Valbonë Valley National Park

About

The Valbona Valley (Albanian: Lugina e Valbonës) is in the Albanian Alps in northern Albania. It is part of Alps of Albania National Park, one of the most impressive and notable topographic features of Albania. Being the southernmost continuation of the Dinaric Alps, it forms a section of the Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt, which extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Himalaya Mountains. The mountains are characterized by limestone and dolomite rocks and shows major karst features. Maja Jezercë sprawls to the west of the valley and is the highest mountain of the Dinaric Alps, with an altitude of 2,694 m (8,839 ft). The Valbona River originate from several karst springs along the south of Maja Jezercë and the east of Valbona Pass. It is the largest river within the Albanian Alps and drains the entire eastern portion of the range. Over the past few million years, glaciers have at times covered most of the park. During the Würm period, the glacier of Valbona reached a total length of 9.5 kilometres. Nowadays, there are two very small active glaciers close to the northeastern edge of Maja Jezercë. The Valbona Valley and its surrounding mountains were protected as Valbona Valley National...

Valbonë Valley National Park encompassed some of the Albanian Alps, the southernmost continuation of the Dinaric Alps. It is situated entirely in Kukës County and lies mostly between latitudes 42° and 27° N and longitudes 19° and 53° E. The u-shaped valley of Valbona extends between Maja Jezercë, Maja e Kollatës, Maja Boshit and Maja e Hekurave. From the bridge of Shoshani until Fierzë, the valley passes through the Tropojë catchment and the hilly relief between Bujani and Tëplani. The park bordered the Prokletije National Park to the north, Gashi Nature Reserve to the east, Nikaj-Mërtur Regional Nature Park to the south and Theth National Park to the west.

Located within the Albanian Alps, the park's climate is characterized by cold winters and hot, dry summers, although at higher altitudes it is pleasantly fresh even in summer. Due to the close proximity to the Mediterranean Sea located in the west, the climate is also exposed to the influences of the Mediterranean climate as well as the Continental climate.

The coldest periods are from December to February, while the hottest from July to August. The park's minimal temperature ranges between −23.4 °C (−10.1 °F ) — −16.1 °C (3.0 °F ) in winter and its maximal temperature between 36.4 °C (97.5 °F) — 39.9 °C (103.8 °F) in summer. The average altitude of annual precipitation ranges between 2,700 millimetres (110 inches) and 3,000 millimetres (120 inches), with the higher levels occurring at high altitudes. At least 22% falls during spring, 8.7% in summer, 32.3% in autumn and 38% during winter. At higher altitudes, snowfall begins in October or November and accumulates through to March or April when the melt begins. Snow reaches a height of 1.5–5 m and lasts between 60 and 160 days.

The relief of the park is mountainous and highly fragmented, characterized with steep slopes, high ridges and deep river valleys. The slopes of the mountains are almost vertical, with perpendicular rocks hanging on the river, peaks in the shape of towers dressed by trees, with their cirques filled with eternal snow altitude differences with the river bed. The Albanian Alps are a notable geographic feature of Southern and Southeastern Europe, being at the same time the highest section of the Dinaric Alps. The formation was an episodic process caused by the collision of the African and Eurasian plate. They are strongly karstified, where rain and snow quickly seep into a karst system. Nowhere in the Balkans have glaciers left so much evidence of erosion. In contrast to the Alps in Central Europe, the Albanian Alps are the most glaciated mountains in Europe located south of the Scandinavian ice sheet.

Geological formations are composed of limestone rocks, limestone - siliceous, clay shale and conglomerate. Gray forest soils are located on limestone rocks. Agricultural lands are brown forest soils and soils meadow mountain. There are grey forest soils between 500 and 1200 meters heights, then come Velvet Lands extending the left slope of this valley from Mbaskollata to Shoshan at height 400–900 meters. Their geological construction (alps) is diverse, with the oldest formations, those paleozoic ones, with which are related quartz mineral properties in river valley. Limestones that come from mesozoic, are wider spread, and serve as the basis of bauxite. They form the alps main ribs. Mixed with dolomite and modeled by karsts they form to Alpines a very bitter relief. Insoluble flysch deposits have formed a very harsh terrain. In the region, the carbonatite rocks are dominant and only in the villages of Valbona and Dragobia the schist nucleus of the Alps appear.

The region is characterized by a highly developed hydrographic network represented by the water basins of the lake of Shkodër and of that of the rivers of Drin, Buna, Shala and Valbona. The park is situated along the course of the Valbona, the longest river on the Albanian Alps at 50.6 km (31.4 mi). The river begins at the southern slopes of Maja Jezercë on the eastern section of Valbona Pass and flows until it reaches the village of Valbona. At the end, the river, which until then was continuing through a narrow u-shaped valley, becomes the Fierza that is mostly surrounded by high mountains.

It flows away through the village and continues flowing towards Dragobia. Valbona River is a tributary of Drini River, which drains into Adriatic sea. Deduction from the peaks of the mountains of Rragami and Ceremi, is impulsive, full sound of effervescence for its terrain topography. At Shoshan's canyon, Valbona's river narrows sharply and creates the image of the rocks being cut as with a knife. Water is clean, bright and highly transparent up to 1 m depth. Frequent rain precipitations make this river unnavigable.

