Lessons in Stewardship: Perspectives from the Polis-Valamarë-Rungajë-Moravë-Gramoz Ecological Corridor

In 2023, EcoAlbania embarked on a multi-year initiative to address a complex environmental challenge: the preservation of the Polis-Valamarë-Rungajë-Moravë-Gramoz ecological corridor. Supported by the Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT), the ISCCA Project was designed with a specific objective: to preserve and enhance the ecological connectivity of this landscape through a sustainable and participatory governance approach.

As the project drew to a close, we had the opportunity to reflect on the practical realities of managing such a vast and interconnected area. While ecological connectivity is fundamentally a biological necessity for species such as the Brown Bear and the critically endangered Balkan Lynx, the ISCCA Project reinforced an equally important lesson. Maintaining these habitats in the long term relies heavily on coordinated human action and institutional collaboration.

One of the primary lessons identified throughout the project is that a corridor of this scale—comprising several Protected Areas, connected and spanning inhabited landscapes—cannot be managed through isolated efforts. At the outset of the project, the concept of an “ecological corridor” was largely understood in technical and environmental terms. However, during the process of developing an Action Plan for the northern part of the corridor, it became clear that its effectiveness depended on bridging the gap between institutions, local communities, and civil society actors. By involving different stakeholders in the planning process, the project moved towards an approach where management is viewed as a shared responsibility rather than a top-down mandate.

Our engagement with local communities and institutions also highlighted the gap that often exists between high-level environmental objectives and the realities faced on the ground. While technical assessments focused on issues such as habitat fragmentation and ecological pressures; consultations with communities consistently revealed concerns related to livelihoods, development pressures, tourism, and local participation in decision-making. This underscored an important lesson, for governance approaches to be genuinely participatory, they must incorporate the perspectives and priorities of those living within the landscape itself. As a result, discussions around challenges and potential solutions became a central part of the dialogue, helping to transform the Action Plan from a theoretical framework into a practical tool for regional resilience.

This emphasis on field-based knowledge also shaped our work with local guides. Through mapping hiking trails and developing a booklet promoting nature-based tourism opportunities, the project sought to highlight the link between conservation and sustainable local development. We learned that promoting ecotourism is not only an economic opportunity but also a means of strengthening local stewardship by creating a direct connection between healthy landscapes and community benefits. Similarly, environmental education activities involving more than 200 students focused on helping younger generations understand the corridor not simply as a mapped area, but as part of their natural and cultural heritage.

The project reached its final milestone in Elbasan, where representatives from municipalities, Protected Area administrations, civil society organisations, local guides, and communities gathered to reflect on the project’s results and future prospects. Discussions particularly centred on the challenge of integrating ecological corridors into formal planning and management processes. The event reinforced the idea that while the project succeeded in establishing dialogue and developing a shared Action Plan, the long-term preservation of the corridor will require ongoing institutional commitment and mechanisms to ensure communities remain actively involved over time.

We are now building on this foundation through the CONNECTA Project, also supported by PONT. This next phase marks a shift from planning and dialogue towards more direct implementation. Future efforts will focus on rehabilitating priority areas in the northern part of the corridor, particularly those affected by wildfires, while also expanding participatory processes into the southern sections of the corridor and strengthening transboundary cooperation within the wider Aoos-Vjosa landscape.

The ISCCA Project did not aim to provide a final solution to all the pressures affecting the region. Instead, it focused on a necessary first step: creating a functional basis for dialogue, cooperation, and shared responsibility. One of the clearest lessons from the project is that, while wildlife provides the ecological rationale for conservation, governance and participation are essential practical tools to sustain it over the long term.

By: “EcoAlbania”