Vjosa River valley declared a national park by Albania’s government
Story Highlights
- Official protection of “last wild river in Europe” is a culmination of a multi-year international campaign.
Related Articles
TIRANA, March 13, 2023 - Albania’s government announced on Monday that it has decided to declare the Vjosa River, which is considered the last wild river in Europe, a national park.
This decision offers a much higher protection than the previous designation as a natural park. It will legally protect the river from development and comes after strong pressure from domestic and international environmental bodies -- including high power Hollywood stars like Leonardo DeCaprio -- who see Vjosa as one of the last rivers on the continent that was still unspoiled by harmful development such as hydro-electric dams.
Minister of Tourism and Environment Mirela Kumbaro said the newly-protected area covers over 12,700 hectares, including not only the water surface, but also the three branches of the river, Drinos, Bënca and Shushica, as well as other land surfaces.
Minister Kumbaro said that now another phase will start, that of "drafting the management plan and the entire master plan of the area, to see where traditional economy, ecotourism can be developed, or where the part will be of strict protection where it will not be possible to interfere at all.”
Official protection of “last wild river in Europe” is a culmination of a multi-year international campaign.
For many years, various environmental associations, domestic and international, have raised their voice for the protection of Vjosa.
The construction of several hydropower plants was planned, which will not be possible with the inclusion of Vjosa in the category of a National Park.
Vjosa, which originates in Greece, has a length of 272 kilometers, of which 192 in Albanian territory. It serves as a habitat for over 1100 species, among which 13 are globally endangered.
Last month, the Albanian and Greek ministers in charge of environmental issues said they had agreed to work together to create the first cross-border park on the path of the Vjosa River, which crosses from Greece into Albania to reach the sea.
Greece’s Kostas Skrekas and Albania’s Kumbaro announced the move during a meeting in Athens.
The Regional Office of the International Union for Conservation of Nature announced in October of last year the preparation on the Greek side of four studies on the best protection of the watershed of the Vjosa River, known as Aoos in Greece, and the promotion of cross-border cooperation for a cross-border park in Greece and Albania.
Greece already has a national park on its side of the border.
