NEWS

Update 30: A half-year full of growth

Planting our trees in Munellë

In the first weekend of February, we were so happy to join as volunteers in the reforestation efforts of Munellë Nature Park, led by PPNEA and Heinrich Böll Stiftung Tirana.

For the first time, 280 black pine saplings grown in our Fushë-Lurë nursery were planted beyond our home mountains, in a new landscape, part of a shared mission to restore ecosystems and protect the Balkan lynx. This time, we went not as organizers, but as fellow planters, and it was a joy to contribute with our trees and energy to this powerful community initiative.

Read more of this initiative at PPNEA or HBS Tirana social media.

Scouting for a second tree nursery location

Expansion means a new location! Although last year it was just a dream, we sent an expression of interest to various AdZMs and Municipalities across Albania to see the level of interest and identify areas in need of reforestation.

The process involved a lot of emails, phone calls, site visits, and meetings - which we enjoyed, especially the site visits! One of the first and most proactive respondents was the Municipality of Korçë. Johan Marko, Director of Forests and Pastures, has been a great help from the beginning. After meeting with the Mayor of Korçë and National Forestry Agency representatives, we felt an immediate positive energy, that is why the decision to establish our second tree nursery in this region was an easy one.

We considered locations such as Lubonjë and Vithkuq, but the moment we stepped into Voskopojë, we knew it was the right place. The area was ideal, and more importantly, we met a wonderful family. Astrit, our new tree nursery caretaker, is the perfect fit to manage the nursery alongside Imer in Lurë. We’re lucky to have them both - their genuine love for the project is a key element in the growth of our trees.

Building a seed cleaning machine and cleaning seeds

While we were driving up and down the country, the pinecones that the Lurë local team collected this year were naturally opening under the spring sun. Our immediate next step was to clean, sort, and test the seeds to determine their germination rates.

If you remember our not-so-glamorous seed cleaning methods from 2023 Update #15, you know it was messy and time-consuming to say the least.

This year, we found an open-source design from Realsees in the UK for a seed cleaner. We built a 3D model to better understand how it all worked, and asked our carpenter friend Albi to bring it to life. In just two days, we had a fully functioning seed-cleaning machine!

Since it’s already our tradition, we organized a seed-cleaning party at the end of March, with the core team at Innospace Tirana (our long-term partner). In under one hour, we cleaned and sorted 3.7kg of Pinus nigra, Pinus heldreichii, Pinus peuce, and Abies Alba seeds with zero mess and 100% fun!

Seed stratification

The seeds which we collected between November 2024 and February 2025 see Update #26 are dormant. To germinate, they must go through the cold stratification process. This process simulates the spring cold and wet conditions in nature, waking the seeds up.

The Stratification process starts by soaking the seeds in water for 24 hours at a temperature of 3-5℃, regardless of the species. When initial soaking is done, water is drained and the seeds are kept wet at 3-5℃ for up to 30 days in the case of Pinus nigra and Pinus heldreichi, 60 days for Abies Alba and 210 days for Pinus peuce. It is essential to monitor the seeds, prevent them from drying, and maintain the temperature.

This year, we started the stratification process in the first week of April, which meant that Pinus nigra and Pinus heldreichi seeds were ready at the beginning of May, when we also planted them. Abies alba would be ready for planting at the end of the month/beginning of June. In the following paragraphs of this update, you can read more about the seed planting in each tree nursery.

Innovating Tree nursery with AgroBot 1.0

About one and a half years ago, we developed a prototype of our weather and nursery monitoring system. It performed well, helping us monitor soil moisture and weather data, and proving durable through two harsh winters.

With all the experience gained, feedback and list of requirements, we developed the first real version during the winter: AgroBot 1.0. Packaged in a sleek industrial DIN box, it now offers powerful features like:

• Climate monitoring data: temperature, humidity, pressure, sunlight, and rain;
• Nursery monitoring data: soil moisture & temperature, air temperature, humidity in 4+ different zones of the tree nursery;
• Control systems: automatic irrigation and ventilation;
• Connectivity: WiFi, LoRa, and GSM for real-time data and remote control;
• Power: fully solar-powered, including the automatic irrigation system.

AgroBot allows us to manage our nurseries in both Lurë and Voskopojë autonomously and remotely, reducing labor and responding quickly to changing conditions.

Open lecture at FSHP/UBT

By the end of March, we met with 3rd-year forestry students and professors at the Faculty of Forestry. We admit we were a bit nervous, but as usual, everything came easily when we started sharing our journey in both Lurë and Korçë.

We brought seeds we collected in Lurë, seedlings from the tree nursery, and our first monitoring system prototype, the core tools for both nurseries and future forestry professionals.

The star of the show? Our seed-cleaning machine. Yes, we even brought a Hoover to make it work at the university! Students were amazed at how “just a little research” can lead to such simple, effective solutions.

We are grateful to the students for their curiosity and thoughtful questions, and to the professors for their continued support over the years.

Replanting in the 2023 area

Spring in Lurë also meant maintenance work, including replacing some of the dead trees planted in autumn 2023. A group of 11 workers (women, men and youth from the surrounding villages) joined us for a full day of hard but rewarding work. You can read more about this in Update #27.

Transplanting, seed planting and new species in Lurë

The last week of April found us in Lurë, busier than ever. Our days started very early in the morning, with plenty of preparation before women arrived at the nursery to begin transplanting and planting seeds.

