Inauguration and celebration of the Regional Natural Park of Ulza - The first one in Albania
With Decision No. 16, dated 04.03.2013, Council of Dibra Region announced the Ulza Lake and its surrounding area as "Regional Natural Park". This decision is based on the Law of Protected Areas (No. 8906, dated 06.06.2002 and its amendment) and DCM nr.519, dated 30.06.2000. The park occupies an area of 4206 hectares and covers the area from the Shkopet hydropower dam, along the slopes and the crests of hills along the separator border of the Mirdita district and all throughout Territory of the Ulza lake.
On the occasion of the declaration of the first regional national park in Albania, as well as the celebrations of the Shen Marku Day, (one of the most traditional feast in the Uleza Town) INCA in cooperation with the Uleza Commune have organised on 25 April 2013 various culturalenvironmental to celebrate these events together with the community. In this activity have participated inhabitant for the area surrounded local artistic groups which performed songs and traditional dances, representatives of the MoEFWA, the ministry of Interior, environmental NGOs, etc.
For more than two and a half year, the Institute for Nature Conservation in Albania (INCA) in collaboration with the Uleza Commune has worked to designee the Uleza Park as the first one regional park in Albania. This initiative is supported even by the Embassy of the United States of America in Tirana and the staff of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Water Management. To enable this decision are designed, organised and published several documents and activities such as study of the area, and zoning definition of internal borders, the park\\\'s draft regulation, zoning consultation and debate with stakeholders, plan development management, the park administration building, staff training, building office park in Ulez publication of certain information and brochures on tourism, etc. This is only the visible part of a voluminous work professionally developed by
INCA\\\'s staff to designe for the first time in our country a Regional Natural Park and to give a concrete contribution by non-governmental organizations in the conservation of nature.
Ulza Regional Natural Park is the first example in our country of this new approach to bring protected areas closer to the community and local authorities and contributing to the protection and preservation of nature and biodiversity in the country. This park seeks to promote biodiversity values of this area, preserve and protect the beautiful nature of the area, increase the interest for the development of tourism and bring to the attention of every visitor the opportunity of entertainment and enjoyment, and why not become an example and promoter for others announcements of regional natural parks in Albania.
