During the first week of March 2026, the EU4Nature technical working group, composed of experts from CREA-FL and the University of Florence, carried out an important field mission across several protected areas in central and southern Albania. The mission aimed not only to assess environmental degradation and hydrogeological risks, but also to evaluate the technical feasibility of future restoration interventions capable of protecting biodiversity while improving the safety and resilience of rural communities.
From the Bredhi i Hotovës National Park to the Zagori area, the team identified several critical sites affected by erosion and slope instability threatening local rural roads and infrastructures. Particular attention was given to the potential application of Nature-Based Solutions and bioengineering techniques for slope stabilization and riverbank protection, using locally available natural materials such as timber and native vegetation species. The mission also highlighted the impact of uncontrolled grazing, especially by goats, on natural forest regeneration processes and future reforestation efforts.
The field activities then continued in Mount Dajti National Park, where experts assessed a large forest area still affected by the consequences of the 2007 wildfire. The mission focused on evaluating possible ecological restoration measures aimed at accelerating forest renaturalization, reducing soil erosion, supporting forest regeneration and mitigating grazing pressure that currently prevents the natural growth of young beech trees. Additional localized interventions were also assessed along the St. George provincial road, where slope stabilization works may be required.
In Shebenik National Park, the technical team focused on river systems and watercourses affected by severe riverbed incision and widespread erosion processes that threaten infrastructures located upstream of inhabited areas. The mission emphasized the importance of integrated watershed-scale interventions capable of combining ecosystem restoration with risk reduction and protection of local communities.
One of the key moments of the mission was the visit to the Bovilla restoration site, considered a successful example of how environmental restoration and bioengineering techniques can be effectively implemented in Albania through cooperation with local forestry experts and private companies such as Lurimi Shpk. The site demonstrated the importance of using local species and locally sourced materials, including wooden poles from pine, chestnut and black locust, ensuring that restoration works remain fully integrated with the surrounding ecosystem.
The data and technical assessments collected during the mission are now contributing to the ongoing Transferability Analysis, which will support the replication of successful restoration models and Nature-Based Solutions across other protected areas targeted by the EU4Nature programme.
Prepared by AICS – CREA