Launching the Management Planning Process for Lurë–Mali i Dejës National Park
A New Chapter Begins for Lurë–Deja Mountain National Park
A new chapter has begun for Lurë–Mali i Dejës National Park with the launch of the participatory process to develop its Integrated Management Plan (IMP). The first consultation meeting brought together local authorities, protected area managers, local communities, resource users, experts and other stakeholders, marking the start of a collaborative process that will shape the future of one of Albania’s most iconic protected areas.
Declared a National Park on 21 November 1966, Lurë is among Albania’s oldest protected areas and has long been recognised for its spectacular glacial lakes, ancient forests and exceptional biodiversity. Yet, despite its long history of protection, the park has never benefited from a comprehensive management plan to define a shared vision, conservation objectives, management priorities and practical actions for safeguarding its natural values. As a result, management has largely been reactive rather than strategic, limiting the effectiveness of conservation efforts and the coordinated involvement of local stakeholders.
Over the past decades, the park has experienced some of the most severe environmental degradation recorded in Albania’s protected area network. Following the country’s political and economic transition, extensive illegal logging, uncontrolled timber extraction and recurrent wildfires caused widespread destruction of its old-growth forests. Approximately 7,000 hectares, representing around 40 per cent of the park, were affected by uncontrolled deforestation, leaving behind fragmented forest patches, degraded ecosystems and increased soil erosion. Although encouraging signs of natural regeneration are visible today, restoring the ecological integrity of the park remains one of the greatest conservation challenges for the coming years.
The Integrated Management Plan aims to address these challenges by providing a long-term strategic framework for the conservation and sustainable management of the National Park. Developed in line with Albanian protected area legislation, IUCN guidance and the Natura 2000 approach, the Plan will establish a shared management vision, define site-specific conservation objectives, strengthen zoning and management measures, and identify practical actions for ecosystem restoration, biodiversity conservation, sustainable tourism, visitor management and community participation.
A key feature of the planning process is its participatory approach. Throughout the coming year, local communities, municipalities, protected area staff, resource users, civil society organisations and technical experts will actively contribute their knowledge and perspectives through consultations, field assessments and thematic discussions. Their involvement will help ensure that the Plan responds not only to the ecological needs of the park but also to the aspirations of the people who live and work in and around it, promoting conservation alongside sustainable local development.
Beyond producing a planning document, the process seeks to establish a shared roadmap for the future of Lurë–Mali i Dejës National Park. By defining clear management objectives, measurable conservation actions and an implementation framework, the Integrated Management Plan will provide the foundation for more effective governance, improved biodiversity conservation and the long-term resilience of one of Albania’s most treasured protected landscapes.
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