Albania: 410 Hectares of Forests Destroyed in 5 Years

TIRANA, September 9

At least 410 hectares of forest were destroyed in Albania over five years, recent data from the Institute of Statistics confirm. According to INSTAT, the forest and pasture fund in 2019 consisted of a total area of 1.7 hectares, or 60.5 percent of the country’s total area. However, 590 hectares of the forest and pasture fund was lost from 2015 to 2019. Like elsewhere in the world, commodities, and agriculture are the main causes of forest loss in Albania.

Illegal logging and forest fires, mostly intentional, are the leading drivers of deforestation in Albania. Even though there is a tree-cutting ban in place in Albania, Illegal logging remains a major concern. On the other hand, fires for new pasture lands cause considerable damage. This is a common phenomenon, even though it punishable by law.
Forest fires are unmanaged and they pose serious threats to protected areas and wildlife habitats. During the last years, Albanian authorities have launched various campaigns for the rehabilitation of forests and national parks, but it seems that there’s much to be done to raise awareness and promote forestry activities that mitigate climate change.

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Source/Photo Credit: INSTAT