Beneficiaries

Caras-Severin Environmental  Protection Agency (Beneficiary)

Caras-Severin county is on the third place in Romania as surface (852.000 ha), and on the second place as to its entire protected area (176.183,3 ha); also it is our county that the Danube enters Romania. In our county someone may see a great biological diversity, owing to natural conditions and sub-Mediterranean  influences: a big hydrographical network,3273 km, a wide forest surface,386.400 ha, 4 national parks (Retezat, Semenic-Cheile Carasului, Domogled-Valea Cernei, Cheile Nerei-Beusnita), and 1 natural park (Portile de Fier). This diversity has led to the recommendation of 15 sites in Caraș-Severin, on scientific criteria, to be included in Natura 2000 network: 9 p-SCI  and 6p-SPA, that is about 29% from the entire county surface.  Therefore The Environmental Protection Agency must provide the bring of MMGA’s strategy into operation by preserving the biodiversity and ecological reconstruction, by supervising the evolution of the environmental elements, by confering technical advisory, by performing specialized inspections and examinations into the 48 protected areas, as well as to all investment targets in the county.

Iron Gates Natural Park Administration (Associated beneficiary)

Iron Gates Natural Park Administration was established since 2003 through LIFE Nature project LIFE00NAT/RO/007171 Iron Gates Natural Park – Habitat Conservation and Management. Administration was set up by the National Administration of Forests – Romsilva. THE IGNPA  applies legal measures for conservation on the surface of the Iron Gates Natural Park, ROSPA0026, ROSPA0080 and ROSCI0206, on 124,293 ha . Iron Gates Natural Park Administration has carried out several projects on wetlands that have targeted the bird species conservation, habitat mapping and educational activities. Iron Gates Natural Park Administration has a staff that covers parts of this project and may provide further replication and conservation activities proposed for funding.

University of Bucharest (Centre for Environmental Research and Impact Studies) (Associated beneficiary)

Centre for Environmental Research and Impact Studies (CCMESI) is an environmental research centre within the University of Bucharest, recognized by Ministry of Education and Research and Ministry of Environment. Types of activities developed: fundamental and applicative environmental research (especially biological conservation), developing GIS models and research field operations, raising awareness actions (polls, educational materials), involving undergraduates, MSc and PhD students in the research programs. CCMESI is formed by academics, researchers/scientists, PhD students, MSc students and undergraduates, all of them creating teams (geographers, chemists, biologists, geologists) with expertise in habitat conservation and management.

CCMESI team has a large experience in managing partnerships, especially in the frame of nature conservation projects (i.e. LIFE Nature LIFE00NAT/RO/007171 – beneficiary, LIFE02NAT/RO/8576, LIFENAT04/RO/000225, LIFE05NAT/RO/00170, LIFE05NAT/RO/00155). Many of these projects have been assessed as good examples by the CE (LIFE Focus: Protecting Europe’s Nature: Learning from LIFE, Boosting hopes for Romania’s black pine forest, pg 32; LIFE Focus: LIFE and Europe’s reptiles and amphibians: Conservation in practice, Reintroducing Hermann’s Tortoise in Romania, pg. 46-47; Natura 2000 Newsletter, Number 21 – February 2007, Large carnivore protection in Vrancea County, Romania, pg 4). Also, CCMESI managed national projects financed by Ministry of Education and Research, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Territory Planning, Bucharest City Hall, research institutes, etc., dealing with different topics: environmental quality in Bucharest and its metropolitan area (green areas, protected area, aquatic ecosystems, air, water and soil quality, waste management, etc.), determination of physical and chemical characteristics of Danube river and Ialomiţa watershed, assessing the Romanian natural capital, assessing the environment state in the Carpathian mountainous area,  etc. CCMESI realized environmental impact assessment studies for projects and activities referring to waste and waste water management, water supply.

Our team members publish high profile conservation books (Fundamentals of conservation biology, Conservation biology, Atlas de la Roumanie, etc.) and many scientific articles in the field of conservation biology and environmental protection. CCMESI has a great experience in publishing in leading journals in conservation biology. CCMESI is actively present in the Iron Gates areas through Centre for Monitoring Habitats and Species (Eselnita, Mehedinti County), former Testudo Captive Breeding Centre.

Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History (Associated beneficiary)

Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History is one of the most prestigious agencies in researching of the Romanian wild fauna having a long tradition in this topic. Along the time, the specialists from the Museum have participated in numerous research programs, both in Romania and abroad.

Our team is currently one of the largest collective of Zoology in Romania and has made or participated in numerous studies on biodiversity in various regions of Romania (Danube Delta, Danube meadow, Southern Dobrogea, Maramures, Banat, Romanian Plain, and o series of mountain massifs of the Southern Carpathians – Ciucas, Piatra Craiului, Fagaras, Retezat – Gorge Jiu) or abroad (Indonesia, Brazil, Iceland, etc.). The Museum’s specialists made biodiversity studies, research on systematic, ecology and zoogeography of different groups of invertebrates and vertebrates.