Country fact sheet Land cover 2012 Albania September 2017 Photo: Toni García, My City/EEA
Land cover 2012 Overview of land cover & change With an annual land cover change rate of 0.1, the overall pace of landscape development in Albania is much slower, compared to the previous period. This rate also means, that the intensity of land cover development in Albania is about half of the European average. The development is driven mostly by changes due to natural and multiple causes, represented in particular by forest and shrub fires, and forest creation and management, mostly recent felling and transition. On the other hand, the intensity of urban residential sprawl, which was the main driver of land cover change in previous period, decreased rapidly and the artificial development is driven only by sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures in the period. This means also rapid decrease of overall sprawl intensity, compared to the previous period. The value of annual land take rate fell from 4.69% in to 0.47% in, which, however, is still slightly above the European average. Note: The results presented here are based on a change analysis of 44 land cover types mapped consistently on a 1:100.000 scale across Europe over more than a decade, between 2000- - see Corine land cover (CLC) programme for details. Number of years between CLC2006-CLC2012 data for Albania: 6 1.1. Land cover 2012 [% of total] Wet. 0,4% 7% 2% 7% 9000 6000 1.2. Net change in land cover [ha] 5.0 4.0 1.3. Net change in land cover [% of initial year 2006] 2 2 3000 0 3.0 2.0-3000 1.0-6000 0.0 39% -9000-1.0 A rtificial areas A rable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces/ bare soils Wetlands bodies Summary balance table Artificial areas Arable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces/ bare soils Wetlands bodies TOTAL [hundreds ha] Land cover 2006 792 1864 6204 11360 6227 1801 109 592 28948 Consumption of initial LC 3.6 5.0 11.1 128.5 37.9 5.3 0.2 0.5 192 Formation of new LC 24.4 5.0 1.7 67.2 0.6 90.5 0.0 2.6 192 Net Formation of LC 20.8 0.0-9.4-61.3-37.2 85.2-0.2 2.1 0 Net formation as % of initial year 2.6 0.0-0.2-0.5-0.6 4.7-0.2 0.3 Total turnover of LC 28.0 10.0 12.8 195.7 38.5 95.8 0.2 3.1 384 Total turnover as % of initial year 3.5 0.5 0.2 1.7 0.6 5.3 0.2 0.5 1.3 Land cover 2012 813 1864 6194 11298 6190 1886 109 594 28948 1
Land cover trends comparison vs. 2.4. Annual land cover change [ha/year, % of total area] 0 2000 4000 6000 0.18% 0.1 Artificial areas Arable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land 2.5. Annual turnover of LC types [ha/year] 0 2000 4000 2.6. Net annual change of LC types [ha/year] Artificial areas Arable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land -2000 0 2000 Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces / bare soils Wetlands bodies Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces / bare soils Wetlands bodies Summary trend figures Annual land cover change [ha/year] 5335 3201 Annual land cover change as % of initial year 0.18% 0.1 Land uptake by artificial development as mean annual change [ha/year] 2480 349 Agricultural land uptake by urban and infrastructures development as mean annual change [ha/year] 2280 176 Net uptake of forests and semi-natural land by agriculture as mean annual change [ha/year] -44 23 Net conversion from pasture to arable land and permanent crops as mean annual change [ha/year] -26 38 Forest & other woodland net formation as mean annual change [ha/year] 48-1022 Dry semi-natural land cover net formation as mean annual change [ha/year] -173 799 Wetlands & water bodies net formation as mean annual change [ha/year] 17 32 3000 2.7. Intensity of main change drivers (LC FLOWS) [ha/year] 2000 1000 0 lcf1 Urban land management lcf2 Urban residential sprawl lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures lcf4 Agriculture internal conversions lcf5 Conversion from forested & natural land to agriculture lcf6 Withdrawal of farming lcf7 Forests creation and management lcf8 bodies creation and management lcf9 Changes due to natural and multiple causes 2
