Albania’s 61 municipalities and local government units are responsible for the management of forest and pasture resources, both of which play an important role in providing opportunities for rural livelihood development.

Today in Albania, such resources are badly degraded due to human over use (harvesting and grazing) and natural factors (forest fires, pests and diseases). Further, recent reforestation projects have failed due to poor planning and technical management. To overcome this, the professional capacities of municipal forest staff need to be improved, particularly concerning the design and implementation of projects for reforestation, (in addition to the provision of additional equipment, transport and logistical support).

The Sida-funded Forests for Local Economic Development (FLED) project that is being implemented by CNVP Albania held a workshop and field event during 22-24 December 2017 in Shkodra on "Strengthening municipal forest service capacities and local actors for the preparation of reforestation and land restoration projects".

During the workshop, participants from four municipalities, two regional forest federations and the regional state inspectorate of forest and environment were trained in the management and monitoring of reforestation/rehabilitation projects, including communication among local stakeholders, as well as project implementation and budgeting.

A field visit was organised in Korthpule, Puka district. One of the poorest villages in the region, Korthpule has approximately 15 ha. of degraded chestnut forests, and the potential to plant an additional 200 ha. Practical exercises were organised which focused on:

• identification of potential sites for reforestation and site preparation;
• farmers’ engagement, interest and possible income from such interventions;
• data collection on site description (ownership, history of land management, soil type, climate, site attributes (slope, aspect) ;
• study of existing vegetation, and species’ selection for plantation;
• environmental benefits of such interventions; and
• planting demonstrations by two farmers.

Concerning next steps to improve the rehabilitation of degraded areas, the workshop participants proposed to:

      1. continue training local forest staff on forest plantations and participatory project development;

      2. educate and train local community members to become directly engaged in reforestation activities, including the introduction of village awareness raising campaigns;

      3. explore with central government and local municipalities the opportunities for establishing strong partnerships that will take responsibility for the rehabilitation of degraded forest and pasture lands; and

      4. support each municipality to prepare (a) at least one technical forest plantation project,and (b) a local strategy for the rehabilitation of degraded areas.

The activity was recorded and broadcast by several Albanian television stations; see as an example http://www.tehnopolis.me/online/mne/home/.