March 5, 2017

2973 ALBANIA (Kukës) - Valbonë Valley National Park - part of Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe (UNESCO WHS)


Valbonë Valley National Park, also called the Albanian miracle of the Alps, is a part of the Prokletije Mountains (Cursed Mountains), also known as the Albanian Alps, extending from northern Albania to Kosovo and eastern Montenegro. Designated in 1996, the park covers 8,000 hectares including the Valbonë Valley and the Valbonë River and lies between high and craggy peaks bordering on Thethi National Park, Gashi River, Plava and Gucia (Montenegro), all strictly protected natural areas. It is a transboundary park (Albania/Montenegro) with the highest biodiversity value of the country's mountain mainland.

Kosovo, Albania, and Montenegro are planning to create another tri-state park in the area, that will be called the Balkan Peace Park. Four villages are located within the park (Dragobi, Valbonë, Cerem and Rragam) with 852 inhabitants. All of these factors create more favorable conditions for coexistence and socioeconomical development, including Valbonë National Park. This park represents one of the most important national bio centers of wild fauna. It is a habitat for large mammals, such as bear (Ursus arctos), wolf (Canis lupus), lynx (Felis lynx), deer (Capreolus capreolus), wild goat (Rupicapra rupicapra), wild boar (Sus scrofa).

Valbona river has its springs at the slopes of mount Jezerca, and goes down along the craggy riverside for almost 50.6 km. It disappears at the Rragami gritty earth and then begins again at Valbona village. 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.

The park is part of the transboundary UNESCO WHS Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe, about which I wrote here.

About the stamps
The first stamp is part of the series Museum Objects, designed by Laert Kraja and issued on December 24, 2014. The second is part of the series Tourism - National Parks, issued on November 16, 2015.

References
Valbonë Valley National Park - Wikipedia

Sender: Indrit Muha (direct swap)
Sent from Elbasan (Elbasan / Albania), on 15.02.2017
Photo: Armando Baguca

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