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Description
The practice of large-scale farming, the consolidation of land properties and the restriction of the access to the communal pasture or to other lands is leading directly to the loss of the feeling of belonging for the young people, to their departure towards urban areas and to the depopulation of the Hartibaciu area. The process of land concentration has serious long-term economic and social effects, but the greatest danger is the destruction of biodiversity.
The reduced involvement of citizens in public life is revealed by the lack of reaction to the aggressive land grabbing by large farming companies. Aggressive land concentration leads directly to the disappearance of small farms, depopulation of the area and damage to biodiversity in the Natura 2000 Area.
The project proposes the creation of a Forum Open Landscape Hârtibaciu Valley in order to activate young people, especially young farmers, to civic action. The existence and viability of small farms is essential for preserving biodiversity and maintaining the Natura 2000 Area in current parameters. The forum will have a permanent advocacy mechanism and watchdog activities. Workshops, meetings, photo exhibitions and symposiums will be organized for the activation of youth. The direct beneficiaries of the project are young farmers and youth under 35 years old. The indirect beneficiaries are four NGOs.
The project will be implemented in partnership with “Hosman Durabil” Association. They will have the role of facilitator for communication, the development and expansion of NGO network and the promotion of civic participation idea and protection of the Natura 2000 area.
Summary of project results
Over the past three decades, the Valea Hartibaciului area has been characterized by a clear decline in individual households and an increase in large-scale monoculture farming. These trends have been driven by three main causes: land grabbing, depopulation, and low levels of community and individual involvement. The project aimed to address the latter issue by fostering greater community engagement and collaboration among local stakeholders.
As part of the project, the Statute for the Peisaj Deschis Federation was drafted, and 88 complaints, suggestions, and proposals for action were collected from 57 individuals. In addition, 65 requests for information were submitted under the Public Information Transparency Law. Meetings and debates were organized on key topics, including tourism and infrastructure, cultural heritage, agriculture and pollution, community development and coordination, and the conservation of the Natura 2000 Reserve and its habitats.
Four workshops were conducted for 108 pupils, combining practical outdoor activities with environmental project work, culminating in an exhibition. A symposium with local stakeholders was also organized, while representatives of the local public administration participated in workshops aimed at strengthening collaboration. Infographics created as part of the project were published and disseminated, and three exhibitions were held in different locations within the region, attracting a total of 250 participants.
The project team, comprising members from both the promoter and the partner organization, benefited from four institutional development courses.
The project achieved significant results, including improved collaboration between NGOs and local public administrations in the area, the creation of the Open Landscape Forum—a unique initiative in Romania that addresses the links between territorial fragmentation, the preservation of open landscapes, economic development, and ecosystem conservation—and the integration of the project’s objectives into the Local Development Strategy of the Local Action Group (LAG).