Albania is preparing to revise its list of Natural Monuments, with a proposal to remove 59 protected sites that have lost the natural values for which they were originally designated, while adding 26 new sites to the national register.
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Albania Currently Has 721 Natural Monuments
According to the accompanying documentation, Albania's existing list contains 721 Natural Monuments, consisting of 297 biological monuments and 424 geological monuments.
The review was conducted as part of the legal obligation requiring the National Agency of Protected Areas (AKZM) to reassess the list every five years. The process is intended to verify the location of protected sites, update their records and evaluate their actual condition in the field.
The latest assessment has resulted in a proposal to remove 59 monuments from the list. The reasons include severe damage or the disappearance of natural features, as well as the cutting down, drying out or burning of protected elements.
Other grounds include the loss of the characteristics that originally justified their protected status and damage caused by human intervention.
26 New Natural Monuments Proposed
Alongside the proposed removals, the revision also provides for the inclusion of 26 new natural sites.
The updated list is intended to reflect the current condition of Albania's natural heritage and provide more accurate information about the location and status of protected monuments.
The draft decision is currently undergoing public consultation. The proposed changes have not yet been presented as a final approved list, and the outcome will depend on the completion of the consultation and government approval process.
The review highlights the importance of periodically assessing protected natural sites, particularly where environmental degradation, human activity or the disappearance of natural features may have undermined the reasons for their original protection.