Gashi River is known as one of the most beautiful and virgin areas of Albania. It is part of the Tropoja municipality. It lies in the eastern part of the Albanian Alps bordering Montenegro and Kosovo.
Gashi River has been declared as a protected area ‘Strict Nature Reserve‘ (category I) by DCM No. 102, dated 15.01.1996, with an area of 3,000 ha. In terms of legal protection, the district has the highest level of security, based on Albanian and international legislation.
The valley represents a north-south longitudinal stretch of about 27 km, until its confluence with the Valbona Valley below the village of Shoshan.
The geology and hydro-geology of the area
In the basin of the Gashi River, you can find the rocks of the oldest geological age in Albania. They are represented by igneous, volcano-sedimentary, and slightly metamorphic limestone’s. The Torkuz granodiorite massif separates the terrigenous and volcanic rocks. Younger deposits are depositions on old river terraces.
Gashi River hydrography
The Gashi River Valley lies northeast of Albanian Alps and begins at its upper end with the glacial valley of Dobërdol (Dobërdol – meaning a beautiful valley).
Gashi River stands out for its relatively regular water regime. This is explained by the fact that the river flows mostly through an impermeable sandstone area. Besides, it is its feed from snow water that gradually melts into the alpine ridges.
The decision to include UNESCO was taken in Krakow (Poland) in 2017. The area consists of 1,261.52 ha of old beech forests and a buffer zone, an area of 8,977.48 ha.
Forests near Gashi River
“The ancient beech forests (Fagus sylvatica L.)” are included in the UNESCO inventory list as an indispensable element in understanding the history and evolution of species of the genus Fagus ( beech ) which has an extensive distribution in the northern hemisphere and an ecological significance that has a global effect. These unmarked forests, housed in unique ecosystems, exhibit the most complete and generic environmental patterns and processes of pure and mixed European beech formations under a range of environmental conditions, such as climatic and geological conditions, in all European Regions of Beech forests.
Such forests include a vertical zone from coast to forest line in high mountains (on the borders of alpine pastures). Beech is one of the essential elements of broad-leaf forest in temperate climate countries and represents an outstanding example of the re-colonization and development of ecosystems and terrestrial communities since the Ice Age.
Beech’s constant north and westward expansion of its glacial refuge areas in eastern and southern parts of Europe can be traced along the natural corridors that cross the continent. Recent changes in the distribution pattern of this species relate to the direct impacts of human disturbance and the more complex effects of human-caused climate change. Both historical and current serial models of distribution represent natural evolutionary strategies for adapting and surviving environmental change. Beech’s dominance in Europe’s vast areas is living proof of his genetic suitability.
The selected areas of the beech forests not only represent the full diversity and series found throughout Europe, but they are also sufficiently large to preserve the natural processes necessary for the long-term ecological sustainability of the ecosystem. Buffer areas guarantee long-term conservation of the distinctive character of the beech forest along with their natural attributes. In addition to criteria such as the extent of the forest area and the presence of an adequate buffer zone, the key features which were also used in the UNESCO site selection process included the average age of the forest cluster and the period since the management of the forest. The evaluation criteria used in the selection process helped to describe the degree of naturalness of wood and provide some indication of the functional ability inherent in the ecosystem as well.
Finally, a particular emphasis was placed on the joint between the beech forests and the surrounding adjacent habitats, as a perceived precondition for ecosystem functioning and adaptation to environmental change.
The critical values of the area
The most important natural benefits of the area:
-The natural ecosystem. The area represents the best and largest natural (virgin) forest ecosystem found in Albania.
-The old beech forest. They represent the most important, highest quality, and most natural cluster currently located in Albania. The nature and forest ecosystems of the area are almost unaffected by man and appear in their natural state, providing us with the state of the forest at its climax stage today. In the area, there are identified four 251-300 years old trees, three 400 years old trees, and two 401-450 years old trees.
The presence of such aged trees (400-450 years old ) represents an extraordinary value of the place, and it is indicative of the naturalness of the area, unaffected by man. There you can find different trees such as beech, white fir, spruce, and red pine. The unique landscape of the area can be observed if you traverse the valley vertically. The best way to experience the nature of the area is by walking along the Gashi River. If you want to go through the landscape of the area, you can visit the high peaks that surround the valley. Fifty mountain peaks surround the Gashi River Valley over 2000 m.
The values of biodiversity.
The area has a large number of endangered species that are part of the Albanian Red List and IUCN, as summarized below:
Flora:
- in the Gashi River, there are 15 species of trees, shrubs, and plants.
Fauna:
–the area is presented as a habitat for housing, feeding, and breeding for at least eight mammals, 13 birds, three amphibians, three insects, and one mollusk.
The area houses all large mammals such as:
Bears, Wolves, Lynxes, Wildcats, Boars, Chamois, Roe Deer as well as some important birds such as:
Wild turkeys and heron hens.
In this respect, the area represents a unique unit in the country, also in terms of biological diversity values. It is worth considering as a ‘hot spot’ of our country’s biodiversity. Dobërdol glacial lakes (nature monuments, third category). They lay in the upper part of the Gashi valley, in the Dobërdol Mountains. There are seven lakes; Dash is the largest one. Its length is 200-250 m, its width 150-200 m, and the area about 3.3 ha.
Cultural traditions. The Tropoja area is known for its traditions of hospitality, unique cuisine, traditional architecture, folk costumes, songs and dances, and rituals that constitute a precious asset besides the values of nature.
The importance of why such an asset should be protected
The diversity of habitat types with beech, other conifers, and blueberry as well as virgin forests constitute a vital refuge for many species of flora, among which rare or protected species can be distinguished:
Aconitum lamarcki, Aconitum pentheri, Crepis bertiscea, Hieracium waldsteinii, Viola calcarata subsp. zoysia, Geum bulgaricum, Buxbaumia Viridis, Campanula scheuchzeri, Gentiana luteadhe, and Pulsatilla Alpina, without mentioning the presence of black salamander (Salamandra atra) as well as all large mammals (bear, wolf, lynx, wild boar, roe, etc.).
Author Ph.D Abdulla Diku
