Description
The environmental NGO sector in Romania is informally organized and operates on opportunity base in its watchdog and civil society alternative position. There is a need for constant and professional involvement of the NGO network as a common voice of expression and action to support nature conservation activities and fight illegal practices in the protected areas in the country. The main objective is to strengthen the capacity of the Natura2000 NGO Coalition to fight illegal developments in protected areas in Romania. The project will set up the advocacy strategy for the Coalition and will document and follow-up publicly 10 cases of illegal activities in natural protected areas. A structured way of operating, decision making and rapid reaction will be developed for the NGO Coalition. The project will involve volunteers of the member organizations as well as professional support from environmental experts and legal advisers. The main beneficiaries of the project are the member NGOs of the Coalition as well as the administrators and custodians of the protected areas that will included in the cases communicated to the general public and to the national authorities.
Summary of project results
The project “Capacity and involvement for the natural protected areas in Romania” was decisive for establishing Coalition Natura 2000 Romania as one of the most powerful stakeholders in the decision making process for the Natura 2000 Network in Romania, and also in what concerns biodiversity conservation in general. The project facilitated the transition from the informal coalition status to a formally established federation, building the capacity of the NGO through strategical management and networking. Throughout advocacy and policy tools like campaign coordination, lobby, official statements, law proposals, lawsuits, watchdog activities and documentation, the team managed to enforce and develop the law framework for CE Biodiversity Directives in Romania and to maintain the favourable status of conservation in some protected areas. While networking more than 17 organisation and coordinating more than 40 volunteers, this project had many achievements: elaboration of draft regulations for a new National Agency for the Natural Protected Areas; the latest sociologic assessment of Natura 2000 sites in Romania; intervention on 3 laws for biodiversity conservation; international representation as focal point in one CE Fitness check process, which attracted half a million citizens against weakening of the Biodiversity Directives; the first court case won by an NGO on micro-hydropower plant illegal projects; at least two protected areas saved from destruction through legal court cases; at least 20 cases of abuses documented. One of the highlights of the project was the largest and most successful environmental campaign in 2015 called „Stop the barbary, Save the lark”, fighting against a legislative proposal and saving 11 species of singing birds from extinction by hunting. The campaign was awarded with the Golden Lion at the International Cannes Festival for advertising, and several gold and silver awards at Romanian PR Gala 2015. An annual advocacy plan and the long term strategic communication are assumed by federation members.
Summary of bilateral results