The Xhemas Lake is a natural basis, which is supplied by the water that steams inside this base from the depth of rocks and reaches up to 3 m depth in winter. It has an area about 500m 2. Lake has an altitude of 770 m above sea level. There is the main road close to it that goes from Dragobia to Valbona, exactly in "Quku i Dunishes", in the left of pedestrian road which arrives in the forest. Xhema lake has very cold clear water, rugged limestone cliffs and is surrounded by beech trees.

Shortly after the source of Valbona's river, colliding with rocks, is created a 50 metres high waterfall, which disappears at Rrogami gritty earth for about 5 km and then stems again at Valbona village.

The Shoshani Source is one of the biggest water sources of the Balkan peninsula. It is located at the entry of Valbonë Valley and is continually visited by alpine nature lovers. The source provides potable water for the entire Tropoja District and its water quantity is equal to the half one of Valbona river.

Even though the park is small in surface, on its area thrive hundreds of threatened and endemic animal and plant species. The levels of vegetation in the Albanian Alps meet the alpine level, from upland valleys through the montane mountain stage on forest-free alpine and subalpine mats and subnivale tundra caused by permafrost in vast heaps of rubble with raw soils.

In view of phytogeography, the park falls within the Dinaric Mountains mixed forests terrestrial ecoregion of the Palearctic temperate broadleaf and mixed forest. The forests of the park are covered by a mixture of deciduous and coniferous trees growing on limestone and dolomite, which is characteristic to the Albanian Alps. The most typical feature of the park's landscape is represented by its forests being a major resource in terms of their ecological functions, as well as in terms of the beauty they lend to the landscape.

The pine is one of the most common species of tree in the park. The area, which is dotted with pine, is mainly overgrown with austrian, balkan, bosnian and scots pine. The area around the village of Valbona is characterized by the predominance of different beech species such as european beech. The park is, however, considered to be the only area in the country, where a high number of forest formations with norway spruce can be found. A lush mixed forest occurs in the upper part of the valley represented with a mixture of silver fir, common beech, norway spruce and scots pine.

The banks of Valbona River are covered mainly with forests of grey alder, olive willow and goat willow. Besides, the park contains boglands, which are situated in the wet low lying environments whereas various species of narthecium, carex and sphagnum can be found. The steep slopes and ravines of the Valbona Valley are home to communities of largeleaf linden, sycamore, ash and wych elm, which grow mostly in cool and humid locations.

Due to the temperature and climate differences between different areas and elevations, the park is characterized by exceptionally rich and varied fauna. The park represents one of the most important national bio centers of wild fauna in the country. The wider land area is one of the last areas in Europe, in which a great number of brown bears and grey wolves can be found. The park is potentially a habitat for the critically endangered Balkan lynx. One of the park's special attractions is the existence of the rare chamois, which can be found at higher altitudes far from human activity. Most important wildlife inhabiting the Valbona Valley include roe deer and wild boar. We can also witness the presence of western western capercaillie and golden eagle.

Sources of water, becks and glacial lakes are the basis of life for water insects, amphibians, and salmons. Species of fish are represented with species such as the marble trout and river trout. The limited number of species is determined by the predominant bodies of water including glacial lakes, streams and upper river courses, which are inhabited by fish species.

Due to its strategic position and the mosaic distribution of various types of habitats, the park is quite rich of bird genera. The total number of bird species is 145. Important birds of prey with high conservation value include the golden eagle, booted eagle, egyptian vulture, sparrowhawk, goshawk, lanner falcon, saker falcon, peregrine falcon and honey buzzard. The park hosts seven species and populations owls, such as the barn owl, scops owl, eagle owl, little owl, tawny owl, long-eared owl and short-eared owl. Other families of birds inhabiting the park include the alpine swift, alpine accentor, great cormorant, grey heron, rock partridge, common ringed plover, stock dove, common cuckoo and eurasian golden oriole.

The relief of the park is mountainous and highly fragmented, characterized with steep slopes, high ridges and deep river valleys. The slopes of the mountains are almost vertical, with perpendicular rocks hanging on the river, peaks in the shape of towers dressed by trees, with their cirques filled with eternal snow altitude differences with the river bed. The Albanian Alps are a notable geographic feature of Southern and Southeastern Europe, being at the same time the highest section of the Dinaric Alps. The formation was an episodic process caused by the collision of the African and Eurasian plate. They are strongly karstified, where rain and snow quickly seep into a karst system. Nowhere in the Balkans have glaciers left so much evidence of erosion. In contrast to the Alps in Central Europe, the Albanian Alps are the most glaciated mountains in Europe located south of the Scandinavian ice sheet.

Geological formations are composed of limestone rocks, limestone - siliceous, clay shale and conglomerate. Gray forest soils are located on limestone rocks. Agricultural lands are brown forest soils and soils meadow mountain. There are grey forest soils between 500 and 1200 meters heights, then come Velvet Lands extending the left slope of this valley from Mbaskollata to Shoshan at height 400–900 meters. Their geological construction (alps) is diverse, with the oldest formations, those paleozoic ones, with which are related quartz mineral properties in river valley. Limestones that come from mesozoic, are wider spread, and serve as the basis of bauxite. They form the alps main ribs. Mixed with dolomite and modeled by karsts they form to Alpines a very bitter relief. Insoluble flysch deposits have formed a very harsh terrain. In the region, the carbonatite rocks are dominant and only in the villages of Valbona and Dragobia the schist nucleus of the Alps appear.