Moldova studies Romania’s experience in participatory management of protected areas in the Danube Delta

Representatives of public authorities, environmental institutions and civil society organisations from Moldova carried out a study visit to Romania to examine European models of participatory management of protected areas. The visit took place on 17–19 June 2026 and included the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve and the Măcin Mountains National Park.

According to the NGO EcoContact, the main purpose of the visit was to study management practices for protected areas based on the active involvement of local communities, public authorities and non-governmental organisations. Particular attention was paid to cooperation mechanisms for the sustainable management of ecosystem services, the development of nature-based tourism and adaptation to climate change.

During the visit, the delegation visited the Information Centre of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, where participants were introduced to mechanisms for involving local communities and local authorities in the management of the reserve. The Danube Delta has a special international conservation status: in 1990, it was designated a biosphere reserve under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme, and in 1991 it was recognised as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.

A separate part of the programme focused on the Măcin Mountains National Park. Participants met with the park administration, discussed the preparation and implementation of management plans, and explored tourist routes within the park. The Măcin Mountains National Park is the only national park in Romania located outside the Carpathian range. Established in 1998, it covers more than 11,000 hectares and is known for its exceptional biodiversity. Despite its relatively compact area, the park is home to a significant share of Romania’s plant and bird species.

The visit also included a practical session on cooperation opportunities between public authorities, protected area administrations and local communities. Key topics included waste management, sustainable tourism, preservation of ecosystem services and the impact of climate change on protected areas.

The event was organised within the project “Improving the Management of Protected Areas in Moldova through Institutional Development, Capacity Building and Habitat Restoration”. The project is funded by the Austrian Development Agency within the framework of Austria’s international development partnerships and is implemented by the Biotica Ecological Society and the NGO EcoContact.

Comment by the Institute of Danube Research

According to Vitaliy Barvinenko, Director of the Institute of Danube Research, Romania’s experience in managing protected areas is important not only for Moldova, but for the entire Danube region.

“The Danube Delta is not only a unique natural area, but also a complex system where environmental protection, local governance, tourism, transport, fisheries and regional development intersect. That is why effective management of such territories is impossible without the participation of local communities. A participatory model makes it possible to combine conservation objectives with the economic needs of local populations,” Vitaliy Barvinenko emphasised.

In his view, the development of a common approach to the management of Danube ecosystems is particularly relevant for Moldova, Ukraine and Romania. This concerns not only biodiversity protection, but also sustainable tourism, water security, climate adaptation and stronger cross-border cooperation.

“The Danube region needs not isolated conservation measures, but a coordinated policy in which communities, the state, experts and international partners act as participants in a single process. For Ukraine, this experience is also important, especially in the context of the development of the Ukrainian Danube region, territorial recovery and integration into European environmental and governance standards,” the Director of the Institute of Danube Research noted.

The Institute underlines that such study visits contribute not only to the exchange of practical experience, but also to the formation of a long-term regional culture of shared natural resource governance. For the Danube basin, which is simultaneously an ecological, transport and socio-economic space, this approach is of strategic importance.