The River Wild

FREE-FLOWING VJOSA GIVEN HISTORIC 'NATIONAL PARK' STATUS

For years, the fragile ecosystem of the Vjosa, one of the last wild waterways in Europe and its tributaries, which run for over 400km from the Pindus Mountain Range in Greece to the Adriatic coast in Albania have been under threat. Despite being home to over 1,100 animal species there have been numerous plans to extract gravel and build dams and hydropower plants - Albania generates almost all of its electricity from hydro power. But in a historic first for the continent, on Wednesday 15th March 2023, the Vjosa became a 'National Park'.

This International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) category II park status, which covers 12,727 hectares (31,500 acres) is a high level of protection which covers 'large-scale ecological processes', species and ecosystems, similar to that of a wilderness. It marks a victory for campaigners who've fought hard for over a decade to safeguard the river and the endangered species it supports, from the European eel to the endangered Egyptian Vulture and rare Balkan Lynx to endemic plant species.

There have been protests, environmental impact assessments, investigations and lawsuits and in 2021 IUCN finalised a study showing how awarding their protected status would benefit the communities and biodiversity of the Vjosa Valley. Victory was finally achieved through a collaboration consisting of NGOs from the Save the Blue Heart of Europe campaign, the Albanian government, the IUCN and the outdoor clothing company, Patagonia along with support from EU parliamentarians, scientists and celebrities. Ryan Gellert, CEO of Patagonia commented, "This unique collaboration between government, civil society and business is testament to the power of collective action and we hope it will inspire others to come together to protect the wild places we have left, in a meaningful way."

According to the Albanian Ministry of Tourism, the designation will take place in two phases. In Phase I, declared today, the active channel of the river will be given National Park status, plus some lands and river vegetation within the waterway, or those at risk of flooding or erosion. Managed as a National Park, it's expected to be fully operational by early 2024. Phase II, in the coming years, will add other free-flowing tributaries and areas that are integral to the river's ecosystem, plus some private land, following consultation with stakeholders.

Albania's Prime Minister, Edi Rama ,said there will be an initial budget of $80 million to build new factories to stop wastewater from reaching the river and at a ceremony to mark the Phase 1 declaration and launch, Albania's minister of tourism Mirela Kumbaro Furxhi said: "Maybe Albania does not have the power to change the world, but it can create successful models of protecting biodiversity and natural assets."

Boris Erg, director of the European office at IUCN (who took the photo of the river, above) paid tribute to the government of Albania for its leadership and ambition. "Today marks a milestone for the people and biodiversity of Albania. We invite other governments in the region and beyond to show similar ambition and help reach the vital goal of protecting 30% of the planet by 2030."