Artificial surfaces sprawl () 3.8. Artificial land take [ha/year, % of initial year] 3000 2000 4.77% 1000 0 0.44% Huge slowdown of residential development The artificial development in Albania encountered a huge slowdown, compared to the previous period. This is caused by slowdown of residential sprawl, which was the main driver of urban land take as well as of overall land cover development in the country during the previous period. The residential sprawl was concentrated in the western part of the country, with smaller concentrations on the east and south. In the period, the sprawl was driven mostly by construction of highways in the northern part of the country and also by extension of industrial and commercial units in the surroundings of the capital city of Tirana and also around the Durres city, located on the Adriatic seashore near Tirana. 3.9. Artificial surfaces 2012 [% of total area] 3.10. Artificial land take [ha/year] 2% 5% Const. 0 30 60 90 120 89% 3000 3.11. Mean annual artificial change by class [ha/year] 2000-2012 2000 1000 0 Continuous urban fabric Discontinuous urban fabric Industrial or commercial units Road and rail networks and associated land Port areas Airports Mineral extraction sites Dump sites Construction sites Green urban areas Sport and leisure facilities 3
Agriculture () Slowdown of consumption of agricultural land The overall intensity of agricultural land exchange in Albania is rather low, with prevailing internal flows. Extension of pasture, set aside and fallow land lost most of its intensity, compared to the previous period, and diffuse conversion from pasture to arable and permanent crop land became the major driver of agricultural internal exchange in. Because of the slowdown of residential sprawl, also the intensity of consumption of agricultural land (mainly pastures) is much lower recently, comparing with the period 2000-2006. The internal structure of agricultural land consumed remains similar, prevailing share of complex cultivation patterns (45%), agriculture with natural vegetation (30%) and non-irrigated arable (2) which pretty well mirrors the structure of agricultural land in the country. 243 35% 4.12. Agricultural areas 2012 [% of total area] 211 15% 242 34% 212 0.2% 221 222 2% 223 5% 231 8% 241 0. 400 0-400 -800 0.04% -0.27% Non-irrigated arable land 4.13. Development of agricultural areas detailed balance [ha] Permanently irrigated land Rice fields Consumption of initial land cover Formation of new land cover 0.08% Vineyards 2.5-1.14% Fruit trees and berry plantations 0.24% -0.0 Olive groves 0.0-0.08% Pastures Annual/ permanent crops 0.0-0.27% Complex cult. patterns 0.0-0.1 Agriculture with nat. veg. Agro-forestry areas 211 Non-irrigated arable land 212 Permanently irrigated land 0 4.14. Mean annual agricultural change by class [ha/year] 213 Rice fields -400 221 Vineyards 222 Fruit trees and berry plantations -800 223 Olive groves 231 Pastures 241 Annual crops associated with permanent crops 242 Complex cultivation patterns 243 Agriculture land with significant areas of natural vegetation 244 Agro-forestry areas -1200 Non-irrigated arable land Permanently irrigated land Rice fields Vineyards Fruit trees and berry plantations Olive groves Pastures Annual/ permanent crops Complex cult. patterns Agriculture with nat. veg. Agro-forestry areas 4
Forest & nature () 5.15. Forest & nature areas 2012 [% of total area] 9% Wet. 56% 3 Forest Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces/ bare soils Wetlands bodies Massive forest and shrub fires Flows in natural land are the most extensive from all land cover conversions in Albania. The most extensive drivers of landscape change in the country are forest and shrub fires. They consumed mostly sclerophyllous vegetation, broad-leaved forest and transitional woodland and shrubs. The total area destroyed by these fires in the period was about 9000 hectares, located mostly in the south-western part of the country. In the previous period, these fires were not observed in Albania. The second most significant flow in both natural and overall land cover development is recent felling and transition. However, the intensity of this flow is significantly lower than in the period and the opposite internal forest exchange conversion of transitional woodland to forest almost disappeared from the country. From other natural flows, extension of water courses and water bodies creation was also present in Albania in the recent period. 