PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Romania has introduced a national programme to conserve its priority species and habitats that consists of protected areas and the designation of Natura 2000 sites, which cover at least 20% of the country's territory. Nevertheless, these sites face huge pressures and threats mainly relating to logging, land-use changes, hunting and poaching, major habitat fragmentation as a result of infrastructure development, and uncontrolled development. These threats shows that there is a significant gap between communicating the value of this network and achieving the active support of key stakeholders. A study carried out in 2010 by the NGO coalition Natura 2000 in Romania confirmed the increasing level of these threats.
A total 156 administrators and custodians are contracted by the Ministry of Environment for the management of 182 SCIs and SPAs. These site managers address complex management issues without many opportunities to learn about the latest techniques and best practices for doing so or for interacting with other managers.
OBJECTIVES
The project aimed to ensure that Natura 2000 sites in Romania are well managed by skilled professionals and that their conservation objectives are reflected in regional territorial plans and in economic activities. Specifically, the project aimed to improve the capacity of Natura 2000 site managers in Romania through comprehensive training programmes that emphasise the importance of adopting an integrated, participatory approach to site management and sustainable development. The project would develop and disseminate best practice guidance and offer training to improve the communication skills of site managers; a communications toolkit for Natura 2000 managers in Europe would be produced. The final aim was to support better territorial planning in Romania that incorporates biodiversity concerns by providing guidance to key economic sectors that are using the land and natural resources.
RESULTS
The EME Natura2000 project produced five ‘Biodiversity and Natura 2000 Toolkits for Key Economic Sectors’, and two manuals and several other strategic documents. These communication materials, which have proved to be particularly useful, were the result of a wide participatory process that brought the beneficiaries (a Romanian NGO, a European federation of NGOs, a ministry and a regional development entity) and stakeholders together. The toolkits focus on five key sectors and include training for both staff members of Natura 2000 site administrations and those working in related sectors, such as forestry and agriculture. The communication materials were assessed to have increased levels of awareness of strategic planning, biodiversity, Natura 2000 and the sustainable use of natural resources by more than 20% among the main target groups: natural resource managers, public authority managers and authorities responsible with strategic planning (local, regional and national).
The project also held two training events in Europe attracting 33 participants and six in Romania attracting 122 participants for Natura 2000 site administrators on communication related to Natura 2000. Furthermore, the project helped establish a good cooperation between ProPark as coordinating beneficiary and its partners to the benefit of enhancing their capacity and enlarging their approach to conservation and Natura 2000 in particular. Project partner Europarc launched an award on good communication related to Natura 2000, while ProPark introduced a gala to raise awareness of protected areas. Both of these initiatives will continue in the future. Moreover, the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Metropolitan Agency for Sustainable Development of Brasov now have personnel experienced in implementing LIFE projects and dealing with information and communicating aspects of Natura 2000.
Finally, the beneficiaries worked together with a Local Action Group in Romania to design a local development strategy as part of the LEADER programme. This cooperation is a good example of how to harmonise LIFE with other sustainable initiatives on a Natura 2000 site.
The EME Natura2000 project produced five ‘Biodiversity and Natura 2000 Toolkits for Key Economic Sectors’, and two manuals and several other strategic documents. These communication materials, which have proved to be particularly useful, were the result of a wide participatory process that brought the beneficiaries (a Romanian NGO, a European federation of NGOs, a ministry and a regional development entity) and stakeholders together. The toolkits focus on five key sectors and include training for both staff members of Natura 2000 site administrations and those working in related sectors, such as forestry and agriculture. The communication materials were assessed to have increased levels of awareness of strategic planning, biodiversity, Natura 2000 and the sustainable use of natural resources by more than 20% among the main target groups: natural resource managers, public authority managers and authorities responsible with strategic planning (local, regional and national).The project also held two training events in Europe attracting 33 participants and six in Romania attracting 122 participants for Natura 2000 site administrators on communication related to Natura 2000. Furthermore, the project helped establish a good cooperation between ProPark as coordinating beneficiary and its partners to the benefit of enhancing their capacity and enlarging their approach to conservation and Natura 2000 in particular. Project partner Europarc launched an award on good communication related to Natura 2000, while ProPark introduced a gala to raise awareness of protected areas. Both of these initiatives will continue in the future. Moreover, the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Metropolitan Agency for Sustainable Development of Brasov now have personnel experienced in implementing LIFE projects and dealing with information and communicating aspects of Natura 2000.
Finally, the beneficiaries worked together with a Local Action Group in Romania to design a local development strategy as part of the LEADER programme. This cooperation is a good example of how to harmonise LIFE with other sustainable initiatives on a Natura 2000 site.
