JOLIA KORITA1*
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1*Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Agricultural University of Tirana, Albania
Abstract The forest moratorium in Albania was introduced as an emergency policy measure to curb illegal logging, forest degradation, and increasing pressure on forest ecosystems. This article critically examines the effectiveness of the moratorium by analyzing the relationship between the legal framework, institutional implementation, and actual outcomes on the ground. The study is based on a qualitative review of legal documents, institutional reports, and relevant international literature, complemented by descriptive numerical data on timber imports, forest fund area, and forest offenses over the period 2015–2024. The findings suggest that, although the moratorium produced an immediate restraining effect and sent a strong political signal, its long-term impact has remained limited due to weak monitoring capacity, insufficient enforcement, lack of alternatives for local communities, and weak linkage with reforestation policies. The numerical evidence indicates that timber imports increased from 214,209.7 m³ in 2015 to 322,484.7 m³ in 2024, while administrative offenses in the forest fund declined sharply from 443 to 2 over the same period. A regional comparison with Western Balkan countries shows that more sustainable outcomes are achieved where bans are combined with administrative reform, monitoring systems, and landscape restoration policies. The article concludes that the moratorium should be understood as a necessary but insufficient step toward sustainable forest governance in Albania. Keywords: forest moratorium; Albania; forest governance; illegal logging; sustainable forest management; Western Balkans |
