A GIS Approach for the Managemnt Purposes and the Floristic and Vegetation Features of the “Grand Park” of Tirana

Environmental analysis of flora, vegetation and zoningin the “Grand Park” of Tirana (Albania) were carried out for management purposeswith GIS program.The Grand Park, which lies in the hills south of the city, covers a land area of about 220 ha plus 48 ha of water. The Park was built on an existing area of vegetation where species of Albanian flora were planted and some exotic species introduced, thus representing a hybrid” park with natural and artificial features. It is surrounded by residential buildings, commercial and national roads with heavy traffic.The species and vegetation types of the park were sampled to identify the most important for conservation and management purposes; to analyse their origin and distribution in relation to anthropogenic impacts, and to provide general information on their ecology.Distribution of different green areas within the park was derived by interpreting aerial photographs, and by using Geographical Information Systems (Esri ArcGIS). The current map was compared with a previous one to detect the dynamics of the green urban areas.The environmental diagnosis identified several types of activities potentially harmful to the biodiversity of the “Grand Park” and the environmental quality of the city. Implementation of a management plan would be essential to maintain and preserve this urban park, aiming to ensure its role in improving the quality of urban life. The survey results showed that within the park area 69% of the species were wild and 31% introduced.