Bio-diversity

Valbona Valley is one of the three top destinations in the Albanian Alps. Together with Thethi and Vermoshi they are likely to form the backbone of tourist presence in this beautiful but rugged area. The GEF Small Grants together with GTZ has been working since two years in the neighboring valley of Thethi in a series of projects conceived to exploit the mutual synergies between different projects with the goal of protecting the pristine state of the nature and its rich biodiversity typical of these alpine valleys. Although different watersheds, Valbona and Thethi valleys are not isolated for the flow of tourists that frequently travel between these two valleys in one of the most beautiful hikes in the Albanian Alps. So far the tourist and the locals have had very little interaction because there are no tourist structures in the valley. This project will involve the local community of Valbona Valley in the planning and building series of light structures such as signposts, information tables, small bridge, and water fountain. We think that such small steps are necessary as signs of good will and token of mutual interest between the travelers and the local community that will feel involved and start to develop a long-term interest in environmentally friendly activities.

Albania