Save the Blue Heart of Europe - A campaign for the protection of Balkan Rivers
++ Previously unknown caddisfly and stonefly species discovered in Mavrovo National Park. Species endangered due to hydropower development. ++ One doesn’t have to travel to the Amazonas or descent to the depths of the sea in order to discover new species. A closer look at the Balkans is enough.
Within the context of the Blue Heart campaign, EcoAlbania oraganized the “Vjosa Day” on June 6, 2015 in a pedestrian area in Tirana. It was the closing event of the “Vjosa Tour” – series of meetings with local communities of the Vjosa valley. Watch the video impressions below. Photos can be found in the gallery.
Watch this incredible documentary about kayaking the Vjosa - one of the last wild rivers in Europe - from its source in Greece to its mouth into the Adriatic Sea in Albania. Thank you Leeway Collective for these stunning impressions and for raising awareness about the beauty and value of this spectacular river!
Ulrich Eichelmann (Riverwatch) takes you to the Bence River - a tributary of the Vjosa and one of the most beautiful and ecologically most valuable rivers in Albania. However, the river is threatened by the construction of a hydropower plant: 95% of its water ...
Ulrich Eichelmann (Riverwatch) takes you directly to a natural spring along the Langarica, a tributary to the Vjosa in Southern Albania. This natural treasure is under attack from hydropower projects. Within the context of the campaign, we are trying to protect this river amongst many others. From inside the thermal spring....
++ Stop of hydropower projects on the Vjosa and its tributaries demanded ++ Protest against hydropower projects in Albania. The European Parliament called upon the Albanian government to rethink the projected hydropower projects along the Vjosa River and its tributaries, “…since these projects would harm one of Europe’s last extensive, intact and near-natural river ecosystems”.
Coverage about the Vjosa Tour event in Selenica and the projected HPP on the Langarica (Vjosa tributary) on Austrian public service broadcaster ORF (ZIB2)
Lots of things have happened in the campaign in the last couple of weeks. Visual impressions thereof are now available on our website!
NGOs uncover: 33 hydropower plants projected ++ Austrian and Italian companies involved ++ New initiative supports national park idea. Today, the international NGOs Riverwatch and EuroNatur, together with their local partner EcoAlbania, are presenting a paper, which for the first time reveals the full extent of the threat to the Vjosa catchment area.
The Tirana Times published an interview with Ulrich Eichelmann about the Vjosa River, its threats, the alternative idea of a Vjosa National Park and the Blue Heart of Europe campaign. Read the interview here: Protecting Vjosa, Europe’s last wild river
Our group of allies is increasing! Scientists in our network not only lend their own data but also use their independent voices to advocate for the protection of rivers.
The interactive map to explore the region in detail based on different criteria.
The Eco-Masterplan for Balkan Rivers is a comprehensive study which, for the first time, combines knowledge about biodiversity (fish, mussels, caddisflies), integrity of rivers and floodplains (hydromorphology), as well as the location of protected areas.
We are a coalition of NGOs who have launched the campaign “Save the Blue Heart of Europe” in order to raise awareness about the imminent dam craze on the Balkan peninsula and to spare the most valuable rivers and river stretches from destruction.