Community-based Sustainable Forest Management
Re-cultivation of community forests, know-how transfer and improved vocational education
Project Facts
Location
Albania
Regions of Shkodra and Ana e Malit
Project Volume
500.000-1 Mio. EUR
Applied Financing Solutions
Grants, Public-Private Partnership
Project Dates
Start: 2018
| End: 2024
In operation since/from: 2019
The Story
Between 2016 and 2018, Albania – being heavily affected by deforestation – realized a land reform through which 80% of the land categorized as “Forest and Pastures” was transferred to Local Government Units. This was done in order to increase the responsibility and involvement of local communities in natural resources’ planning and management.
An ODA-supported project by the Austrian company Lenzing, an international producer of cellulose fibers with 120 years of experience in the fields of wood processing and sourcing, adds to this by empowering the communities in the rural regions of Shkodra and Ana e Malit through trainings and learning by example.
The 5-year project comprises several different measures: To establish a best practice forestry example, 20 ha of degraded community-managed land are re-cultivated with forest and fruit trees by the local community itself and by pupils of a local forestry school. Modular training courses on forestry know-how are provided by Austrian experts and Lenzing employees. In addition, teaching and learning equipment at the local forestry high school is modernized and teachers receive additional trainings. Finally, also a nation-wide PR campaign will be realized to raise awareness for the challenges of deforestation in rural Albania.
Success Factor | Hero Moment
The distinctive feature of this project is its combination of different cooperative measures to increase local expertise and awareness through active training, improvement of educational facilities and a hands-on demonstration project. Its decisive success factor is a well-balanced coordination within the multi-stakeholder framework of government units, local NGOs and community associations, Austrian business experts as well as Austrian and Albanian schools.
Submitter
Lenzing AG, Austria
Other Involved Stakeholders
ADA, ICEP, CNVP
Contact Mail
sustainability@lenzing.com
Website
https://www.lenzing.com/newsroom/press-releases/press-release/lenzing-launches-sustainable-reforesta
