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24-406: In 1985, Rugova Canyon was declared a protected monument of natural heritage due to its geological, hydrological, speleological and botanic values and its spectacular landscape. The canyon starts to narrow about three kilometres from Peja and continues to narrow for the next six kilometres, creating a steep valley which the river of Peja Bistrica flows through. It narrows again in an outfall along

48-842: A leading classification of imperiled species in the United States. Infonatura was a nearly identical service providing information on Latin American wildlife and ecosystems. NatureServe maintains the National Vegetation Classification Standard for the United States as well as the International Classification of Ecological Communities, currently focused on the Western Hemisphere. The natural heritage network now supported by NatureServe, began in 1974 with

72-566: A model for expanding the emerging state network: go to the states and offer to hire and train a staff of biologists, establish an operating center, and, two years later, let the state take over operations. By 1993, the U.S. network consisted of organizations in all fifty states. Programs were formed in Latin American countries in 1982, and the Canadian programs first established in 1988 now extend to all provinces and Yukon Territory. By

96-483: A sizable portion in federal awards for mapping services, wildlife assessments, and other products and services. It also reports $ 186,290 in revenue from general contributions, $ 56,470 in revenue from membership dues, and $ 216,062 in fundraising expenses. Some major contributions are made in the form of grants for specific projects. The MacArthur Foundation reported that they awarded $ 1,191,500 in grants to NatureServe between 2003 and 2013, and NatureServe announced that

120-468: A total of more than 3,500,000 km (1,400,000 sq mi) of protected areas, 60% of which are marine. The 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention established that biological resources, such as plants, were the common heritage of mankind or as was expressed in the preamble: "need to be preserved as part of the world heritage of mankind as a whole". These rules probably inspired the creation of great public banks of genetic resources , located outside

144-520: Is at river level, which is 66 meters deep starting from its entrance. Different coloured sediments have been identified at this level. Due to its rough terrain and the high risk to people inside, the cave is rarely entered and is in a good state. Different teams of experts from Slovakia, Bulgaria , the NGO "Aragoniti" and KEPA have researched the cave. Rugova Canyon offers great opportunities for hikers, rock-climbers and cave explorers. A " Via Ferrata ", called

168-623: The Wilderness Act of 1964 . The term "Natural Heritage" was picked up by the Science Division of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) when, under Robert E. Jenkins, Jr., it launched in 1974 what ultimately became the network of state natural heritage programs—one in each state, all using the same methodology and all supported permanently by state governments because they scientifically document conservation priorities and facilitate science-based environmental reviews. When this network

192-621: The "Iron Trail", has been built. It is the first and the only one in the Balkans and enables hikers to climb rocks. The Patriarchate of Peja , the historical and spiritual seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church , is located at the entrance of the canyon. Natural heritage Natural heritage refers to the sum total of the elements of biodiversity, includes flora and fauna, ecosystems and geological structures. It forms part of our natural resources . Definitions: The term

216-668: The Association for Biodiversity Information (ABI). In 1999, Through an agreement with The Nature Conservancy, ABI expanded and assumed responsibility for the scientific databases, information, and tools developed by TNC in support of the network of natural heritage programs. In 2001, ABI changed its name to NatureServe . NatureServe continues to serve as the hub of the NatureServe Network, a collaboration of 86 governmental and non-governmental programs including natural heritage programs and conservation data centers located in

240-712: The Conservancy transferring its databases, professional staff, and scientific standards and methodology to ABI. In 2001, having grown into its present form, this new, independent nonprofit became known as NatureServe. NatureServe Inc.'s 2011 IRS Form 990 lists total revenue of $ 8,680,216 and total expenses of $ 8,892,007. The corporation's fiscal year 2011 audited financial statement says that "the accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements." It reports "total revenue, gains, and other support" of $ 9,499,301, and "total expenses" of $ 8,913,138. $ 7,932,133 of revenue came from grants and contracts, including

264-464: The Rugova canyon. However, the cave was long known to local inhabitants before this. It has been identified that the cave's corridors are an oval profile, and it has the character of a continuously underground canyon with high walls. The highest levels of the cave do not have sediments, whilst the lower levels contain large, circular shaped rocks. Five levels of the cave have so far been explored. The first

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288-594: The United States, Canada, and Latin America. An important site of natural heritage or cultural heritage can be listed as a World Heritage Site by the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO . The UNESCO programme, catalogues, names, and conserves sites of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common heritage of humanity. As of July 2023, there are 257 natural World Heritage sites (including 39 mixed sites) in 111 countries. This represents

312-582: The accepted standard for worldwide imperiled species classification, providing coordination assistance and data from their own assessments to the IUCN's conservation assessments, and working together on ongoing assessments. NatureServe Explorer is a web-based database provides public access to NatureServe's proprietary information on US and Canadian ecosystems and plant, animal, and fungus species. This includes ranked NatureServe conservation status assessment data on state, national, and global levels, considered

