North Green Association‘s initiative project “SkyWatch – Heritage” financed by CulturaAL project with the objective, to strengthen the capacity of civil society to contribute to accountability and improved governance in the protection and management of cultural heritage landscapes in Albania
This project is implemented within the CulturAL project, financed by the European Union and implemented by National Center For Community Services, and Artivista Center.
DESCRIPTION
“Sky watch – HERITAGE” addresses a structural gap in the management of cultural heritage in Albania, related to the absence of continuous, evidence-based monitoring and the limited capacity to translate such evidence into institutional response and public accountability.
The initiative propose an approach that combines drone-based aerial documentation, field verification, and community engagement to systematically document changes and pressures affecting selected sites such as Ohrid/Lin, Shebenik, and Butrint.
Responsibility: Refers to the shared duty of institutions, civil society organizations, local communities, and visitors to protect Albania’s cultural heritage and natural landscapes.
In the context of Sky Watch – Heritage, responsibility means:
- Monitoring cultural and natural heritage sites regularly to identify threats or damage.
- Using drone technology and field observations to collect reliable evidence.
- Reporting findings transparently to public authorities and stakeholders.
- Encouraging institutions to respond to identified risks and enforce existing heritage and environmental laws.
- Promoting sustainable tourism and responsible land use that does not damage heritage sites.
Rather than only documenting problems, the project aims to improve accountability by ensuring that evidence leads to action.
Collaboration is a central element of the project because effective heritage protection requires multiple actors working together.
The project encourages cooperation among:
- North Green Association as the implementing civil society organization.
- Local communities, who provide local knowledge and help identify changes.
- Heritage experts, archaeologists, environmental specialists, and drone operators.
- Municipal authorities and protected area administrations.
- National institutions responsible for cultural heritage and environmental protection.
- The National Center for Community Services (NCCS) and Artivista Center, implementing the broader CulturAL project.
- The European Union, which finances the CulturAL project.
This collaboration allows technical evidence (drone imagery and field verification) to be combined with local knowledge and institutional decision-making, leading to better governance of heritage landscapes.
Nature and Cultural Heritage Impact
Many heritage sites are closely connected with their surrounding natural environment. Changes affecting one often affect the other.
The project examines impacts such as:
- Illegal construction near protected sites.
- Deforestation or vegetation loss.
- Soil erosion and landscape degradation.
- Pollution and waste accumulation.
- Uncontrolled tourism.
- Infrastructure development that alters historical landscapes.
- Climate-related impacts, including flooding or fires.
By using drones, repeated aerial imagery can reveal changes over time that may not be visible from the ground. This creates objective evidence for assessing the condition of both cultural monuments and the
Overall Contribution of the Project
The SkyWatch – Heritage initiative contributes to:
- Better protection of Albania’s cultural and natural heritage.
- More transparent and evidence-based monitoring.
- Increased accountability of public institutions responsible for heritage management.
- Greater public participation in safeguarding heritage.
- Improved cooperation between civil society, communities, and government authorities.
- Stronger resilience of heritage landscapes through early identification of risks and informed decision-making.
In short, the project uses drone technology, community participation, and institutional cooperation to ensure that Albania’s cultural heritage landscapes are monitored responsibly, protected effectively, and managed in a transparent and sustainable way.