The Vjosa River in Albania, one of the last wild rivers in Europe, has been declared a “National Park” by decision of the Albanian Government, becoming the first National Park of a Wild River in Europe. In the future, Vjosa will be preserved as a natural, free-flowing river. The Vjosa and its main branches flow freely for over 400 km, from the Pindis mountain range in Greece, where it is called Aows, to the Adriatic coast in Albania. The river and its surrounding areas are ecosystems of considerable biodiversity and are home to over 1,100 species, including 13 animal species and two plant species assessed as globally threatened by the IUCN.
The declaration of the Vjosa River National Park will facilitate solutions to the challenges facing the ecosystem, such as water and soil pollution, waste management and deforestation. Also, the declaration of the National Park will create economic opportunities for local communities through responsible tourism and will help address problems related to internal migration.
