The Buna River contains the most important wetlands of high ecological value in the Eastern Mediterranean, sheltering some 320 species of flora, 250 bird species and 107 fish species. Many of the animals in the region are rare and endangered, including pygmy cormorant, Eurasian otter, golden jackal and sturgeon. It also has important oak forests.
Crop and livestock production, fishing and tourism in and around the Buna River are all heavily dependent on healthy wetland resources – but unsustainable practices are common in all these activities, reducing the resilience of local ecosystems. A possible solution could be to stop development in high-value wetlands to prevent further habitat degradation and to restore damaged critical wetlands and coastal habitats.
The cross-border nature of the site adds to the complexity of the situation: Albania and Montenegro must work together towards integrated management of their shared natural resources, particularly in addressing water use, pollution and unsustainable development.
An ‘Action for Buna’ grants initiative for civil organisations and community representatives in the Buna Delta protected landscape, which will end in June 2020, aims to encourage regional socioeconomic development through ecosystem and habitat restoration. It also supports the implementation of the Buna Delta management plan, focusing on three key areas: i) coastal habitat restoration projects; ii) agri-environmental incentive schemes including irrigation; and iii) sustainable tourism/ infrastructure development.
Pressures
Coastal habitat destruction through development
Mass tourism
Unsustainable fishing
Unsustainable agriculture
Water abstraction
Pollution (solid waste/wastewater)
Action plan
Increase knowledge base and awareness on ecosystem services and values, integrated coastal wetland management, sustainable land use practices
Improve management and restoration of pilot site through innovative conservation programmes and sustainable business models and incentives for local communities (environmentally friendly fishing and farming, sustainable tourism, habitat restoration)
Enable a multi-stakeholder governance and transboundary mechanism to address threats, enforce regulations, support knowledge transfer and joint planning
A flooded future: Sea level rise in Buna Delta
The Buna River delta hosts the most important wetlands of high ecological value in the Eastern Mediterranean. Crop and livestock production, fishing and tourism in and around the Buna River are all heavily dependent on healthy wetland resources. But unsustainable practices putting pressure on these local ecosystems which are already highly threatened by the climate crisis.
Living Buna publications
Restoration Factsheet
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Meet Wetlanders living around Buna
Restoration of Dunes in Buna Delta - Samela Vata
“We are a group of volunteers and youth, we realized that the place and the sea offer more than just a place to swim” says Samuela Vata, volunteer and leader of the Youth Project which is aiming to protect the local dunes from erosion.
Buna River is telling its stories
The Buna River delta: working together for a more sustainable future
In terms of their ecological value, the wetlands in Albania’s Buna River delta are seen as the most important in the Eastern Mediterranean. From its coastal dunes to its forests and low karst ridges the area contains a wide diversity of geological types…