8000 4000 0 0.05% 0.05% 5.16. Development of forest & nature areas detailed balance [ha] 0.02% 1.76% 0.08% 2208.3 Consumption of initial land cover Formation of new land cover 1.72% 0.26% -4000-1.0-2.47% -2.8-0.07% -1.27% -0.76% -0.48% -0.18% -38.14% -0.4-0.02% -0.1-8000 Broad-leaved forest Coniferous forest Mixed forest Natural grassland Moors and heathland Sclerophyllous vegetation Transitional woodland shrub Beaches, dunes, sand Bare rock Sparsely vegetated areas Burnt areas Glaciers/perp. snow Inland marshes Peatbogs Salt marshes Salines Intertidal flats courses bodies Coastal lagoons Estuaries Sea and ocean 1500 1000 500 5.17. Mean annual forest & nature change by class [ha/year] 0-500 -1000-1500 Broad-leaved forest Coniferous forest Mixed forest Natural grassland Moors and heathland Sclerophyllous vegetation Transitional woodland shrub Beaches, dunes, sand Bare rock Sparsely vegetated areas Burnt areas Glaciers and perpetual snow Inland marshes Peatbogs Salt marshes Salines Intertidal flats courses bodies Coastal lagoons Estuaries Sea and ocean 5
Annex: Land cover flows and trends Land cover flows 6.18. Consumption of land cover [% of total change area] 20% Wet. 0, 0, 2% 2% 6% 6.19. Formation of land cover [% of total change area] 1 47% 67% Seminat. veg. 0, 35% A rtificial areas A rable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces/ bare soils Wetlands bodies 6.20. Drivers of change (LC FLOWS) [% of total change area] lcf9 48% lcf1 2% lcf2 2% lcf3 9% lcf4 lcf5 lcf6 0.2% lcf1 Urban land management lcf2 Urban residential sprawl lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures lcf4 A griculture internal conversions lcf5 C onversion from forested & natural land to agriculture lcf6 Withdrawal of farming lcf7 35% lcf7 Forests creation and management lcf8 bodies creation and management lcf8 0.5% lcf9 C hanges due to natural and multiple causes 6
Artificial areas 7.21. Consumption by artificial land take [% of total] 7.22. Formation by artificial land take [% of total] Seminatural vegetation 14% Open spaces / bare soils Wetlands bodies 0. Arable land & permanent crops 1 Construct. 32% Sport/ leisure 0,2% Disc. urban fabric 15% Forested land 35% Pastures & mosaics 36% Dump sites 0. Mineral extraction 7% Industrial/ commerc. 27% Airports 0.5% Road/rail network 18% 7.23. Net formation of artificial area [ha/year, % of initial year] 7.24. Artificial development by change drivers (LC FLOWS) [ha/year] 0 1000 2000 3000 0.44% 4.77% lcf11urban development/ infilling (cons.) lcf11urban development/ infilling (form.) lcf12 Recycling of developed urban land (cons.) lcf12 Recycling of developed urban land (form.) lcf13 Development of green urban areas (cons.) lcf13 Development of green urban areas (form.) lcf21 Urban dense residential sprawl lcf22 Urban diffuse residential sprawl lcf31 Sprawl of industrial & commercial sites lcf32 Sprawl of transport networks lcf33 Sprawl of harbours lcf34 Sprawl of airports lcf35 Sprawl of mines and quarrying areas lcf36 Sprawl of dumpsites lcf37 Construction lcf38 Sprawl of sport and leisure facilities (cons.) lcf38 Sprawl of sport and leisure facilities (form.) lcf54 Conversion from developed areas to agriculture lcf72 Forest creation, afforestation lcf81 bodies creation lcf911 Semi-natural creation lcf913 Extension of water courses lcf92 Forests and shrubs fires lcf93 Coastal erosion lcf99 Other changes and unknown (cons.) lcf99 Other changes and unknown (form.) -1000 0 1000 2000 3000 7
