Law no. 57/2020 on forests.

The purpose of this Law is the protection of forests as assets of special importance, as an large and irreplaceable value in the protection of the climate, soil, the preservation and improvement of productive potentials, balances of the natural environment, biodiversity, genetic resources and water regime, which are also considered as obligations of national and international interest. This Law contributes to the sustainable development of forest sector, which enables a better life for society today and for future generations, by regulating relations in forest sector, which have a substantial impact on the quality of the natural environment, on the development of agriculture, energy and tourism, in poverty reduction, population displacement, mitigation of conflicts and social and gender-based inequalities, as well as in the security of the country. This Law aims to preserve, increase the area and increase the total volume of the national forest fund, regulating relations and guaranteeing financial stability, functional organization at all levels of government for the utilization and use of stable and balanced forest resources against the opportunity that forests have, without encroachment of continuity of life and cycle of forests. Likewise, the Law ensures the guarantee of quality forest services, aiming at proper protection, improvement and regeneration of forest space. This law is partially aligned with certain provisions part of several thematic European Union legislative texts, as specified in the list at the end of page 1.
The object of this Law includes the regulation of the administration of forest sector, the organization of institutional approach and action, the regulation of benefits and related services, that should be all based on the basis of stable development principle among related international commitments where the Republic of Albania is a party. This Law extends its activity to the entire territory of the Republic of Albania, for forests as a natural ecosystem in all its elements, for the governance of the forest sector in all possible functions, for all categories and in all forms of ownership. The provisions of this Law are also applied to protected areas, wild fauna, as well as medicinal plants, ethereal and natural taniferous plants, except when provided otherwise in respective special legislation. The provisions of this Law shall be further applied in cases provided for in article 4 (point 4) despite being outside the national forest fund (list of areas that are not included in the national forest fund, but which are administered according to the provisions of this Law). The national forest fund is divided into forest farms, parcels and sub-parcels. The National Register of the Forest Fund is the official register that is established and maintained by the forest agency, which reflects the totality of necessary cadastral information and it is updated with periodic changes for each unit of recognized national forest fund.
This text is divided into eight main thematic Chapters and a total of 42 articles. Titles of Chapters are as follows: I. General provisions; II. Forest sector; III. Administration of the forest sector; IV. Organization of the forest sector; V. Benefits from the use of the national forestry fund; VI. Forest treatment and services; VII. Control and counteractions in the forest sector; and VIII. Transitional and final provisions (offences, control inspections, liability for damage to the national forest fund, among related administrative proceedings are all specified in Chapter VII).