20 youth start the wildest river yet - Riverwalk 2016!

The Riverwalk project starts today in Shkoder with the aim to protect wild European rivers and promote sustainable development

Shkoder, 19 July 2016 - “Riverwalk” is a powerful life-changing experience for young people (ages 15-30) who want to discover and protect wild rivers and have an intense cross-cultural experience but it is also a project that sends a clear message: while there is a need for renewable energy, it cannot come at all costs.  With the number of free-flowing, wild rivers in Europe dwindling, it is critical to protect the most intact and ecologically important ones left.  With over 2000 new hydropower plants being planned in the Balkan region, many of them in protected natural areas, it presents a great opportunity to push for a more strategic approach and promote more eco-friendly, sustainable business opportunities.

Riverwalk’s objectives are to develop participants’ personal connection to nature and wild-flowing rivers, explore topics of renewable energy, nature conservation, sustainability and eco-tourism, as well as develop competences such as leadership, team building, project management and active citizenship. Equally importantly is for participants to learn how to live and work together with youth from different backgrounds, resolve conflicts in a productive manner, and co-create a supportive, participatory, open-minded, communicative atmosphere and thus improve intercultural understanding.

Riverwalk 2016 will bring together 20 young adults from Albania, Italy, Slovenia and Austria to hike for two weeks along several river systems and explore sustainable development opportunities in both Theth and Valbona Valley National Parks in Albania.

But why focus on wild rivers? 

Because wild rivers are like endangered species!  10% is the percentage of free-flowing, intact rivers left in the Alps.  All the others have been straightened, dammed, degraded, etc.  That is why the group is walking: to raise awareness of the need to protect the remaining natural rivers.  Renewable energy is important, saving energy is even more important.  We can continue to build and build until wild nature can only be seen in photographs.

Given all this, WWF and many other local and regional partners are actively protecting the last wild rivers in Europe and the Balkans.

Riverwalk, which targets motivated young adults (15-30 years old), aims to increase awareness of the importance of free flowing rivers, develop participants’ leadership skills, expand a growing international network of young environmental leaders, and form personal connections to unique and threatened river systems.

Riverwalk 2016 specifically aims to drive new protection for wild rivers in the Balkans, build a stronger network of active youth and engaged youth organizations, and promote more environmentally - friendly businesses in this economically depressed area.

It will do this through communications via:

-       Online media

-       Press work

-       Face-to-face communication

-       Photo and video production

-       Workshops and events

Where we will walk?

Albania has amazing, wild rivers, and beautiful National Parks. Building hydropower projects in National Parks don't fit into that picture!

The group of youth will walk along the rivers that go through the Thethi and Valbona National Parks which are located in northern Albania and were designated as IUCN Level II protected areas in 1996. The entire area is part of the Emerald Network, an ecological network made up of Areas of Special Conservation Interest designated under the Bern Convention.

Valbona NP is planned to be designated as a Natura 2000 site and shares a border with Montenegro’s Prokletije National Park and Kosovo's Bjeshket e Namuna National Park thus creating one of the largest cross-border protected areas in the Balkans. This protected area is also an important eco-tourism destination and considered one of the top 3 tourism attractions in Albania.

Riverfest

The group will walk for two weeks through both National Parks and organise a 2-day Riverfest in Dragobi for 30 other Albanian youth to raise awareness of the importance of protecting nature and developing sustainable economic activities to ensure that future generations can enjoy their ecological importance and beauty!

For more information please contact:

Nathan Spees, Youth Empowerment Coordinator, WWF Austria

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T: +43 676 83488305

Emirjeta Adhami

Freshwater officer, WWF/INCA

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T: +355 682062157