Agriculture 8.25. LC consumed by agriculture [% of total] 8.26. Formation of agricultural land from non-agriculture [% of total] bodies 29% Fruit trees/berry plantations 7% Agriculture with natural veg. 4 Natural grassland 7 Olive groves 50% 8.27. Consumption of agricultural land by non-agriculture [% of total] 8.28. Formation of non-agricultural land from agriculture [% of total] Agriculture with natural veg. 30% Nonirrigated arable 2 Olive groves Construct. 14% Dump sites Broadleaved forest courses bodies 6% Disc. urban fabric 29% Pastures Mineral extraction Complex cultivation patterns 46% Airports Road/rail network 5% Industrial/ commercial 37% 8.29. Main annual conversions between agriculture and forests & semi-natural land [ha/year] 8.30. Mean annual conversion between arable land and pasture [ha/year] Conversion from forest to agriculture Conversion from dry semi-natural & natural land to agriculture -10 0 10 20-50 -25 0 25 50 Extension of pasture, set aside and fallow land Conversion from wetlands to agriculture Withdrawal of farming with woodland creation Conversion from pasture to arable and permanent crops Withdrawal of farming without significant woodland creation 8
9.31. Mean annual agriculture internal conversions [ha/year] 9.32. Mean annual conversions between agriculture and other LC types [ha/year] lcf411 Uniform extension of set aside fallow land and pasture lcf13 Development of green urban areas lcf412 Diffuse extension of set aside fallow land and pasture lcf2 Urban residential sprawl lcf421 Conversion from arable land to permanent irrigation perimeters lcf422 Other internal conversions of arable land lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures lcf511 Intensive conversion from forest to agriculture lcf431 Conversion from olives groves to vineyards and orchards lcf512 Diffuse conversion from forest to agriculture lcf432 Conversion from vineyards and orchards to olive groves lcf521 Intensive conversion from seminatural land to agriculture lcf433 Other conversions between vineyards and orchards lcf441 Conversion from permanent crops to permanent irrigation perimeters lcf442 Conversion from vineyards and orchards to non-irrigated arable land lcf443 Conversion from olive groves to non-irrigated arable land lcf444 Diffuse conversion from permanent crops to arable land lcf451 Conversion from arable land to vineyards and orchards lcf522 Diffuse conversion from seminatural land to agriculture lcf523 Conversions from agriculturenature mosaics to continuous agriculture (cont. agri. cons.) lcf523 Conversions from agriculturenature mosaics to continuous agriculture (cont. agri. form.) lcf53 Conversion from wetlands to agriculture lcf54 Conversion from developed areas to agriculture lcf61 Withdrawal of farming with woodland creation lcf452 Conversion from arable land to olive groves lcf62 Withdrawal of farming without significant woodland creation lcf453 Diffuse conversion from arable land to permanent crops lcf461 Conversion from pasture to permanent irrigation perimeters lcf462 Intensive conversion from pasture to non-irrigated arable land and permanent crops lcf463 Diffuse conversion from pasture to arable and permanent crops lcf47 Extension of agroforestry 0 20 40 lcf81 bodies creation lcf913 Extension of water courses lcf92 Forests and shrubs fires lcf93 Coastal erosion lcf99 Other changes and unknown (agri. cons.) lcf99 Other changes and unknown (agri. form.) -3000-2000 -1000 0 9
Forest & nature 10.33. LC consumed by forest & nature [% of total] 10.34. Formation of forest & nature land from non-forest /nature [% of total] Mineral extraction 9% Nonirrigated arable 10% Broadleaved forest 25% Agriculture with natural veg. 5 Pastures 1 Complex cultivation patterns 15% bodies 66% courses 10% 10.35. Consumption of forest & nature land by non-forest/nature [% of total] 10.36. Formation of non-forest/nature land from forest & nature [% of total] Sparsely vegetated areas 4% Beaches, dunes, sand plains Transition. woodland/ shrub 17% Inland marshes courses 0.2% bodies 4% Broadleaved forest 29% Olive groves 7% Fruit trees/berry plantations Sport/ leisure 0.4% Agriculture with natural veg. 6% Disc. urban fabric 0. Industrial/ commerc. 1 Road/rail network 26% Sclerophyll ous veg. 19% Natural grassland 1 Coniferous forest 12% Construct. 4 Mineral extraction 9% Transit. woodland shrub 32% 10.37. Forested land 2012 [% of total area] 10.38. Main trends in woodland & forests consumption/formation [ha/year] Consumption of forest land by urban sprawl 0 200 400 600 800 1000 Mixed forest 4% Broadleaved forest 56% Conversion from forest to agriculture Recent fellings and transitions Withdrawal of farming with woodland creation Conifer. forest 8% Forest creation, afforestation Conversion from transitional woodland to forests Forest creation over wetlands 10
