This article was produced as part of the Thematic Networks of PULSE, a European initiative that supports transnational journalistic collaborations
The woodlands of Albania are a verdant expanse that once covered nearly half of the country’s rugged and mountainous terrain. In these past 25 years, however, they have been whittled down at an alarming rate, with reports estimating a 20% loss to the country’s forest cover. This unrestrained felling has left Albania’s forestry sector in disarray, a sector that today is plagued by uncontrolled logging, a sprawling informal economy, and weak regulatory enforcement. This crisis threatens not only Albania’s biodiversity and climate stability, but its economic and rural livelihoods as well.
The critical nature of this issue is exacerbated by Albania’s aspirations for EU accession, an ambition that would require adherence to stringent environmental reforms. Instruments such as the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) and the forthcoming EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) set clear expectations for sustainable forest management and the elimination of illegal logging. In this context, safeguarding Albania’s forests is no longer just an environmental necessity, but a political imperative as well.
The Rural Dilemma
Beyond their ecological value, Albania’s forests serve as an economic backbone for many rural communities. These are the same communities that face an uncertain future in Albania, for reasons that go beyond forests. To them, our forests inch them one step closer to survival.
The forestry sector, spanning timber, fuelwood, and non-timber forest products, provides essential income and resources, especially in those remote areas where alternative industries are scarce. Firewood is a primary heating source, and timber is crucial for construction, making forests indispensable for subsistence and local trade.
Most naturally, this economic dependence has fuelled unsustainable exploitation. As forests are overharvested, soil erosion accelerates, water quality declines, and biodiversity dwindles. This degradation, in turn, threatens agriculture and rural well-being, creating a vicious cycle where economic survival undermines long-term sustainability. As Albania moves closer to the EU, reconciling economic reliance on forests with sustainable management has never been more urgent.
Behind the curtain
Illegal logging has become Albania’s single greatest forestry challenge. The collapse of state control in the 1990s opened the floodgates to illicit timber harvesting, which surged in response to economic hardship. Investigations by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network found that in 2011 alone, approximately 1.3 million cubic meters of trees, an area larger than the capital city of Tirana, were felled illegally.
This rampant deforestation is often carried out with the tacit approval of corrupt officials, highlighting deep-rooted failures in governance. The informal nature of Albania’s forestry sector compounds the issue, seeing that a large portion of timber extraction and trade occurs outside legal channels, evading taxation and regulation. Official wood production statistics do not match actual consumption, underscoring the scale of the shadow economy. This informal logging, while providing short-term financial relief for struggling families, undermines sustainable management efforts and weakens state authority over natural resources.
The 2016 band-aid
In 2016, the Albanian government took drastic action by imposing a nationwide logging moratorium. Law No. 5/2016 banned commercial logging in both public and private forests for the following decade, with limited exceptions for community firewood and forest health interventions. Timber exports were also outlawed, and violations carried hefty penalties, including fines and jail terms of up to ten years.
Initially, this policy appeared to yield positive results: legal logging permits plummeted, and satellite monitoring detected a slowdown in deforestation. However, as time passed, the moratorium limitations became hard to ignore. Illegal logging had not ceased, it had adapted. Loggers moved deeper into remote areas, operated at night, and refined their methods to avoid detection.
By outlawing all commercial forestry activities, the moratorium inadvertently erased the distinction between subsistence use and organized criminal logging networks. Instead of restoring order, it pushed the problem underground, making enforcement even more difficult. If any lesson is to be drawn from 2016, that lesson is that a blanket ban without accompanying institutional reforms, alternative economic incentives, and stronger enforcement mechanisms is unlikely to solve the root causes of illegal deforestation.
Relinquishing control
The 2016 moratorium was accompanied by a major institutional shift: the transfer of forest management responsibilities from central authorities to Albania’s 61 municipalities. This decentralization was intended to bring governance closer to local communities, allowing for better oversight and accountability. In practice, however, it exposed severe capacity gaps.
