Tag: Tulipa albanica

Tulipa albanica habitat declared a Nature Monument

/ IEP

After advocating for more than 4 years, with the support of the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, the team of the Institute for Environmental Policy reached the main goal of the long campaign and study work, by having the habitat of Tulipa albanica declared a Protected Area under Category III by the Government of Albania. IEP’s work was supported by crucial stakeholders, like botanists Besnik Hallaçi and Arben Palushi, the Regional Administration of Protected Areas of Kukës, Kukës Municipality and Kukës Region, INCA NGO and civil society of Kukës, and by the Ministry of Tourism and Environment.
The decision was taken by the Council of Ministers on 13 March 2023, and entered into force on 16 March 2023.
The decision can be read here, in Albanian.
The Nature Monument has an area of 35.5 ha and a buffer zone of 200 m around the border of the area, extending on an altitude of 550-750 m a.s.l.

Field expedition to propagate Tulipa albanica in new areas of Surroj

/ IEP

On 15 November 2020, IEP project team conducted a field expedition to locate a suitable area for the ex situ propagation of Tulipa albanica, outside its small area where it occurs. Seeds had been collected earlier in September and October. Due to climate and weather effects, the flowering and seed production of Tulipa albanica was very low this year. The site was chosen by analyzing the similarity of elements with the habitat of Tulipa albanica, like orientation, soil, geology, altitude and risk factors stemming from human activity. The new site is 6-7 km far from the original site of Tulipa albanica, close to the future protected area of Munella. Around 200 seeds were planted in 4 terraces prepared by mimicking the habitat where Tulipa albania grows. If the germination of the seeds and further growing of the plants will be successful, this will be the first small sub-population located 6-7 km far from the actual population.