PHOTO, VIDEO // Women from rural communities, protected areas take part in an exchange visit to Comana Natural Park of Romania

Thirteen women from rural communities and protected areas of Moldova took part in a study visit to the Comana Natural Park of Romania, dedicated to participatory management of protected areas, sustainable local entrepreneurship and strengthening the role of women in the development of rural communities.

The study visit was organized by EcoContact NGO within the project, Improving the management of protected areas of Moldova through institutional development, capacity building and habitat restoration, implemented by EcoContact NGO and BIOTICA NGO with the support of the Austrian Development Agency, as part of the Austrian International Partnerships. The event brought together local women entrepreneurs, representatives of civil society, community leaders and participants involved in developing economic and community initiatives in the vicinity of protected areas from Moldova.

The agenda included topic-related sessions and practical examples on cooperation between the administrations of protected areas and communities, integrating the gender perspective into planning processes and developing economic activities compatible with biodiversity conservation goals. The participants examined local initiatives in the fields of ecotourism, promotion of natural and cultural heritage, traditional gastronomy and crafts, including examples developed within the Paper Mill and Comana House in the Comana Natural Park area.

Natalia Jardan, deputy director of the Codrii (Forests) Nature Reserve and participant in the study visit, highlighted the educational and community components of the initiatives examined during the visit.

“The experience at Comana offers useful perspectives for developing projects dedicated to tourist infrastructure and research activities in the protected areas of Moldova. What impressed me the most about these workshops is the involvement of children, who come and try to create various things from these materials,” said Natalia Jardan.

For her part, Elena Frunze-Hatman, actress and director of the Alexei Mateevici Theatre, initiator of a future camping and open-air theatre activity in the Donici area, noted the importance of harnessing local heritage and community identity in developing sustainable initiatives.

“I appreciated, in particular, the team spirit, the way things are managed and how what you have can be capitalized on, if you know how to talk about the legend of the place and make people discover with interest and curiosity what surrounds them,” noted Elena Frunze-Hatman.

The study visit contributes to the activities carried out by EcoContact NGO, in order to promote women’s participation in processes of governance of protected areas and to support local economic initiatives developed in harmony with conservation objectives and the sustainable development of rural communities.

A video report of the visit is available on YouTube.