Lure National Park
Lura ( Albanian: Lure ) is a mountainous region, a national park and a municipality in northeastern Albania. The 1,280 hectares of mountainous land is located in a north-south extension along the boundary between the Kreise Dibra in the east and Mat in the west between the valleys of the Drin and Mat. Several settlements in the valley northeast of the mountain region are merged to form the municipality of Lura.
Geography, fauna and flora
The highest elevation in the mountain region, with 2121 müa a rugged limestone rock summit in the Kukova e Lures (German Lura mountain chain). The wooded hilltops east of this form with heights 1350-1720 müa a plateau high above the surrounding around 600 meters above sea basin. The average annual temperature is 7.7 ° C, the average annual rainfall is 1482 mm.
In the northern part of the park lie along the travel path of the only seven glacial lakes, namely: Liqeni i Madh (Eng. Great Lake ) with 32 acres, Liqeni i Zi (German Black Lake; 8 hectares ), and the white with water lilies (Nymphaea alba) Yellow water lilies ( Nuphar luteum ) covered Liqeni i Luleve (German Blumensee; 4 hectares) and Liqeni i Lopeve ( German Cow lake). The dimensions given are to the spring quarter. Towards the end of the summer dry season, these lakes have significantly less water. There are other smaller lakes, which are then dry.
1966 an area of about 1300 hectares because of the then dense forest cover and the specific situation of the lakes was declared a National Park. In Lura is to find a wide variety of plants, including some endemic. The most frequently encountered between 1000 and 2000 meters, is beech forest ( Fagus sylvatica). It also comes mixed forest before and pure softwood inventory of silver fir (Abies alba) and pine species. Between 1600 and 1700 meters is black pine (Pinus nigra) dominant. In still thrive to 2000 meters mountain pine species ( Pinus individual heldreichii ) and up to 1700 meters, the Macedonian Pine ( Pinus peuce ). The latter is an endangered species and is generally present only in the western Balkans.
The mention of existing numerous animals such as wolves, wild cats, lynx and brown bears is in view of the environmental problems (see below) rather the legend. Information on the animal population are not available. Some endemic molluscs, crustaceans and insects are detected. In the lakes live brown trout (Salmo trutta fario ) and the Alpine newt (Triturus alpestris ).
Tourism
Except for a simple hotel opened in 2006 above the village Fushë - Lura National Park no tourist infrastructure is available. During the Communist rule, which lasted until 1991, a road was built tourist development along the lakes from north to south. In one of the lakes there are small remains of a wooden pavilion and a lodge as former destinations.
Access is via poor slopes at best to the north end of the park. There, the small town is Fushë - Lura ( Lura dt in the plane ) in a broad valley at the ascent to Lura Lane ( the plateau ). The place can be reached from the west over a small pass from Rrëshen about Kurbnesh on a gravel road. From the east there is a junction on the route Peshkopia - Kukes. Access from the south via Burrel was in September 2007 not possible for vehicles. Therefore, the beautifully situated in the south, surrounded by sparse pine forest grass level - called the Field of Mars - which is occasionally advertised tourist together with the lakes, most within walking distance.
Ecological problems
The forest inventory is severely threatened by deforestation. The up in the 1980s in the place Fushë - Lura still existing wood processing plant is gone. From here and from other places in the area is taken from the northern part of the park fuel and lumber. The type of transport - pack horses and small truck without lifting equipment - the damage is limited.
In contrast, large clearcuts are visible in the central and southern part. Here takes place organized illegal logging on a large scale. There are tractors used, which penetrate far into the forest. Mostly all wooded areas of the old trees are felled with the small timber remains lying unutilized and only the strong stem wood is salvaged. The removal is done by trucks with on-board crane to the south in the direction of Burrel in the first place Lis. There are two sawmills.
In August 2007, large parts of northern National Park area of forest fires were affected.