Sofija Kostandinovska Human activities significantly impact the biosphere, causing irreversible changes that disrupt the natural balance of ecosystems, with urban pollution by heavy metals becoming an increasing focus of research. Changes in soil pH can disrupt microbial metabolism by inhibiting pH-dependent enzymes and altering nutrient…

Small grants (2025)

During 2025, nine research projects are expected to be implemented as part of the Youth Ecologist Support Program “ Dr. Ljupcho Melovski.” Below we present short summaries of the studies. Ecological Approach to Extracting Bioactive Compounds from Hypericum perforatum Using Deep Eutectic Solvents Lead researcher: Anastasija Hadžismileva The concept of green chemistry is based on 12 principles established in 1998, of which the most important for chemical research are: the design of safe chemicals…

Gorge Photography Contest

The competition is open from May 14, 2025, to September 30, 2025. Eligible Photographs To be accepted into the competition, photographs must depict habitats or species captured in gorges in Macedonia. Jury The jury consists of employees of the Macedonian Ecological Society ( MES) and members of the Assembly. The jury will anonymously review all submitted photographs. The jury will select 12 winning photographs. All selected photos will be used in the design of the MES 2026 Calendar. Winner…

Blog

Memorial March and Photo Contest “To Kitka in Memory of Ljupcho Melovski”

In honor and remembrance of Ljupcho Melovski, his closest family, colleagues, friends, students, and admirers climbed Mount Kitka, following in the footsteps of a man who dedicated his entire life to the protection of nature. The memorial hike, now traditionally held for the fifth consecutive year, was organized by the Macedonian Ecological Society in collaboration with the Mountaineering Club “Ljuboten” – Tetovo. This year, the hike took place on April 27th, in a spirit of unity and deep…

News

"Bird Numbers 2025" conference

The "Bird Numbers 2025" conference, held in Riga, Latvia, from March 31 to April 4, 2025, brought together bird researchers and nature conservation experts from across Europe under the theme "Synergies in Monitoring for Conservation." Key discussions addressed the integration of diverse data sources, such as national atlases and long-term surveys, with the aim of assessing population trends and developing effective strategies for the conservation of breeding birds in Europe. The conference also…

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Reforestation of Bukovik: Restoring the Forest and Preserving the Home of the Balkan Lynx

The Macedonian Ecological Society, in cooperation with the Public Enterprise "National Forests" – Shar-Gostivar Branch, has already begun reforestation efforts in the Bukovik area, an important natural ecosystem and a key bio corridor for the Balkan lynx. The reforestation campaign is in full swing – with joint efforts from ecologists and foresters, 21,000 seedlings of European beech ( Fagus sylvatica ) are being planted, a species that experts have identified as most suitable for the area. Not…

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Press release: EU sets to weaken wolf protection – NGOs warn of wider threats to nature

Today, the European Commission proposed a direct amendment of the wolf protection status under the Habitats Directive. This proposal follows the decision to downlist the wolf under the Bern Convention, which entered into force on 6 March 2025, drawing wide criticism from conservation experts and environmental organisations. For the last 18 months, the EU has been pushing to downgrade wolf protection despite the lack of sound scientific evidence. Back in December 2023, Ursula von der Leyen…

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Cross-border Meeting of the Three Local Action Groups Held in Kukës, Albania

24.02.2025 – The local action groups "Friends of Shara" from North Macedonia, LAG "Korab-Koritnik" from Albania, and LAG "Shari" from Kosovo held a meeting in Kukës, Albania, on February 21 and 22. The purpose of the meeting was to exchange experiences and provide updates on the activities of the LAGs since 2023, when the last cross-border meeting was held in Prizren, Kosovo. The LAGs discussed that topics such as nature education, sustainable tourism, cooperation, and promotion of the…

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Workshop with Partner Organizations from the Science Learning Network

The Macedonian Ecological Society organized a workshop in Veles from February 10 to 12, 2025, attended by partner organizations from the Experiential Learning Network. The goal of this workshop was to adapt educational activities for students with disabilities who participate in the workshops of the Experiential Learning Network. One of the key indicators of well-being in a society is the quality of life available to its most vulnerable groups. That is why we strive to bring science and…

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Lecture on the topic "Peatlands"

The head of the Young Ecologists section, Marija Čobanova, delivered an excellent lecture today titled "Peatlands: The Hidden Ally in the Fight Against Climate Change." In her presentation, she not only covered well-established theories but also shared insights gained through her research work. Additionally, she proposed future activities, such as measuring emissions from peatlands. The lecture took place in the Biological Amphitheater at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (PMF),…

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The Macedonian Ecological Society as part of the European Union Visitors Programme

Last week, Arta Starova, along with other participants from India, Japan, Serbia, and Papua New Guinea, took part in the European Union Visitors Programme (EUVP) in Brussels. The visit consisted of an individual five-day programme of meetings with various representatives from EU institutions. The main topics of Arta's visit were environmental crime, corruption, and sustainable management of natural resources. From an environmental perspective, meetings were held with representatives from the…

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Results of the Winter Census of Waterbirds

On the weekend of January 18-19, 2025, MES conducted the waterbird census for the 16th time at the three natural lakes in our country, as well as several smaller reservoirs. The census was carried out with the participation of MED employees and volunteers, along with representatives from relevant institutions responsible for managing protected areas at some of the sites. Despite the snow cover, the teams conducting the census achieved excellent results, counting approximately 27,000 birds at…

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