Vjosa Wild River National Park – Study on Park Operations

The Vjosa River rises in Greece and flows through Albania into the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the last rivers in Europe that is still free of hydropower exploitation and thus flows freely along its entire length. The tributaries in Albania are also currently still free of hydropower use. In order to maintain this condition and to protect the river from already planned projects, the first Wild River National Park in Europe was established. Several studies are necessary to designate the national park in Albania. The whole process was financed and organised by Patagonia and IUCN. In the course of the designation, E.C.O. was responsible for the elaboration of the study on the future park management. Two management options were elaborated and a budget for the national park for the first three years of its existence was prepared. The Vjosa Wild River National Park was officially designated in March 2023.