NORGLOBAL-Norge - Global partner

A tale of two villages For the last three years we have been exploring the way of life of rural communities in the mountains of the western Balkans. The goal has been to explore the way people utilise natural resources in their surrounding areas with a v iew to considering how these could be best utilised as a platform for sustainable rural development in the future. We have conducted surveys and in-depth interviews with rural residents, observed the way of life, and collated background information. The s tudy area represents a single geographic unit although the region is populated by a diversity of ethnic groups, and the national borders that divide it have imposed very different social, economic and political regimes. This has led to remarkably differen t present day situations which are best illustrated by comparing the stories of two villages. Galichnik is situated in western Macedonia and was once one of the most prosperous in the region. Its origins stretch back to the 17th century when the whole re gion was under Ottoman rule. The mountain meadows provided rich grazing for herds of sheep and the men of the village were famed as craftsmen and skilled builders. By the late 19th century it was a tradition for many of the village's men to work abroad fo r many months at a time, returning to the village each summer. In this period the village reached its peak with more than 1000 houses. Each house was large, built as square towers in solid stone. Given the solidity of its structures and the wealth and ski ll of its inhabitants it would have seemed like a good candidate to survive the winds of change that would blow during the 20th century. The century saw the departure of the Ottomans, the arrival and departure of a monarchy, Nazis and communists, and the emergence of a democracy. However, the village now stands empty without a single full time resident. Many of the houses still stand, maintained as summer residences by families with a connection to the village, but many are collapsing, and many more are s imply gone; removed stone by stone to be rebuilt somewhere else. How could such a wealthy village die? Did it become the victim of the modern world's rush towards globalisation which is having such a negative impact on rural communities across Europe toda y? The answer goes back to the 1950's when Tito's Yugoslavia embarked on a process of industrialisation. Desperate for labourers to work in the factories and collective farms, rural communities were placed under great pressure and provided with considera ble incentives to relocate to urban areas. This rapidly led to the death of Galichnik, and by the 1970's the village could boast of one solitary inhabitant; an old lady who continued to live there year round, grazing her sheep until her death in the 1990' s. Although the village is dead in terms of being a place where people live and work, it has been given "a life after death" when families of former residents return in summer for their holidays and maintain some of the traditional village festivals, such as the Galichnik wedding. Its future is unknown, but its location within a national park opens for further steps along this path towards becoming an amenity village. There is already a summer café, and talk of a restaurant opening. The village of Novos eje offers a contrast. Just 50 km away over the border inside Albania, Novoseje is situated on a high mountain plateau. To visit Novosje in springtime is to be transported back to another time. Oxen are still used to pull the ploughs for spring planting. Ponies shuttle to and fro between the barns in the village and the fields, carrying out the animal manure that has accumulated during winter in baskets strapped to their backs. Whole families are working the fields digging and planting. Shepherds tend the sheep flocks. The village and its surroundings are exploding with life. This contrasting situation is due to the policies under the 50 years of Hoxha's communist rule where people were prevented from leaving their villages. Despite over 20 years having passed since the collapse of the communism, the social and economic chaos that has characterised the lowland cities has encouraged many people to stay in their mountain villages. However, even here the residents perceive that the world is moving in an un certain direction. On one hand they talk about the challenges of living in such a remote location, but on the other hand they discuss the potential of organic farming or ecotourism. One thing is clear though, and that is that these Albanian villages at le ast have a very different starting point for planning the future. They have a life that could be viable, if the residents play their cards right and are given the right assistance. For many of the Macedonian villages, like Galichnik, things have gone too far for such assistance. They have crossed the line into extinction. However, even they may resurrect themselves into a new life?

Summary. This project aims to explore the past, present and future uses of natural resources in the rural communities of the western Balkans with the objective of exploring their future potential as a foundation for achieving sustainable rural development . The project will mainly focus on the mountain villages in the three country border region of Albania, Macedonia and Kosovo, with a contrasting sample of Croatian villages included to examine the impact of EU-approximation. We shall examine the way in wh ich agriculture, forestry, wildlife, livestock grazing and rural- / eco-tourism play a part in rural life, focusing both on the material/economic and the socio/cultural importance of the activities. The role of institutional factors and norms as obstacles or facilitators of sustainable use will be given particular focus. The results will be placed within the context of the changing national policy frameworks as the region achieves ever greater integration into European political structures with particular focus on potential conflicts between different policy instruments from different sectors and incompatibilities between multiple uses. In addition, building local capacity in applied social science research and regional cooperation between research groups will be important benefits, as well as continuing existing cooperations between Norway and regional partners.