The Ministry of Environment and the Conservation Carpathia Foundation have launched a nationwide campaign to promote Romania’s 13 national parks and raise public awareness about their environmental and economic value. The campaign, titled Parks for Generations (Parcurile Generațiilor), was launched during the Făgăraș Fest festival and will run on television, radio, and digital platforms.
The initiative seeks to explain the difference between national parks and other natural or urban parks, encouraging Romanians to visit the protected areas while highlighting their role in biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and local development.
Romania’s 13 national parks protect around 317,500 hectares of land, including forests, alpine meadows, gorges, and caves that provide habitats for numerous rare plant and animal species. According to Conservation Carpathia, the parks also help regulate water cycles, reduce the risks of droughts and floods, and support local economies through tourism-related activities.
The national parks are Buila-Vânturarița, Călimani, Ceahlău, Bicaz Gorges-Hășmaș, Nera Gorges-Beușnița, Cozia, Jiu Gorge, Domogled-Cerna Valley, Măcin Mountains, Rodna Mountains, Piatra Craiului, Retezat, and Semenic-Caraș Gorges.
The campaign follows research showing that public understanding of national parks remains limited. A 2024 study by Unlock Market Research found that while 67% of Romanians said they had visited a national park, many confused them with nature reserves, natural parks, or other protected areas. Another finding showed that 82% of respondents could not define what distinguishes a national park from other forms of nature protection.
“National parks are among the most remarkable places Romania has. They protect nature, but they also create opportunities for local communities and future generations,” said Barbara and Christoph Promberger, executive directors of the Conservation Carpathia Foundation.
“We want more Romanians to discover them, understand their value and be proud that Romania has such a rich natural heritage. People protect what they know and appreciate, and that is the first step we want to take together,” they added.
In her turn, interim environment minister Diana Buzoianu said the campaign aims to address the public’s limited knowledge of Romania’s protected areas.
“Romania has national parks with almost a century of history. […] Yet recent data show that too few Romanians know what a national park really is and the role it plays for nature, climate, water, local communities, and the economy,” the minister said.
“The Parks for Generations campaign does exactly this: it brings national parks closer to the public and explains, in accessible language, why these places are so important for Romania,” she added.
The campaign includes a dedicated online platform featuring information about all 13 national parks, visitor recommendations, and links to each park’s official website. It was developed by creative agency Pastel for the Conservation Carpathia Foundation and the Ministry of Environment, with support from the Romanian Rangers Association.
The Conservation Carpathia Foundation is one of Europe’s largest private nature conservation initiatives, working to restore ecosystems in Romania’s Southern Carpathian Mountains. Since its establishment in 2009, the foundation has acquired more than 28,000 hectares of forests and alpine meadows for conservation, planted over 4.5 million trees on nearly 2,000 hectares of degraded land, and created a 78,000-hectare no-hunting zone.
Its long-term goal is to support the creation of the Făgăraș Mountains National Park, while promoting biodiversity conservation alongside sustainable economic development for local communities.
irina.marica@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: Conservation Carpathia Foundation)
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