First workshop on forest management and drainage basins in Tirana, Albania

On 24th September 2019 in Tirana, CNVP Albania organized a one-day workshop on integrated forest management and drainage basins management using GIS modeling and its application in the process of preparing specific forest management plans.
The workshop aimed to present the new approach to integrated forest management in drainage basins.
Project objectives, forest hydrology as well as flow processes and their importance in forestry planning were presented.
The project will encompass two pilot areas, one in the Republic of North Macedonia and one in Albania, where measures for integrated forest management in drainage areas will be tested.
The pilot area in Albania where the proposed flood and erosion protection measures will be tested is located in Ulza reservoir.
During the workshop, the participants discussed in groups on topics related to:

  • GIS modeling and its use in the planning process (institutions, decision-makers)
  • Application of customized practices and GIS modeling, water balance planning and measures for its regulation (planners)
  • Implementation and practical implications of GIS modeling in forestry operations in drainage basins

The workshop was attended by representatives of several institutions including the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, National Environment Agency, National Forest Federation, Payment for Environmental Service Project of World Bank, Forest planners of Hasi Municipality and Forest Faculty practically all organizations that are directly involved in this issue.
Partners in the project are as follows: PE “Национални шуми”, Public Enterprise for Forest Management “Srbijashume” and the Directorate for Protection and Treatment of Forests in Albania.

The conclusions from all of the participants were: “Albania is a country with a high risk of erosion. Over 75% of the territory is over 30% slope. Lots of the territory has been affected by forest and pasture fires. Decision-makers must know the amount of land we lose every year in Albania. Every 2-3 years there are extraordinary floods. The results of erosion monitoring are scary and there are no undertaking measures to rehabilitate these areas, lacking mechanisms for urgent intervention. The legal framework needs to be fulfilled but companies that profit from forest and pasture areas ought to pay for environmental services they got. Models are important and help to foresee different scenarios not only when intervening with silvicultural intervention but also in the context of climate change aspects.”

The project ” GeM Balkans -Generating momentum on water and forest management” is funded by the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU) and implemented by the Research Institute for Forest Ecology and Forestry (FAWF) and CNVP Macedonia.

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