Let’s be honest, it’s never just about gently placing a seed in the soil with a lot of love, hoping it will grow into a beautiful, healthy tree… It’s more about mixing substrate, cleaning, disinfecting trays, rearranging, transporting soil, mixing again, and getting covered in dirt. Hard work, yes, but somehow rewarding when you think of the purpose it serves.

And then, there are the women (this year we had eight workers), whom we have known for just five years but they greet us with warm hugs. They immediately start working on whatever you ask them to do for the day, with such care and patience, and never once complaining. The days go by between transplanting, chit-chatting and Turkish coffee breaks, cleaning trays, disinfecting and seed planting.

In just three days, they managed to transplant 10,773 trees into BCC HIKO V256 reusable trays, and in less than four other days, they planted more than 26,000 seeds into BCC HIKO V120SS reusable trays. This is hard labor, and our women workers deserve nothing less than our gratitude.

This year, we also expanded the nursery’s diversity. Alongside Pinus nigra, Abies alba, and Pinus peuce, we now have Pinus heldreichii (collected in Lurë and planted here for the first time), as well as Tilia cordata and Fagus sylvatica, from stratified seeds generously donated by the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague.

All are growing beautifully so far, and we look forward to visiting the nursery to see them through their different stages of growth.

Building a new greenhouse in Voskopojë

While in Lurë, women were planting the last seeds, we were putting together the final pieces of the tree nursery in Voskopojë and completing the solar-powered automated irrigation system, both essential for the tree’s survival and growth.

When you think of Voskopojë, it’s impossible not to think of its churches and cultural heritage, so we wanted the new nursery to carry a small tribute to the village’s spirit.

With Albi’s know-how, we dared to try something new: gothic arches for the new greenhouse’s structure. All construction elements were carefully prepared and pre-cut in his workshop in Tirana, and were transported with the Kësulkuqe. To our surprise, it was all assembled in just one day. By the evening, the greenhouse was standing strong with its protective cover in place.

Over spring, we treated the wood for durability, added shading to keep seedlings comfortable through the summer heat, and watched the nursery slowly come to life. Its location could not be more perfect, located beside a small Black pine forest, overlooking rolling hills and open horizons.

In July, we officially opened the nursery’s doors for a community day Update #28, and the feedback was heartwarming: visitors described feeling peaceful and deeply connected to nature. What more could we ask for from a forest tree nursery?

Seed planting in Voskopojë and introducing new species

In May, we planted the first seeds of Pinus Nigra and Abies Alba in Voskopojë, using the seeds we collected in Lurë. Meanwhile, we are scouting for local seed collectors to continue our commitment to planting native seeds as close as possible to their original habitats.

At the new tree nursery, we are also diversifying our portfolio with species adapted to high-altitude areas. Alongside our traditional focus on Pinus nigra and Abies alba, we are testing other resilient species such as Tilia cordata and Fagus sylvatica, generously donated by the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, who continue to provide advice and support.

All four species can be found around Korcë’s forests, and when ready for planting, they will be introduced only to suitable terrains, ensuring ecological consistency. By diversifying the range of trees we cultivate, we aim to strengthen biodiversity and help create healthier and resilient forests for the future.

Monitoring tree growth in both nurseries

With AgroBot 1.0 and our improved tree nursery routines, we can now monitor the growth of thousands of seedlings in both Lurë and Voskopojë more efficiently than ever before. In response to the drastic climate changes over the last years, we are committed to continuously search for solutions and adapt our practices to the new conditions, ensuring that our young trees not only survive but thrive in the years to come.

Forest fires and our on-site monitoring in Lurë

Summer brought with it an increased risk of forest fires, a reality that Albania is facing with growing intensity from year to year. In July, big fires broke out in Lurë, starting from Liqeni i Luleve and spreading across approximately 4000ha within the National Park and surrounding areas. It took firefighters and responsible institutions almost 20 days to bring the fires under control.

While it was bittersweet to witness what was happening in Lurë, we were grateful that the areas where we have been reforesting over the last 5 years remained safe.

The fires highlight several challenges: difficult terrain, limited infrastructure within the Park, and a lack of adequate regional firefighting equipment for rapid intervention, waste from previous illegal cutting and unfortunately a lot of trash left behind by people who visit the lakes. Many people urged us to get involved directly. And while we wanted to help, we do not have the training or proper equipment to fight large fires safely. Instead, we left the matter to professionals and waited for the situation to stabilize.

Once the fires were partially under control, we visited Lurë with our beloved Kësulkuqe (Mitsubishi L200), equipped with a DIY firefighting kit: a 200L barrel, a water pump, 50m of pipe, joint parts and extra diesel, which was donated by PPNEA and BOLV OIL. This setup allows Imer and the Lurë community to intervene quickly in case of smaller fires until professional help arrives.

From our on-site visit and drone shots, it is clear that the damage was mostly superficial, primarily to the grass and, unfortunately, young trees. According to Copernicus data, only about 30% of the 4,000 ha affected were forests (data extracted from EFFIS), which is a small relief considering the challenging season.

The images and drone footage telling the story of the Lurë fires were all taken during 26 and 27 July 2025.

What’s next?

Spring-summer 2025 has been a season of growth, learning, and new beginnings for Trees for Albania. None of this would have been possible without the support of GreenAL, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, and our long-term partners, BestSeller and risr/ as well as all the individual donors who have supported and allowed us to achieve everything you’ve just read about.

As we take a short summer pause to recharge, we’re already looking ahead to September, when fresh energy, new projects, and our very first tree plantings in two different regions will take us one step closer to sustainable reforesting across Albania.