To protect and preserve the Virua Lake

Virua, Gjirokastër, 22 May 2014

In order to commemorate this year’s International Day for Biodiversity, the Nature Protection Network, organization “Çajupi” in cooperation with INCA, organized the activity “To protect and preserve the Virua Lake”.

This Lake, located only 3 km away from Gjirokastra city, was proclaimed a Natyre Monument since 1982. Virua is an artificial lake covering an area of 17.5 hectares, accruing pure and cleaned water stemming from MEMA, a deep karst spring though to be generated from Skotini karst cave in Vanistër village (south Gjirokastra).

The Lake is considered a microclimate oasis with a direct impact to the improvement of climatic parameters in Gjirokastra city. The surrounding hills holding on the “Mali i Gjerë” mountain site, give this area the elegance and unique landscapes with high economic undre creational value. During the period 1972-1975 those hills were afforested with Wild Pine by the Local Forest Enterprise and treated as Forest Park. But, after1991, uncontrollable social events brought the destruction of forests and ecosystem. As a result:

- the green crown of the lake has been considerably damaged year after year and the remaining vegetation was repeatedly threatened by the fires, 

- the basin previously used for navigation by boats, for swimming or fishing to day is covered by algae and aquatic vegetation.

- considerable urban wastes are deposited in it seas tern part, close to the Gjirokastra – Tepelenë national road.

- because of the overflowing during a long period of time and the interruption of activities on further deepening and cleaning the lake, its waters are grabbing land from the nearest parking area and increasingly approaching the national road.

- the lack of attention has transformed it from a very attractive and frequently visited touristic area into an abandoned one.

Going through and reviewing such realities, the Çajupi organization and the Nature Protection Network organized within the framework of the International Day for Biodiversity awareness promotion activities for protection and preservation of the Viroi Lake. It was well noted a large participation of different stakeholders from society civil, county, prefecture, City Hall, the University "Eqrem Cabej", Department of Education, Regional Environmental Agency, DRSHP Gjirokastra, etc. These activities were under taken to join the international initiatives on biodiversity, and, in the meantime to draw attention to localissuesconcerning the lack of sensitiveness sand mismanagement of water resources and forest in Albania. It is of primarily interest for the Network for Nature Conservation Organizations to lobby and attract the attention of local and national stakeholders on these issues.