About us

ABOUT US

We are the leading training provider for protected areas and nature conservation in Romania, while also playing an active role in European and global networks aimed at developing the professional capacity of those working in protected areas through projects, consultancy, and mentoring.
The Propark Foundation was established in 2008 to find solutions to issues related to Romania’s protected areas system and to respond to these challenges.

Through the 2023–2030 Strategy, our team commits to complex and challenging tasks that are expected to lead, by the end of the 7-year implementation period, to the establishment of a better-structured national framework for professional training, as well as a comprehensive program with high-quality products and services designed to help practitioners and stakeholders improve their professional performance in the management of protected areas and critical natural resources for conservation.

Propark Strategy 2023–2030

Propark Strategy 2015–2020

Our Vision:

By 2050 protected and conserved areas will be managed by passionate and competent professionals, reversing biodiversity loss in these areas, facilitating sustainable development and helping mitigate climate change for the benefit of people.

Our Goal:

By 2040, access to dependable high-quality life-long learning and training opportunities has enabled the protected area and conservation sectors to diversify and professionalise in Romania and beyond, positively impacting nature, people and climate.

Our Mission:

We provide life-long learning and training opportunities for protected area practitioners and conservationists and support them to better conserve nature for the benefit of society.

We build competences for the management of protected area and for nature conservation at the individual, organisational and sectoral level. We develop our activities using and promoting best practices and practical / field experience. We are part of various networks and we are building networks. We are offering support and facilitate participatory processes in protected areas.

Everything we do at Propark is built on a solid foundation: the five strategic pillars that guide our direction, actions, and impact. They reflect how we contribute, day by day, to a stronger network of protected areas through well-trained people, resilient organizations, better policies, a clear voice in society, and a healthy organizational foundation. These pillars represent the strategic way we organize our activities, translated into projects, partnerships, resources, and concrete results. Together, they define how we bring change to nature conservation in Romania.

Pillar A. Individual Capacity Building. Enhancing the capacity of practitioners in protected areas and the staff of key stakeholders.

Pillar B. Organizational Capacity Development. Strengthening the capacity of organizations involved in nature conservation.

Pillar C. Sectoral Capacity Building & Advocacy. Promoting effective sectoral legislation through increased sector-wide capacity and advocacy.

Pillar D. Communication and Awareness. Improving society’s understanding of the organization, our mission, and protected areas.

Pillar E. Organizational Development. Building Propark’s capacity to fulfill its mission.

Propark develops and implements complex initiatives to support nature conservation in Romania. We act in an integrated way through programs dedicated to professional development, strengthening the capacity of environmental organizations, and influencing public policies. Our domains of activity reflect the Foundation’s strategic vision — to build a strong network of protected areas, managed efficiently and connected with people.

Domains	Types of Activities
Professionalization of protected area management	Registering occupations and developing occupational standards in the field Developing professional training programs Trainer preparation in the field Consultancy for developing professionalization plans at national/regional level
Protected area management	Courses for people directly or indirectly involved in protected area administration on various topics Consultancy for creating/revising management plans Mentorship provided to protected area management teams
Biodiversity conservation management	Consultancy on developing methodologies, guides, inventory plans, management measures
Governance of protected areas (decision-making systems)	Courses for individuals involved in the administration of protected areas at national or local level Studies on governance systems of protected areas in Europe
Community relations	Courses for individuals directly or indirectly involved in protected area administration Organization and facilitation of stakeholder meetings, including public consultations on management plans Consultancy for stakeholder analysis
Communication	Courses for individuals directly or indirectly involved in protected area administration Consultancy for developing communication strategies for organizations active in the field Consultancy for creating informational materials about protected areas
Education and nature animation	Courses for individuals directly or indirectly involved in protected area administration Courses for teaching staff Organizing educational activities, Junior Ranger camps Advocacy for nature education in the formal education system
Volunteering for nature	Courses for individuals directly or indirectly involved in protected area administration Consultancy on volunteer management
Interpretation and visiting	Courses for individuals directly or indirectly involved in protected area administration Consultancy on visiting strategies, creation of panels and thematic trails
Ecotourism	Courses for individuals directly or indirectly involved in protected area administration, in collaboration with Romanian Ecotourism Association
Natural resource management	Courses for individuals directly or indirectly involved in protected area administration Development of guides for natural resource managers Conducting studies for responsible forest management
Awareness on the importance of protected areas	Events for the general public
Innovation and tools for protected area management	SMART CAT - Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool Competence Assessment Tool– a competency assessment tool for practitioners using the SMART system, internationally used in protected area management for: - field data collection (e.g., species observations, patrols, incidents), - efficient analysis and reporting, - supporting evidence-based management decisions. Nature-Based Solutions – to improve the efficiency and quality of decisions in protected area management.
Practical experiences - Events in Protected Areas	Practical experiences in implementing events within protected areas.Propark Adventure Race, Propark Adventure Family & Friends (our own events), or Făgăraș Fest & Făgăraș Adventure (partnered events)