Bare rock Beaches, dunes and sand plains 11.39. Dry semi-natural areas 2012 [% of total area] Scleroph. veget. 35% Sparsely veget. areas 18% Burnt areas Moors and heathl. 2% Natural grassland 40% 11.40. Main trends in dry semi-natural land consumption/formation [ha/year] Consumption of dry semi-natural land cover by urban sprawl Conversion of semi-natural land cover to agriculture Forest creation, afforestation over dry semi-natural land Withdrawal of farming without woodland creation Decrease of permanent snow and glaciers 0 30 60 Coastal lagoons 17% 11.41. Wetlands & water 2012 [% of total area] Estuaries 0. Inland marshes 6% Salt marshes 7% Salines courses 1 11.42. Main trends in wetlands & water consumption/formation [ha/year] Consumption of wetlands by urban sprawl Conversion of wetlands to agriculture Forest creation and afforestation over wetlands Withdrawal of farming without woodland creation -20 0 20 40 bodies 54% Net water bodies creation Net wetlands creation 11.43. Mean annual conversions of forest & other woodland [ha/year] lcf13 Development of green urban areas lcf2 Urban residential sprawl lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures lcf511 Intensive conversion from forest to agriculture lcf512 Diffuse conversion from forest to agriculture lcf61 Withdrawal of farming with woodland creation lcf71 Conversion from transitional woodland to forest (cons.) lcf71 Conversion from transitional woodland to forest (form.) lcf72 Forest creation, afforestation lcf73 Forests internal conversions (cons.) lcf73 Forests internal conversions (form.) lcf74 Recent felling and transition (cons.) lcf74 Recent felling and transition (form.) lcf8 bodies creation and management lcf9 Changes of land cover due to natural and multiple causes (cons.) lcf9 Changes of land cover due to natural and multiple causes (form.) -1500-1000 -500 0 500 1000 1500 11
12.44. Mean annual conversions of dry semi-natural LC [ha/year] lcf13 Development of green urban areas lcf2 Urban residential sprawl lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures lcf521 Intensive conversion from semi-natural land to agriculture lcf522 Diffuse conversion from semi-natural land to agriculture lcf523 Conversions from agriculture-nature mosaics to continuous lcf62 Withdrawal of farming without significant woodland creation lcf72 Forest creation, afforestation lcf74 Recent felling and transition lcf8 bodies creation and management lcf82 bodies management lcf911 Semi-natural creation (form.) lcf912 Semi-natural rotation (cons.) lcf912 Semi-natural rotation (form.) lcf913 Extension of water courses (cons.) lcf92 Forests and shrubs fires (cons.) lcf92 Forests and shrubs fires (form.) lcf93 Coastal erosion (cons.) lcf94 Decrease in permanent snow and glaciers cover (cons.) lcf94 Decrease in permanent snow and glaciers cover (form.) lcf99 Other changes and unknown (cons.) lcf99 Other changes and unknown (form.) -800-400 0 400 800 1200 1600 12.45. Mean annual conversions of wetlands and water LC [ha/year] lcf13 Development of green urban areas lcf2 Urban residential sprawl lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures lcf53 Conversion from wetlands to agriculture lcf62 Withdrawal of farming without significant woodland creation lcf72 Forest creation, afforestation lcf8 bodies creation and management (cons.) lcf81 bodies creation lcf9 Changes of land cover due to natural and multiple causes (other than LCF91) lcf9 Changes of land cover due to natural and multiple causes (other than LCF912) lcf911 Semi-natural creation (form.) lcf912 Semi-natural rotation (cons.) lcf912 Semi-natural rotation (form.) lcf913 Extension of water courses (form.) -150-100 -50 0 50 100 12
CLC Changes CLC Changes 13
Drivers of change Drivers of change 14
Artificial sprawl Artificial sprawl 15
Agriculture Agriculture 16
Forest and nature Forest and nature 17