The Gashi is a 27-kilometre-long river located in Tropojë, northern Albania. It is a nature reserve, spanning an area of 3,000 ha. The nature reserve forms a part of the European Green Belt and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site within the Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe.
“The integrity of the Gashi river is expressed by the structure of the forests (old trees and high deadwood share) and by the occurrence of the primeval forest indicator lichen Lobaria pulmonata, which is growing on the stems of old beech trees,” say Albanian environment experts, who compiled the UNESCO application.
These forests represent the most important, highest quality, and most natural cluster currently located in Albania. The nature and forest ecosystems of the area are almost unaffected by man and appear in their natural state, providing us with the state of the forest at its climax stage today. In the area, there are identified four 251-300 years old trees, three 400 years old trees, and two 401-450 years old trees.
The presence of such aged trees (400-450 years old ) represents an extraordinary value of the place, and it is indicative of the naturalness of the area, unaffected by man. There you can find different trees such as beech, white fir, spruce, and red pine. The unique landscape of the area can be observed if you traverse the valley vertically. The best way to experience the nature of the area is by walking along the Gashi River. If you want to go through the landscape of the area, you can visit the high peaks that surround the valley.
