Description
The project contributes to stopping degradation of natural ecosystems and their services through increased knowledge of their value and their contribution to sustainable economies as well as to mainstreaming ecosystem services into relevant policies. The main objective is to increase the knowledge of the contribution of natural ecosystems within protected areas to economic sectors and to provide subsequent policy initiatives/actions/recommendations. It will provide a model of how natural ecosystems and their services should be assessed and valued so that their contribution to main economic sectors is understood and serves as a basis to improve the policy framework. There will be produced studies and awareness campaigns. The accountable contribution of ecosystems to key economic sectors in the area will be assessed, providing a model for other protected areas. Beneficiaries: forest owners; companies in the field of wood harvesting and processing, energy generation, infrastructure; local administrations and suppliers. No donor partner included, however, exchange of information and experience with research institutes in Norway is envisaged.
Summary of project results
Within the project the foreseen objectives, the specific objectives were met (the accountable contribution of forest and freshwater ecosystems in Maramureș Mountains Nature Park (MMNP) to key economic sectors in the area is assessed, providing a model for other protected areas in Romania, a study to identify the sharing of management related costs among direct beneficiaries of the protected areas' forest and freshwater ecosystems is developed and serves as a basis for relevant policy initiatives, support and understanding has been created for mainstreaming protected areas forest and freshwater ecosystem service values into relevant national and regional sectoral policies; awareness of key target groups on the values and benefits provided by natural ecosystems in protected areas and on the importance to maintain them as public services is raised) and all contributed to the general objective of the project: knowledge of the contribution of natural ecosystems within protected areas to economic sectors in Romania is increased and provides subsequent policy initiatives/actions/recommendations. The project directly contributed to the improvement of knowledge and policies on the contribution of ecosystems in protected areas to economic sectors by carrying out two studies on the contribution of natural ecosystems in protected areas and a report that will support relevant environemntal related public policies in relation to the main economic sectors in Romania. In this context, beyond the mere transfer of information, the project has also made it possible to improve stakeholders’ knowledge on Romania's natural capital, its state and trends, as well as the contribution of ecosystems in the protected areas to the main economic sectors. The participatory approach adopted during the implementation of the project was crucial in the process of improving knowledge. The project also provided support for integrating the values of forest and aquatic ecosystem services in protected areas into relevant sectorial policies at regional and national level, providing decision makers with a model for economic quantification of natural forest and aquatic ecosystems and related services in Romania.
Summary of bilateral results