At the very beginning we were just a few friends, mountain lovers who had a view of the most beautiful mountain areas in Romania and also of the problems existing at that specific moment. In 1991, we established an environment organization of students, without having a very clear focus. Three of the group had been visited the Retezat National Park and were very affected by the large quantities of waste and the big number of sheep grazing within the only, by then, national park of Romania and also a Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO - MAB program. They launched the idea of practical and concrete activities based on volunteers’ action of enthusiastic students and young teachers (biology, geography, forestry, economics, technical etc.).
We
focused since 1992 on Retezat National Park, considering it the most valuable
montane zone in Romania, a European interest natural area. "Pro Natura"
started in 1992 the program "Protection and Environmental Education in
Retezat National Park" which has been developed every year since then.
The members of our association embraced the idea of only one activity, but vast
in scope.
In
1992, 50 tones of wastes had been collected and deposited in especially arranged
places, their evacuation being finished in 1994. This way, the alpine area hygienisation
was accomplished. The premises of ecological tourism by the force of example
were realized. Starting from 1993 we’ve put under control the observance
by tourists of park rules, regarding the camping, their own wastes, making fire,
cutting the dwarf-pine. For all these Pro Natura has obtained authorization
of custodians from Nature Monuments Commission of the Romanian Academy.
Also Pro Natura realised the information and awareness of tourists by discutions, conferences, leaflets, questionaire, restrictive panels. The awareness had been extended to the public by television, press, a weekly Pro Natura’s radio broadcasting.
For
the first time in a mountain area a waste evacuation system has been realized
based on delivering ecological bags to the tourists and arranging containers
in certain places. Pro Natura also realized the information and awareness of
tourists by discussions, establishing information-education centers, leaflets
distribution, questionnaires and restrictive panels. The awareness had been
extended to the public by television, press, a weekly Pro Natura’s radio
broadcasting.
By the results obtained, this action was among the most mediated, having a great impact on general public, who realize that in Romania, enthusiastic youth exits, leading to a consolidation of the NGOs position within the society.
A
decisive role for the collaboration between UNESCO - Pro Natura and these bodies
has the establishment of the Retezat Commission for the coordination of the
actions and the collaboration between the concerned factors for an efficient
management and for solving the area problems. Therefore, after an intensive
lobby made by "Pro Natura" and Deva Forestry Branch, in the February
1996, the Governmental Authority of the Hunedoara County Decision has established
the "Retezat Commission". This is composed of all the involved actors,
among which is also UNESCO-Pro Natura. The goal of the Commission is the nature
conservation and sustainable development within the Retezat massive. Among its
particular objectives is solving the overgrazing, tourism and legislation problems.
In starting the international lobby, the very good cooperation between UNESCO
"Pro Natura" and the IUCN - Focal Point Romania, was essential. These
two organizations started to work unite, having the same interest - Retezat
National Park. As a consequence, in spring 1995, two IUCN experts have visited
Retezat National Park, in order to see the achievements in the area within the
Visiting Tour of all five east-Europen sites proposed as
models in 1992. Their observations, comments and proposals were discussed in
June at a seminar in Danube Delta, Romania and presented through a book "Best
Practice for Conservation Planning in Rural Areas" at the Ministerial Conference
in Sofia, October 1995. Also, the World Bank mission involved in supporting
the Romanian Government in producing the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy,
have visited Retezat in the summer of 1995, as a possible model site to be funded
by a GEF Project which implies the realization of a study for the management
plan and also the establishment of a management structure.
Now "Pro Natura" aims to involve in the future administration of the park. For the human resource development "Pro Natura" and other NGOs set up in 1996 the Romanian Rangers Association (RRA), which is now affiliated to the International Ranger Association. RRA aims to form human resource for protected areas management. All our efforts are directed now towards making UNESCO "Pro Natura" a long-term viable partner in Retezat National Park management.
Pro Natura actions had also drawn the interest of some important foundations and companies. The program has financed since 1992 by Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe, Soros Foundation AIDRom, Youth Ministry and private companies.
What
can be learnt from our activity and extrapolated for others is that clear focus,
continuos action, dedicated people, seriosity and good partnerships can lead
to a long-term success. Once you establish the partnership with governmental
structure, state institutions, NGOs, media and you are perceived as a credible
partner, the way to achieve your objective is smoother.
As a recognition of our activities in nature conservation field, UNESCO Pro Natura was accepted in 1997 as a member of IUCN -The World Conservation Union.
In its following stages, the programme aims to solve the overgrazing and touristic problems through:
For rasing public awareness and NGOs access to information Pro Natura established an Internet site in the Student Cultural House and now we are searching to develop the Internet Navigation Center for students and environmental NGOs and also to put on the web information about nature value of Romania, and related activities.
Our projects are now:
Local public policy - broadening partnership between all steakholders for Retezat National Park management through the "Retezat Commission" and lobby the decision-makers in the field