STRUCTURE OF THE FOREST OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT RIGHTS IN THE ALBANIAN FOREST LAWS

Many changes in the forest sector during the last 6 decades, political social and economic ones, are reflected clearly also in the forest legislation. They do show the trend and the policy being followed regarding many important issues in the forest sector as the ownership structure, property rights regimes and management practises on the Albanian forests and pastures reflecting the traditions and attitudes which have influenced the use and management of forests in Albania. This paper analyses the evolution of the Albanian forest legislation and the most important issues it has regulated in different periods, since 1923 when the first law on forest was approved and it is based on document analysis and literature review related to the laws on forests issued in Albania since 1923. A comparative analysis of the above mentioned elements of these laws and of complementary official documents was made to better understand how the forest laws have evolved and the role they played on the political, social, economic and environmental changes that occurred in the forestry sector at each period of time taken into consideration.