Environmental assessment of the Vjosa riverscape as the basis for an integrated water management and sustainable catchment development | VjoSusDev
Project Coordinator: Sajmir Beqiraj
Coordinating Institution: University of Tirana
Partner Institutions: Polytechnic University of Tirana, Agricultural University of Tirana, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, University of Vienna, University of Innsbruck
Partner Countries: Albania
Project Duration: 1 May 2022 – 30 April 2026 (48 months)
Project Overview
The project seeks to establish a long-term continued research cooperation of Albanian and Austrian scientists in the field of water governance. The specific topic is a cooperative and interdisciplinary study of the Vjosa river system in Southern Albania – as the basis for its sustainable development. Through the application of remote survey techniques and modelling of hydrology, geomorphology, vegetation pattern and land-use of the catchment; a series of joint field missions and the establishment of a continued monitoring program the knowledge base for decision making and public and institutional awareness on water governance will be raised.
Environmental assessment of the Vjosa riverscape - VjoSusDev| Report on the first year
The first year of the VjoSusDev project was successful in starting the integrative process of a large interdisciplinary research group as well a dialogue between science and government. The project seeks to strengthen the research cooperation of Albanian and Austrian scientists in the field of water governance. It aims for a comprehensive understanding of the biodiversity and functional processes of the whole river system including its main tributaries as a basis for management. The project combines the research interests of three Albanian and three Austrian universities: it involves research teams on geomorphology, hydrochemistry, water quality assessment. vegetation ecology, groundwater ecology, macrobenthos, fish, terrestrial invertebrates and vertebrates.