‘’Tomorri – Vjosa’’, a New Connectivity Conservation Area for Albania

Recently, mandated by the Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT), PPNEA has worked for the development of a study to assess the options and opportunities for enhancing connectivity conservation in the southern part of the PONT focus area in Albania. This region, which includes parts of the Vjosa river, with its uninterrupted flow, represents a highly biodiverse region, which serves both as a habitat and a migration corridor for numerous species. It is especially important, facilitating the connection between upstream and downstream regions and supporting species dispersal.

The newly ecological corridor ‘’Tomorri – Vjosa ‘’ Connectivity Conservation Area (CCA) connects core areas, the Tomorri National Park, the CCA ‘’Polis – Rungaje – Gramoz- Morave’’, the Fir of Hotove – Dangelli National Park and finally the Prespa-Pindos CCA, in northwestern Greece. Its vision is to protect the ecological integrity of this area while maintaining a favorable conservation status for the local habitat types, rare and protected species’ habitats, and populations of fauna. The key species in this connectivity area are the Brown bear, chamois, otter, birds such as the emblematic Egyptian vulture and Golden eagle, and numerous fish species important for conservation in the national and international level.

‘’Tomorri – Vjosa ‘’ CCA expands in several municipalities covering different spatial areas, populations and of different importance for the connectivity potential of the CCA in focus. The work on ecological corridors, represents a great opportunity to strengthen the cooperation between the protected area regional administrations, local municipalities, NGOs, businesses for the benefit of nature and local communities along these corridors. PONT is in the process to attract interested donors and to raise additional funds to be able to finance important conservation actions in the Tomorri – Vjosa CCA in the long-term.

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