Paneltalk & Movie Screening
In Albania and all around Europe citizens have raised their voices to protect Europe’s largest wild river—the Vjosa. This year Albania's government listened, and promised to establish a national park to protect the Vjosa forever.
We will talk with Besjana Guri from EcoAlbania about the campaign success and the progress towards establishing the Vjosa National Park. Being a member of the national park working group in Albania we are excited to hear directly from her here in Berlin.
For additional impressions Matthias Leupold & Eric Berg present their short movie "In the Name of Vjosa". And Living Rivers Foundation shares insights on river conservation in Germany. Finally, we will screen "Yosemite - a Gathering of Spirit" to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first national park worldwide.
This event will be held in English.
We have limited capacities - please sign up below.
Patagonia Berlin
Münzstraße 10
10178 Berlin
EcoAlbania is involved in the large-scale initiative for the protection of the most valuable rivers of Europe, the Balkan rivers. It is the key partner organization for the Save the Blue Heart of Europe campaign in Albania and working hard for the protection of Europe’s last wild river, the Vjosa.
The Vjosa River in Albania is the last wild river in Europe outside of Russia. The river and its tributaries flow freely from the mountains in Greece to the Adriatic coast in Albania. This wilderness area is made up of an enormous mosaic of different habitats types from the narrow gorges in the upper part to the wide braided river sections in the middle part to the near-natural delta at the Adriatic Sea. The middle stretch alone is made up of at least 8 habitat types that have the highest conservation importance at the EU level.
Scientific knowledge about the Vjosa’s biodiversity and physical processes is limited. It is one of the least explored rivers in Europe. But the few existing studies underscore the importance of the river valley as Albania’s biodiversity hotspot providing ideal aquatic habitats for numerous species. The river is host to over 1,100 species, including 13 globally threatened animal species and 2 plants and at least 50 animal species and 24 plants are included in the national Red Lists of Albania.
The surrounding watershed provides the villages with fertile land for agricultural activities such as crop production and livestock farming. The abundance and diversity of fish is vital for the well-being of local fishermen mostly in the lower part of the Vjosa. Eco-tourism on the Vjosa and its tributaries is ever-increasing, particularly in recent years in which enthusiasts have started to enjoy activities such as rafting, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, etc.
Besjana Guri, is the communication officer at the environmental NGO EcoAlbania and coordinator of the “Save the Blue Heart of Europe Campaign” in Albania. Since 2014, she has been engaged in the protection of one of the last wild rivers in Europe - the Vjosa river. She was graduated in Social Science in 2012 and has a long experience (more than 9 years) in environmental projects.
The last wild river in Europe is in danger and National Park status is the only level of protection that can save it. After a decade of efforts to protect Vjosa River, the supporters of the cause are gathering to request the Prime Minister of Albania to proclaim Vjosa a National Park as soon as possible. Sign the petition and share it with your friends, so that more people join this effort to protect what nature took thousands of years to create.
LIVING RIVERS Foundation engages in the protection of free rivers and freshwater life, sustainable management of water resources and the revitalisation of rivers landscapes – in Europe and internationally. Together with our partners, we advocate better implementation of policies that treat water as a cross-cutting issue. We also promote the idea of making economics work for the environment and dismantling harmful subsidies.
We believe that Europe can do better in protecting the last wild rivers and removing dams. Therefore we advocate the establishment of a growing network of strictly protected free rivers across Europe.
LIVING RIVERS Foundation is a member of the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) in Brussel, Europe’s largest federation of environmental citizen’s organizations.
The Vjosa is one of the oldest rivers in Europe and still has a very long natural watercourse (270 km). Flowing from Greece into Albania, it meanders through a wide valley with extensive softwood floodplains that provide spawning grounds for fish as well as habitats for migratory birds and many other species. Finally, the Vjosa flows into the sea north of the Narta Lagoon.
For the people who live on its banks, the Vjosa plays a central role in their daily lives. The river terraces provide the villages with fertile land for agriculture and animal husbandry. The abundance and diversity of fish are an essential economic factor and livelihood for local fishermen. Recreational tourism on the Vjosa and its tributaries is becoming increasingly important, especially in recent years, when sports such as rafting, paddling and swimming have become more popular.
The existence of numerous small businesses and ecotourism enterprises depends on a free-flowing Vjosa. In addition, the crystal clear river has an emotional value for the people of Albania: the Vjosa is perceived as a cultural heritage. Many girls are named after the Vjosa today; the name stands for the beauty and the untouched nature of the river.
Hydropower generation is currently the biggest threat to rivers. More than 400 new hydropower plants are planned in Albania. Along the Albanian section of the Vjosa, the Ministry of Energy wants to build eight dams...
