Integrated Sustainable Environmental Management with Decision Support System Implementation

General Information

Project Title	Integrated Sustainable Environmental Management with Decision Support System Implementation
Reference Number	2011/261-183
Contracting Authority	Delegation of the European Union in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Period of Implementation	26 March 2011 – 25 March 2012 (12 months)
Implementing Partners	GAUSS Institute – Bitola (Lead), NEHEMIA Foundation – Pogradec, Albania; University “Fan Stilian Noli” – Korca, Albania

Overall Objective

The overall objective of the project was to improve Sustainable Natural Resources Management (SNRM) in the cross-border region between the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Albania, through the development and implementation of a Decision Support System (DSS) based on information and communication technology.

Specific objectives:

To increase public awareness across the cross-border area of the importance of Sustainable Natural Resources Management.
To identify and present priority Natural Resources problems at local and cross-border regional level through DSS implementation.

Summary

This cross-border cooperation project, funded under the IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Programme between the Republic of Macedonia and Albania (2007 Annual Allocation), addressed the lack of systematic approaches to natural resources management in the Pelagonia region (Macedonia) and the Korca region (Albania). The project introduced an innovative methodology combining the modified Local Agenda 21 (LA21) process with a custom-developed Decision Support System (DSS) to objectively identify, rank, and prioritise natural resources problems across both sides of the border. The project united NGOs, local authorities, universities, and civil society representatives in a structured, participatory process resulting in the first Natural Resources Inventory for the cross-border region.

Role of the GAUSS Institute

The GAUSS Institute served as the lead implementing organisation and was responsible for the overall coordination and management of the project, including:

Overall project management, administration, and narrative and financial reporting.
Technical development of the web portal and the DSS software (WEB-SPO — Decision Support System for Sustainable Management of Natural Resources).
Preparation and publication of bilingual educational materials in Macedonian, Albanian, and English.
Organisation and facilitation of the cross-border Forum and the final Workshop in Bitola.
Leading the awareness campaign and visibility activities on the Macedonian side of the border.
Field and desk research for identifying priority natural resources needs and problems in Macedonia.
Coordination of the DSS implementation process and generation of the Macedonian priority problem list.
Organisation of the local donor conference in Macedonia.

Outputs

The following tangible outputs were produced during the project implementation:

WEB Portal — A bilingual, dynamic web portal developed and hosted, serving as the central information and communication platform for the project.
DSS Software (WEB-SPO) — A fully developed and operational web-based Decision Support System for Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, including a User Guide and a model for decision-making.
Educational Materials — Bilingual manuals and questionnaires, including a Manual for Natural Resources and Natural Resources Inventory Development, a Manual for Decision Support Systems and their Implementation Process, and Questionnaires for Natural Resources Data Collecting.
Promotional Materials — Leaflets and posters published in Macedonian, Albanian, and English.
Media Coverage — Two TV programmes (one in Macedonia, one in Albania), two radio programmes, and two newspaper articles.
Forums — Two cross-border Forums on Natural Resources held on 10 and 17 November 2011.
Workshop — A final cross-border workshop held on 22 March 2012 in Bitola, with 45 participants.
Audit Report — An independent expenditure verification report covering the full project period, prepared by Effect Plus audit firm, Skopje.

Deliverables

Natural Resources Inventory for the cross-border region (Macedonia and Albania).
Two local priority lists of natural resources problems (one per country), generated through DSS implementation.
One final cross-border priority list of natural resources problems.
Draft follow-up project proposals for addressing identified priorities.
Press releases, articles, and media content from all project phases.
Databases of relevant information concerning natural resources collected during fieldwork.

Outcomes

Established offices (Centres for Sustainable Natural Resources Management) within the premises of the GAUSS Institute in Bitola and the NEHEMIA Foundation in Pogradec, providing an institutional base for continued work.
Strengthened cross-border partnerships among NGOs, local authorities, universities, and civil society representatives from both countries.
Increased public awareness of the importance of participatory, data-driven natural resources management.
Capacity building achieved through transfer of knowledge and methodology from Macedonia to Albania.
A functional, replicable methodology combining LA21 and DSS applied for the first time in the field of natural resources management in the region.
Local authorities in Bitola, Resen, Korca, and Pogradec equipped with a prioritised, evidence-based Natural Resources Inventory to guide future sustainable development planning.

Significance

This project represented a pioneering effort in the cross-border region between Macedonia and Albania. For the first time, a Decision Support System was applied to the field of natural resources management with the goal of objectively determining priority problems and supporting evidence-based decision-making at the local level. The project directly contributed to the principles of Measure 2 of the IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Programme — Sustainable Environmental Development — by building joint cross-border institutional capacity, transferring practical knowledge, and producing a concrete, usable tool for local governance.

The methodology and tools developed through this project — particularly the DSS and the Natural Resources Inventory process — are scalable and transferable to other municipalities and regions, making the project’s impact extend well beyond its immediate geographic and temporal scope. The project demonstrated the GAUSS Institute’s capacity to lead complex international, multi-partner, EU-funded initiatives and to deliver innovative ICT-based solutions in support of sustainable development goals.