BioNET

The BioNET network was established at the end of 2016 in response to the need for stronger and more coordinated collaboration among nature conservation organizations across the Western Balkans. It emerged as part of the GIZ ORF for Biodiversity project and is grounded in a shared goal: preserving the region’s biodiversity through cooperation, knowledge exchange, and collective action.

Today, the network is made up of fourteen civil society organizations from seven countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Alongside Sunce, the members include: BIOM from Croatia; the Macedonian Ecological Society – MES from North Macedonia; the Montenegrin Ecologists Society, the Centre for Protection and Research of Birds of Montenegro (CZIP), and Green Home from Montenegro; the Center for Environment (CZZS) and the Ornithological Society “Naše ptice” (eng. “Our Birds”) from Bosnia and Herzegovina; the Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia – BPSSS, and Young Researchers of Serbia; the Institute for Nature Conservation in Albania (INCA) and the Protection and Preservation of the Natural Environment in Albania (PPNEA); as well as the “Four Paws/Vier Pfoten” Bear Sanctuary in Pristina and Finch – a regional NGO dedicated to bird and nature conservation in Kosovo. These are organizations with long-standing experience in environmental and nature protection, community empowerment, public outreach, and policy advocacy.

BioNET focuses its work on three key strategic priorities:

1. Development of the network itself, including ongoing improvement of structure, rules, and procedures; expanding membership; strengthening member capacity; and enhancing internal and external communication.
2. Protected areas, with emphasis on expanding the number and extent of protected areas in the Western Balkans, as well as improving management practices. Within this priority, issues such as invasive alien species, the conservation of terrestrial and marine habitats, and preventing species loss are particularly important.
3. Sustainable use of natural resources, which includes promoting renewable energy, combating illegal hunting and fishing, encouraging sustainable forestry practices, and ensuring responsible habitat management.

Regional cooperation for nature conservation

The network’s shared goal is not only the protection of nature, but also the creation of a sustainable framework for cooperation in which knowledge and experience are exchanged, and activities are coordinated to achieve greater impact on the ground. BioNET promotes the integration of nature conservation into broader development policies, strengthens the voice of civil society in decision-making processes, and brings together experts and institutions to build a regional platform for dialogue and collaboration. The member organizations understand local realities but work with a wider regional perspective. They do not simply wait for institutional change, they actively work to drive it.

One of BioNET’s key strengths is that it allows organizations to work beyond the limitations of their national contexts. In a region where environmental challenges – such as water pollution, habitat loss, and the growing impacts of climate change – are shared across borders, cooperation is not only beneficial but essential. The network supports not only joint project implementation, but also regional advocacy, awareness raising, and the strengthening of each member organization.

Why is membership in BioNET important for Sunce?

Sunce has been part of the network since the beginning. Through BioNET, Sunce connects with organizations that share similar values and goals, while also developing its own capacities through various forms of network support. One example is a project focused on strengthening internal organizational capacity, through which Sunce is improving its internal structure, team dynamics, and communication systems.

By participating in BioNET, Sunce actively contributes to the exchange of good practices and expert knowledge related to the protection of marine and coastal ecosystems. Through years of fieldwork, cooperation with local communities and protected area authorities, educational activities, and participation in national and regional projects, Sunce strengthens the efforts of the network and its members. The network not only amplifies the impact of individual organizations, but also demonstrates the importance of cooperation as a key tool for effective nature conservation.

Membership in BioNET provides Sunce with a sense of belonging to a community with shared values, facilitates access to information and funding opportunities, and opens the door to joint action on issues that go beyond national borders.

Photo credits: Jugoslav Jevdić, Damir Trnovac, Vida Zrnčić