Lenzing promotes sustainable forestry project in Albania

Albania’s forest areas rank among the European regions with the most extensive room for improvement. New approaches to manage the forests are necessary in order to effectively cope with environmental problems and to fulfil the current needs of society with respect to the sustainable use of natural resources. Lenzing is supporting this process with this reforestation project. In this way, it is moving ahead with implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations to which the company is committed.

“Lenzing has longstanding experience in responsible wood sourcing and extensive forestry expertise. This project shows that the Lenzingers passionately stand up for the viability of trees and forests and champion the interests of people above and beyond their daily business and fibre production. The idea for this project at this site came from Lenzing’s wood procurement team. Our forest experts have underlined the important role reforestation can play, especially in this area,” said Robert van de Kerkhof, chief commercial officer of the Lenzing Group.

The project launched by Lenzing is being co-financed by the Austrian Development Agency, which brings together Albanian and Austrian experts as a means of improving forest management skills, enabling an exchange of know-how among vocational schools and revitalising degenerated land in Albania.

“We very much appreciate Lenzing’s decision to be actively involved in Albania. The objective is to support local communities and work together to deal with the problem of deforestation in Albania as well as to promote an exchange of know-how between Austrian and Albanian schools,” said Simone Ungersböck, head of the office of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) in Albania.

There is a great need to take action in the Ana e Malit region in North Albania. 50 per cent of the official forest areas do not contain any forest vegetation. The results are erosion and annual floods, which in turn make life hard for the local population, who primary earn a living from agriculture. For this reason, 3,660 fruit, deciduous and conifer trees were planted in the western part of the Municipality of Shkodra at the foot of the Tarboshi Mountains and in close proximity to the Buna and Drni rivers. In addition, erosion protection measures were installed such as stone walls and double fences.

Within the context of the project, the local community will be actively involved in the process in order to ensure a comprehensive transfer of knowledge. The pupils at the Forest School of Shkodra will actively take part in the entire process as a means of learning more about reforestation. Employees of Eco-Social Farm, a facility for people with disabilities located directly below the reforestation area, will take care of the irrigation of the seedlings. Furthermore, an interdisciplinary cooperation will be carried out with the Austrian school in Shkodra. The reforestation project will serve as the basis for the diploma thesis of the pupils there. In turn, this will contribute to sustainably raising the awareness of pupils and the general public with respect to current challenges in forest management.

The project underlines the commitment of the Lenzing Group to promoting sustainability and enables the company to establish best practice examples for the industry and at the same time to learn for future projects and similar CSR-related activities.

The Lenzing Group stands for ecologically responsible production of specialty fibres made from the renewable raw material wood. As an innovation leader, Lenzing is a partner of global textile and nonwoven manufacturers and drives many new technological developments.

The Lenzing Group’s high-quality fibres form the basis for a variety of textile applications ranging from elegant ladies clothing to versatile denims and high-performance sports clothing. Due to their consistent high quality, their biodegradability and compostability Lenzing fibres are also highly suitable for hygiene products and agricultural applications.

The business model of the Lenzing Group goes far beyond that of a traditional fibre producer. Together with its customers and partners, Lenzing develops innovative products along the value chain, creating added value for consumers. The Lenzing Group strives for the efficient utilisation and processing of all raw materials and offers solutions to help redirect the textile sector towards a closed-loop economy.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (PC)