Foundation Conservation Carpathia, in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests, is launching a nationwide campaign to promote Romania’s national parks, entitled ‘Parks for Generations’. There are parks… and then there are national parks, is the campaign message, designed to explain why national parks are not simply ‘any natural area’ and to present their defining characteristics, value and heritage in a clear and accessible way, while encouraging people across Romania to discover and visit them. The campaign was launched at Făgăraș Fest and will be broadcast on television and radio and promoted online over the coming period.
The campaign advert can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqlOIphWl24
Natural heritage: an opportunity for the future
Romania is home to 13 national parks that are unique in Europe for their natural richness, diversity of species, largely intact ecosystems and landscapes of exceptional beauty. Together, these 13 national parks protect 317,500 hectares of natural areas and contribute to greater resilience in the face of climate change.
The forests within national parks help cool the air during periods of extreme heat and regulate the natural water cycle, reducing the risks of both drought and flooding.
Romania’s 13 national parks are: Buila-Vânturarița, Călimani, Ceahlău, Cheile Bicazului-Hășmaș, Cheile Nerei–Beușnița, Cozia, Defileul Jiului, Domogled–Valea Cernei, Munții Măcinului, Munții Rodnei, Piatra Craiului, Retezat and Semenic–Cheile Carașului.
These areas are home to majestic mountains, vast forests, alpine meadows, spectacular gorges, caves and numerous rare species of plants and animals.
For visitors, national parks provide opportunities to spend their leisure time in nature, escape the pressures of urban life and enjoy active relaxation. For local communities, they can generate income and support local development through the services offered to visitors.
Accommodation, food and drink, bicycle hire, a variety of nature-based experiences, visitor centres, guiding services and jobs connected to the park activities are just some of the opportunities that can support local economies.
National parks also help protect local communities from the effects of drought, flooding and heatwaves, which are becoming increasingly frequent as a result of climate change. Through the forests and ecosystems they protect, national parks help retain water in the landscape and regulate temperatures. This gives nearby communities a better chance of maintaining access to water resources and coping with periods of drought.
There are parks… and then there are national parks
The campaign brings the value of national parks into the spotlight, beginning with the way each of us relates to the word ‘park’.
It creates a contrast between a national park and an urban park through an intergenerational conversation between a grandfather and his granddaughter. Both places become the subject of a moving exchange.
It is a simple and accessible story in which anyone can recognise themselves, helping people understand the value of each place. We respect and value a place when we know it, when we have memories connected to it, when we want to protect it and pass it on to future generations. This is the objective of the campaign.
Data from an Unlock Market Research study conducted in 2024 shows that, although 67% of Romanians say they have visited a national park, when asked which one they visited, they name nature reserves, natural parks or even areas that are not legally protected natural areas.
The study also shows that 82% of respondents are unable to define or explain the characteristics of a national park. This is confirmed by an Ipsos study conducted in 2022, which found that fewer than one in ten Romanians know the characteristics that distinguish a national park from other forms of nature protection.
The radio and television adverts can be downloaded here.
“National parks are among the most remarkable places Romania has to offer.” said Barbara and Christoph Promberger, Executive Directors of Conservation Carpathia Foundation. “They protect nature, but they also create opportunities for local communities and future generations. Through this campaign, we want more and more Romanians to discover these places, understand their value and feel proud that Romania possesses such valuable natural heritage. People protect what they know and appreciate, and this is the first step we want to take together.”
Diana Buzoianu, Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests, also emphasised the importance of improving public awareness of the role played by national parks:
“Romania has national parks with a history stretching back almost a century: Retezat, the country’s first national park, was established in 1935. Yet recent data shows us that far too few Romanians truly understand what a national park is and the role it plays in relation to nature, the climate, water, communities and local economies.
“This is where we need to act: by providing clear information, communicated simply, that helps people understand the value of these places and visit them responsibly. The ‘Parks for Generations’ campaign does exactly this: it brings national parks closer to the public and explains, in accessible language, why these areas are so important to Romania.”
The campaign will run nationwide and will be supported by television and radio adverts, complemented by a strong digital presence.
A central element of the campaign is a dedicated online platform bringing together information on all 13 national parks, recommendations for visitors and links to the individual websites of each park. The platform aims to help people across Romania discover these places, visit them and enjoy authentic experiences in nature while respecting the rules of each national park.
The campaign was developed by the ‘pastel agency’ for Foundation Conservation Carpathia and the Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests, with the support of the Romanian Ranger Association.
The images used in the campaign were provided by nature filmmaker and photographer Dan Dinu and videographer and producer Cosmin Dumitrache, both ambassadors for and promoters of Romania’s natural heritage.
A long-term vision for the Făgăraș Mountains
The campaign highlights the benefits national parks provide for nature and local communities and demonstrates how they can become drivers of sustainable development.
Foundation Conservation Carpathia continues to support the vision of establishing the future Făgăraș Mountains National Park, one of Europe’s most important conservation projects.
Such a park would protect one of the continent’s most valuable natural landscapes while creating new opportunities for local communities through nature conservation and the development of responsible tourism.
