Experts, Moldovan authorities' representatives study European models of participatory management of protected areas during visit to Danube Delta

Representatives of local public authorities, the Environmental Protection Inspectorate and non-governmental organizations of Moldova have paid a study visit to the Danube Delta and Măcin Mountains National Park of Romania on June 17-19, 2026, in order to analyze good practices in participatory management of protected areas, cooperation with local communities and sustainable development of ecosystem services.

According to EcoContact NGO, the purpose of the visit was to examine models of participatory governance of protected areas, with a focus on collaboration mechanisms for sustainable management of ecosystem services and regional development.

The delegation visited the Information Center of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, where they were presented with information on mechanisms for involving local communities and authorities in the administration of the reserve. The Danube Delta was declared a Biosphere Reserve in 1990 under UNESCO’s “Man and the Biosphere” Programme, and in 1991, it was recognized as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.

The second destination of the visit was Măcin Mountains National Park, where participants discussed management plans with the park administration and followed a tourist trail in nature. The Măcin Mountains National Park covers an area of over 11,000 hectares and is the only national park of Romania located outside the Carpathian chain. It was declared a national park in 1998. On an area close to half the size of Bucharest, the park hosts about half of Romania’s plant species and half of its bird species.

The visit's agenda also included a practical session dedicated to opportunities for cooperation between authorities, protected area administrators and communities, addressing such topics as waste management, sustainable tourism and the impact of climate change.

The activity was organized within the project, Improving the management of protected areas of Moldova through institutional development, capacity building and habitat restoration, financed by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) as part of Austrian Development Cooperation’s International Partnerships and implemented by the Ecological Society Biotica and EcoContact NGO.