CNVP Albania’s office in Kukes has used participatory mapping in Has and Kukes municipalities to (a) register forests and pastures as their own property in the immovable property registration office (IPRO), and (b) transfer forest areas to traditional users.

In co-operation with municipalities and local government units (LGUs), commissions were established to identify traditional forest borders. Prior to start-up of activities, awareness meetings were held, and CNVP trained the commissions. Petkaj and Golaj villages were involved in the process.

CNVP Albania supported LGUs in fieldwork and preparation of necessary documents to achieve the following results:

1. LGUs in Golaj, Fajza and partly Malzi registered their forest and pasture with the IPROs; accurate forest maps were produced; all irregularities were corrected based on IPRO standards.
2. LGUs received accurate documents for forests and pastures, as well as other properties linked to natural resources.
3. Digital maps were produced that can be linked to data bases.
4. LGUs that registered such areas have the right to use them to contract business activities, as well as transfer user rights to traditional users.

Decentralization is a key government policy. Whilst LGUs have to take care of their forest and pasture areas, they also have the right to collect fees and tariffs for such property, in order to create a re-investment fund to be used for the sustainable management of natural resources at local level. Ownership rights are key for the project development of poor rural areas.

CNVP Albania undertook this work in the framework of the Sida-funded project Forests for Local Economic Development.