Legal Assessment of Ecological Connectivity

Ecological connectivity has recently become a central focus in Albania’s conservation efforts, shifting from the protection of isolated natural areas to safeguarding entire landscapes and the ecological processes that sustain them. Albania’s diverse terrain—mountains, forests, wetlands, and rivers—naturally supports an interconnected ecosystem. However, expanding infrastructure, hydropower projects, mining, urbanisation, and unsustainable land use are increasingly fragmenting these habitats. A national legal assessment by PONT experts highlights that such fragmentation threatens wildlife movement, genetic diversity, and ecosystem resilience, especially in the face of climate change.

Ecological connectivity offers a science-based approach for species migration, adaptation, and maintaining viable populations, whilst also preserving vital ecosystem services like water regulation, pollination, and flood control. During the June 2025 Razem workshop, experts emphasised that connectivity corridors are not merely theoretical concepts but are vital components of Albania’s conservation strategy. The recently approved PONT Connect Strategy (September 2025) describes these corridors as the “backbone” of future conservation planning.

From an EU integration perspective, ecological connectivity is more than an environmental aspiration; it is a legal and strategic requirement. The EU Habitats Directive (Article 10) expects member states to maintain landscape features—such as rivers, forests, and pastures—that support fauna and flora connectivity, ensuring Natura 2000 functions as a cohesive ecological network. The new EU Nature Restoration Law (2024/1991) further reinforces this by mandating habitat restoration measures that improve connectivity, including river free-flow, marine habitat continuity, and urban green infrastructure.

Aligning Albania with these directives is vital for its EU accession negotiations, particularly Chapter 27. However, a legal review shows that while terms like “bio-corridors” feature in national legislation, connectivity remains largely aspirational and insufficiently operationalised across the broader legal landscape. Progress is anticipated with new legislation or amendments expected by 2027.

Legal Framework: Where Connectivity Is Defined—and Where It Isn’t

Albanian laws provide some avenues for advancing ecological connectivity but lack a comprehensive, binding legal framework. The Law on Protected Areas (Law 81/2017) explicitly mentions ecological corridors and their role in linking habitats but treats them as secondary planning elements without mandatory designation or dedicated funding. The Law on Biodiversity (Law 9587/2006) calls for a “coherent ecological network” aligned with EU directives but stops short of requiring mapped corridors or cross-sector planning.

Other sectoral laws—covering forestry, water, agriculture, and territorial planning—embed sustainability principles but do not explicitly mandate connectivity, leaving corridors vulnerable to development pressures such as hydropower and infrastructure projects. EU instruments such as Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) offer procedural opportunities to incorporate connectivity considerations. Although Albania has transposed the EIA directive, it lacks explicit standards for assessing habitat fragmentation and corridor impacts, leading to inconsistent application.

Challenges at the National and Local Levels

At the national level, institutional fragmentation hampers the development of a functional ecological network. Responsibilities for biodiversity, water, forestry, and land use are divided among multiple ministries with limited coordination mechanisms. This results in siloed decision-making, inconsistent enforcement, and an inability to address cross-sectoral drivers of habitat fragmentation. Technical capacity—particularly in ecological modelling, GIS mapping, and monitoring—is limited, and existing information systems lack indicators for landscape permeability. Heavy reliance on donor-funded projects results in uneven progress and limited sustainability once project funding ceases.

Locally, municipalities play a crucial role in land-use planning and infrastructure development but often lack the expertise, resources, or data to incorporate connectivity into their decisions. Despite national concepts like ecological corridors appearing in strategic plans, they rarely translate into enforceable local policies. Development pressures—such as granting permits for construction or expanding roads—often override ecological considerations. Moreover, administrative boundaries create artificial barriers, as many corridors span multiple municipalities, yet mechanisms for cross-boundary coordination remain weak or absent.

Harnessing EIA and SEA to Improve Connectivity

Both EIA and SEA have significant potential to protect ecological corridors if fully operationalised. EIAs should evaluate impacts on habitats and landscape connectivity, especially for major infrastructure projects. Currently, habitat fragmentation is often considered optional rather than mandatory. Strengthening screening, scoping, and baselines can significantly reduce future habitat loss.

SEA provides an opportunity to embed connectivity early in national development strategies, river basin plans, and sectoral policies. The upcoming review of these strategies offers a major chance to mainstream connectivity, particularly with increased involvement from academia and civil society.

The Role of Civil Society and Academia

Environmental organisations and universities are essential players in promoting ecological connectivity. Their contributions include habitat restoration, scientific research, advocacy, pilot projects, and community engagement. Civil society organisations have worked on habitat rehabilitation, wildlife monitoring, and raising awareness about connectivity’s importance for rural development and climate resilience. Universities provide vital GIS analysis, ecological expertise, and training for future professionals, bridging research and policy implementation.

Within the PONT Connect programme, these actors can advocate for integrating connectivity into the National Biodiversity Strategy, develop national maps, contribute scientific data, and demonstrate practical restoration models. Their efforts provide the evidence and community engagement needed to turn national ambitions into local realities. This will be the backbone of a thriving sustainable local economy in which ecological objectives are balanced with socio-economic objective