By Aleko Miho/ Gazeta Shekulli
In Albania, quite shocking environmental phenomena of the transition period, but also inherited, are clearly observed, such as extreme urbanization in the Coastal Lowlands and the entire Ionian Riviera up to Ksamil, damage to forests and bad land use, accompanied by large erosion ; the invasion of rivers with HPPs and their robbery for inerts, pollution with garbage at every end, etc. Among other things, this is evidence of the incompetence of the responsible specialists in all the structures related to the environment, starting from the central government to the local one; here is very important and the right graduation and the right policy in the selection of new staff in many of the institutions operating today in Albania in the environmental fields.
Conservation Biology
The definition of conservation biology is the scientific study of the nature and state of Earth’s biodiversity with the aim of protecting species and ecosystems from rapid extinction and loss from biotic interactions. This is an interdisciplinary subject that connects the natural and social sciences, together with the practice of natural resource management. The foundation of conservation biology stems from estimates that in the next 50 years up to 50% of all species are expected to disappear, which will definitely lead to poverty and hunger, and will affect the future of this Planet.
Conservation biologists conduct research and education about trends in the processes of biodiversity loss, species extinction, and the negative impacts they have on our ability to maintain the well-being of human society. For this, conservation biologists work in the field and in the office, in government, academia, non-governmental organizations and industry. They aim to research, monitor, and catalog every corner of the world and find the connections they have with society. The issues are different, because this is an interdisciplinary network with professional connections in both biological and social sciences.
Professional advocates claim global responsibility for today’s biodiversity crisis that rests on moral, ethical, and scientific grounds. Organizations and citizens respond to the biodiversity crisis through conservation action plans that guide research, monitoring and teaching programs that link local concerns to the global scale. Conservation biology and the concept of biological diversity (biodiversity) have been fused together, helping to crystallize conservation science and policy in modern times.
From the academic year 2008-2009 at the Department of Biology, FShN, UT, the Master of Science in Environmental Biology study program is being developed, 2 years with 120 credits, with groups of up to 15 selected students, mainly from those who have graduated from the Bachelor of Biology (3 years with 180 credits) or any related branch. The cultural and professional profile of the specialist at the end of the program is to become a specialist in conservation biology, in the study, evaluation, administration, management and conservation of biological assets, the natural, urban, agricultural and industrial environment.
At the end of the studies, these experts are capable of independent research work in various issues of conservation biology, biological assets, in the assessment of different groups of biodiversity, bimonitoring, administration and environmental management, in the economic assessment of biological assets etc., easily using bioinformatics and biostatistical methods.
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