Plant Conservation in Albania

National Red Data Books

Libri i Kuq (Bime, Shoqerime Bimore dhe Kafshe te Rrezikuara) Red Book (Threatened Plants, Plants Associations and Animals). Shoqata per Ruajtjen dhe Mbrojtjen e Mjedisit Natyror ne Shqiperi, Shoqata per Ruajtjen e Shpendeve dhe Gjitareve te Shqiperise, Shoqata e Biologeve te Shqiperise. Pp 312, 1997. The Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe. Covers 836 threatened plant and animal species.

Libri i Kuq, Bimet e Kercenuara dhe te Rralla te Shqiperise (Red Data Book of Threatened and Rare Plants Species of Albania). Jani Vangjeli, Babi Ruci, Alfred Mullaj. Pp. 169, 1995. Akademia e Shkencave/Instituti i Kerkimeve Biologjike/ Komiteti i Mbrojtjes se Mjedisit, Tirane. Provides map of each species according to 18 50-km squares. Covers 320 rare and threatened species. For details in English see Plant Talk 2: 27 (1995).

Floras

Flora e Shqiperise, 1st volume 1988, 2nd volume 1992 and 3rd volume 1996 of multi-volume Flora. Volume 4 reported to be about to be published.

Flora Ekskursioniste e Shqiperise, 1983. (Excursion Flora)

Vegetation

Little recent data on present extent and composition. According to Markgraf (1932) there are 4 natural vegetation zones stretching north-south: 1 – a narrow coastal belt, now largely agricultural with some maquis, phrygana and secondary steppe; 2 – a broad Mediterranean and transitional deciduous forest zone to the east; 3 – central European deciduous montane forests of beech dominating the eastern mountain belt, with scattered patches of Macedonian Pine (Pinus peuce); 4 – at highest elevations, mostly along the border to the north and east, a subalpine and alpine zone. (Paragraph reproduced with permission from Davis, S.D. et al. (1986). Plants in Danger: What do we know? IUCN, Gland, Switzerland).

Plant Conservation Programmes

Study on conservation of forest genetic resources. Dr. Kostandin Dano, Instituti i Kerkimeve Pyjore, Rruga Niko Avrami, Tirana; e.mail: ikpk@icc.al.eu.org

Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan in Albania (Draft). Maksim Deliana, National Environmental Agency, c/o Ministry of Health, Tirana; e.mail: cep@cep.tirana.al

Order No. 20, date 20 May 1997 of the Minister of Agriculture and Food “For the protection of the threatened and rare species of Albanian flora”. Mr. Haxhi Aliko, Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Tirana

Key Institutions

Institute of Botany, Tirana. Reported in Plant Talk 10: 13 (1997) as being occupied by local people in search of homes. The base for the National Herbarium, which botanists attempted to save by transporting to the Museum of Natural Science at the time.

National Environmental Agency, c/o Ministry of Health, Tirana. Government agency for the environment (including nature protection)

General Directorate of Forestry and Pastures, c/o Instituti i Ushqimit, Tirana. Government agency for the forestry and pastures management

Biological Research Institute. c/o Akademia e Shkencave, Tirana. Research government institution on biological issues. The base for the National Herbarium

Forest and Pastures Research Institute. Rruga Niko Avrami, Tirana. Research government institution on forestry and medicinal, aromatic and etero-oil plants.

National Botanical Garden, Selite, Tirana. The main government department on ex situ conservation

References cited

Markgraf, F. (1932). Pflanzengeographie von Albanien. Ihre Bedeutung für Vegetation und Flora der Mittelmeeländer. Bib. Bot. 105. 132 pp (Map, photographs).

Acknowledgement

Based on material prepared by Hugh Synge for the Council of Europe, 1999-2000, with information and help from Arben Pustina, Albania.