The 1st tree nursery of autochthonous plants was inaugurated in the Tepelenë area.
Tepelena, March 21, 2024. On the International Day of Forests, the first tree nursery with autochthonous plants on the banks of Vjosa was inaugurated in Tepelena. Thrilled by this event the partner organizations EcoAlbania and Riverwatch, as well as the institutions and community of the area, announced the launch of “ReForestVjosa” – a project for the reforestation of the national park. This project, made possible with the generous support of Patagonia, aims to improve the ecosystem of Vjosa and prevent coastal erosion along its shores.
Based on studies of Austrian and Albanian scientists, 10 key areas for reforestation have been defined along the Vjosa Wild River National Park. On an area of approx. 700 m2, 12,000 to 15,000 young plants and rooted cuttings from autochthonous species will be grown at the Tepelena tree nursery in 2024 and 2025. The rooted material will be planted out after 2 years in the key areas. In 2024, reforestation will begin in the floodplains of Tepelena, by planting new forests with a total area of 12 hectares will be created in 5 of the 10 key areas until year 2026.
Only species that naturally grow in the region will be used to reforest the Vjosa Wild River National Park. Adapted to the site conditions and the actual vegetation, different tree species and methods will be used (rooted cuttings, seedlings). Meanwhile the areas will be marked to prevent grazing in the initial stages.
The nursery of Tepelena, which is located near the Vjosa Research Center, will be monitored and maintained by EcoAlbania and the municipality of Tepelena, under the care of project experts.
This special ceremony at the tree nursery in Tepelena allowed us to celebrate a milestone and launch the reforestation initiative, which aims to create a greener, healthier future for the Vjosa River and its surrounding ecosystem.
Find out more about the reforestation project by reading the feasibility study
