FCC supports the local events organised in the communes of the forests we protect. We were pleased to be part of the Lerești Commune annual fest and the Egg Pretzel festival, celebrating the traditions, people and beauty of the Făgăraș Mountains.

We are a good neighbour and we contribute to increasing the quality of life in every community where we operate. We generate direct benefits through our replanting campaigns, restoration of degraded lands and at the same time we allocate funds for programs for the benefit of the communities surrounding the Făgăraș Mountains. We make an important contribution to the development of the local economy and community, as we are the most important employer in the areas where we operate.

Annually, over 200 local people benefit from employment opportunities through the Carpathia project. They are involved in the ecological restoration works, in the activity of the seven nurseries and in carrying out the erosion control works. The activity of the four wildlife observers, part of our ecotourism program, also generates economic benefits in the area, by involving local guides, purchasing local products in the area and contracting related services.

We cannot speak of a healthy future, we cannot ensure prosperity, security and balance, and a good quality of life for people, if we have degraded forests and meadows, cleared of biodiversity, barren mountains and arid lands. To survive, the world’s remaining natural landscapes need to prove their economic case.

An essential part of the Conservation Carpathia’s project is precisely to identify conservation enterprise opportunities, businesses aimed at developing local communities, in a perfect balance with nature. A ‘green’ economy should be created to support biodiversity conservation, while generating long-term profit for the local people, financial contribution for the management of protected areas and compensation for forest owners.