336-761: The benefits resulting from their use. Under new rules, it is expected that bioprospecting or collection of natural products has to be allowed by the biodiversity-rich country, in exchange for a share of the benefits. In 2005, the World Heritage Marine Programme was established to protect marine areas with Outstanding Universal Values. NatureServe NatureServe, Inc. is a non-profit organization based in Arlington County, Virginia , US , that provides proprietary wildlife conservation -related data, tools, and services to private and government clients, partner organizations, and

360-537: The canyon, in front of which is a rock with a drawing of an athlete that is thought to be from the Pelasgian period. The Gryka e Madhe (Great Canyon-cave) is located in the 8th kilometer of Rugova Canyon, in the left side, about 60 m above the Lumbardhi river, in the altitude 637 m. Research in this cave started in 1993 when it was discovered in by Slovak speleologists who were traveling to Macedonia through

384-511: The cliffs on its southern side and drops to the river. Many hundreds of caves are to be found in the gorge with most of them still unexplored. Well known caves include Gryka e Madhe (the Great Canyon-cave system; which has around 11 km explored), Shpella e Karamakazit (Black Scissors cave) and Shpella e Kallabes (Kallaba Cave; where the archaeological remains of ancient humans have been found). A well known arch bridge connects

408-1093: The creation of the South Carolina Heritage Trust. After working with Patrick Noonan , president of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), to arrange the donation of the 24,000-acre (97 km ) Santee Coastal Reserve, Joseph Hudson, chairman of South Carolina ’s Wildlife and Marine Resources Department, wanted to identify other preservation-worthy lands in the state. He provided TNC with initial funding to amass information that could inform conservation and land-use decision-making while accounting for impacts on biodiversity. While establishing that first program, TNC chief scientist Robert Jenkins Jr., chose to focus on biological features in need of conservation, and to use this information to suggest priority sites for protection. Targeted features included both species and natural communities, or elements of natural diversity. Programs in West Virginia , Mississippi , and Oregon followed in 1975. By 1976, TNC had developed

432-490: The early 1990s, a group of natural heritage program directors began to develop network-wide information products. This effort led to the establishment of an independent nonprofit organization devoted to promoting the products and services of the network. Incorporated in 1994 as the Association for Biodiversity Information (ABI), this membership organization created the framework for network-wide coordination. In 1999, TNC’s natural heritage network and ABI formally joined forces, with

456-595: The public. NatureServe reports being "headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, with regional offices in four U.S. locations and in Canada ." In calendar year 2011 they reported having 86 employees, 6 volunteers, and 15 independent officers. The Nature Conservancy reports that in 2000 it spun off its 85-center Natural Heritage Network "into a new independent organization, the Association for Biodiversity Information (later renamed NatureServe)." NatureServe reports that it

480-491: The source-countries. New global agreements (e.g., the Convention on Biological Diversity ), national rights over biological resources (not property). The idea of static conservation of biodiversity is disappearing and being replaced by the idea of dynamic conservation, through the notion of resource and innovation. The new agreements commit countries to conserve biodiversity, develop resources for sustainability and share

504-440: The western road of the region connecting Kosovo with Montenegro . The average depth of the valley is 650–1000 meters. The canyon is inhabited on its east side and also on its west side during the summer months. There are a few waterfalls and many water-springs, such Uji i Zi (Black Water) and Kroi i km-5 (5-th Km Spring). In the sixth kilometer of the canyon there is a 25-meter-high (82 ft) waterfall that springs out from

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528-599: Was established in 1994 as the Association for Biodiversity Information. In 2001 the IRS approved a name change to NatureServe that was requested in 1999, while maintaining the organization's 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status granted in July 1995. NatureServe's website declares that it is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt corporation incorporated in 1999 as a Washington, DC Nonprofit Corporation. NatureServe's programs focus on four main areas: NatureServe partners with IUCN Red List ,

552-476: Was extended outside the United States, the term "Conservation Data Center (or Centre)" was suggested by Guillermo Mann and came to be preferred for programs outside the US . Despite the name difference, these programs, too, use the same core methodology as the 50 state natural heritage programs. In 1994 The network of natural heritage programs formed a membership association to work together on projects of common interest:

576-520: Was used in this context in the US when Jimmy Carter set up the Georgia Heritage Trust while he was governor of Georgia ; Carter's trust dealt with both natural and cultural heritage. It would appear that Carter picked the term up from Lyndon Johnson , who used it in a 1966 Message to Congress . (He may have gotten the term from his wife Lady Bird Johnson who was personally interested in conservation.) President Johnson signed

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