Many municipalities were ill-equipped to manage vast forested areas. As of 2023, 33 out of 61 municipalities had no forest management or reforestation plans in place. Most lacked forestry departments, trained personnel, or even basic monitoring equipment. The absence of a national forest corps led to fragmented enforcement, with varying levels of competence and resources across different regions.
Illegal loggers soon exploited these governance weaknesses. In some cases, unclear municipal boundaries led to enforcement voids where no authority assumed responsibility. Moreover, weak inter-municipal coordination allowed loggers to move operations to areas with the least oversight. Without a strong national framework to support local authorities, decentralization has, in many ways, exacerbated the problem rather than solving it.
Smoke and mirrors
As Albania moves towards EU accession, it faces significant hurdles in aligning its forestry sector with European regulations. The 2020 Law on Forests marked an attempt to integrate EUTR requirements, calling for due diligence in the timber supply chain, legality verification, and sustainability principles. However, legal analyses in 2024 revealed significant gaps: Albania’s forestry laws achieved only 14% alignment with the EUTR and 26% with the FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) framework.
This disconnect stems from the lack of essential infrastructure. Albania does not have a national timber tracking system or a unified database to trace wood from harvest site to sale. Paper permits, where they exist, are vulnerable to forgery and reuse. Customs controls remain weak, with officials often lacking the expertise to verify timber legality. Without significant investments in monitoring, traceability, and enforcement, achieving EU compliance remains a very steep uphill battle.
Adding to the complexity is the vast stockpile of timber already extracted illegally. The EU’s due diligence requirements demand proof of legal harvest origins, a task that seems impossible for much of Albania’s wood supply. Therefore, while Albania appears to have made legislative strides, and may voice their unwavering dedication to align with EU policies, the regulatory reality on the ground tells a different story.
Regional Neighbours
Italy’s experience with the EUTR reveals enforcement gaps critical for Albania to consider. Despite advanced technologies and institutions like the Carabinieri Forestali, Italy struggles with regulation enforcement. Checks under the EUTR, aimed at preventing illegal timber trade, are infrequent and superficial. Italy’s slow preparation for stricter EUDR requirements highlights broader issues, including weak legal frameworks, delayed sanction regimes, and poor inter-agency coordination. Albania should take note: adopting regulations alone is insufficient without strong implementation and enforcement.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, despite having structured logging plans and FSC certification covering roughly 83% of state-managed forests, suffers from fragmented forest management due to its complex political structure. This fragmentation contributes to corruption and illegal logging. Nevertheless, Bosnia’s use of certification systems to maintain transparency provides Albania valuable insights into the importance of clear governance, robust certifications, and coordinated management.
North Macedonia offers a proactive model by reforming forestry legislation and implementing EU-supported timber tracking systems. The country has secured internationally recognized PEFC certification for public forests, demonstrating commitment to sustainable management. Despite facing technical and administrative hurdles, North Macedonia’s investments in digital monitoring, training, and procedural reforms illustrate the extensive preparation required for EU compliance. Albania can learn from this resource-intensive yet effective approach.
In conclusion
Albania’s forestry sector stands at a crossroads. The country must navigate the tension between economic necessity and environmental preservation while addressing governance failures that enable deforestation. Without urgent reforms, Albania risks further environmental degradation and economic instability, both of which could jeopardize its path toward EU membership.
A new approach is desperately needed, one that balances enforcement with sustainable economic alternatives, strengthens local governance, and leverages EU support for systemic change. The next steps will determine whether Albania can reverse decades of deforestation or remain trapped in an unsustainable cycle of resource depletion.
The future of Albania’s forests is not just an environmental issue, it is a test of governance, economic resilience, and Albania’s readiness for European integration.
This article was produced as part of the Thematic Networks of PULSE, a European initiative that supports transnational journalistic collaborations
Special thanks to the journalistic team:
Aleksandar Samardjiev
Marta Abbà
Sanja Mlađenović Stević
