Last updated: May 2025
In 2020, the European Fund for the Balkans (EFB) launched the Trees of Friendship project, which plants over 400 trees annually across six Western Balkan capitals, known to be some of the most air-polluted cities in Europe (Ref. 5). Tirana has been involved from the start, having planted over 110 trees in locations such as Great Lake Park in 2020 and Farka Park in 2022 (Ref. 1,2). The project is carried out with the support of local municipal and civil society partners, including Tirana's Parks and Recreation Agency and the Environmental Territorial Management Institute, along with activists and volunteers (Ref. 1,2). The initiative was planned in 2019 when the EFB board decided to mitigate its CO2 emissions from business-related flights and enhance local and regional cooperation on air pollution (Ref. 3,4,5). Despite challenges in citizen engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trees of Friendship project continues to raise awareness about the role of trees in mitigating the impact of air pollution on health and well-being (Ref. 2). Its strong and well-established local and regional partnerships have facilitated the project's implementation in the past and continue to benefit in scaling the project (Ref. 1,5).
Tree Planting action at Great Lake Park in 2020
https://etmi-al.org/portfolio/tree-of-friendship/
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change mitigation
- Environmental quality
- Air quality improvement
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Improving physical health
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Inclusive governance
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Environmental Degradation
- Air pollution
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Physical health harm (from pollution, wildfire, extreme temperature)
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation)
Focus
Maintenance and management of urban nature, Urban reforestation, restoration of street trees, Improved governance of green or blue areas, Regional or international exchange of knowledge and experience concerning NBS governance and management
Project objectives
Goal 1: Reduction of carbon emissions from the organisation activities/business. (Ref. 2,3)
Goal 2: Fostering local and regional solidarity and cooperation on common problems such as air pollution. (Ref. 3,5)
Goal 3: Engage activists and citizens in the implementation process to raise awareness on how to address air pollution. (Ref. 1,2,5)
Goal 4: Overall: Increase the number of trees in the city to allevite the pressure of air pollution and enhance attactiveness of sites. (Ref. 1,2)
Goal 5: Continue and scale the project in Tirana and other regions of the western Balkan (Ref. 5)
Implementation activities
Goal 1:
- In 2019 - monitor the amount of CO2 produced because of business activities at the European Fund for the Balkans (Ref. 3)
Goal 2:
- In 2020 - launch of "Tree of Friendship" initiative that promotes local and regional cooperation on the problem of air pollution. Consequently, over 400 trees were planted in all 6 regional capital cities in 2020 (Ref. 2).
In 2020, 60 Trees were planted in Tirana in cooperation with the Municipality and the public "Parks and Recreation Agency" (Ref. 2) .
This partnership helped to streamline the implementation process in the following years. In 2022 for example, 50 trees were planed without any organizational issues (Ref. 1).
These activities laid the foundation for scaling the project over the years. In 2023 the initiative grew to 9 cities and 450 planted trees. (Ref. 5)
Goal 3:
- Inviting citizens and activists to participate in the tree-planting process. (Ref. 1,2)
Climate-focused activities
Climate change mitigation:
- Increase the availability of green urban space for carbon storage (street tree cover)
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Non-government organisation/civil society
- Transnational network
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
"The Institute for Environmental and Territorial Management [a non-profit] has joined the "Friendship Tree" Regional initiative supported by the European Fund for the Balkans (EFB). " (Ref. 2)
"In cooperation with the Municipality of Tirana, the Parks and Recreation Agency and with the participation of volunteers, 60 trees were planted in the Great Lake Park of Tirana [in 2020]" (Ref. 2)
"it is worth emphasizing that 16 employees of the Parks and Recreation Agency prepared the tree planting site before we arrived and planted the trees together with ETMI representatives and local activists [in 2022]" (Ref. 1)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Type of enablers
Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships), Collaboration with other projects that implemented NBS, Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city)
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Multilateral funds/international funding
- Private Foundation/Trust
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
- Donations
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Enhanced carbon sequestration
- Expected enhanced carbon sequestration
- Environmental quality
- Improved air quality
- Expected improved air quality
- Green space and habitat
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Achieved increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Health and wellbeing
- Improved prevention of respiratory problems
- Expected improved prevention of respiratory problems
- Education
- Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
- Expected increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
- Other
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Offsetting, Carbon offsets *
References
1.
Cela, K. (2022). Kledisa Cela,Tirana: 50 new trees at Farka Lake in Albania. Okruzenje, Accessed on September 14, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Ekolevizja Group (2020). Nisma Rajonale “Pema e Miqësisë. Accessed on September 14, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Grzegorczyk, M. (2020). Trees of Friendship in the Western Balkans. Emerging Europe, Accessed on September 14, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Tomanic, A: (2019). Post / Aleksandra Tomanic. Twitter, Accessed on September 14, 2024, [Source link];
5.
European Fund for the Balkans (2023). Forth edition of our regional initiative Trees of Friendship . Accessed on September 14, 2024, [Source link];
Tree Planting action at Great Lake Park in 2020
https://etmi-al.org/portfolio/tree-of-friendship/
Tree Planting Action at Farka Lake in 2022
https://okruzenje.com/en/vicinities-chronicles/kledisa-celatirana-50-new-trees-at-farka-lake-in-albania/#
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.