In 2016 the Protected Area Gala was hosted by the Chestnut Tree Festival funded by the project "Conservative Management of Habitats 4070 and 9260 in ROSCI 0129 Nordul Gorjului de Vest (North-Western Gorj), Gorj County" implemented by the Environmental Protection Agency Gorj,  in its capacity of  coordinating beneficiary of the project LIFE+11NAT/RO/825 funded by the European Commission, within the project Life+ Nature and Biodiversity and by the Romanian Government through the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests.

ProPark Foundation for Protected Areas collaborated in the organisation of this event, getting involved in the workshop design and in the contest held within the gala.

For ProPark it is important that this event's tradition is continued with partners who have the necessary resources to organise a unique event for protected areas.

In 2016 the central topic of the event was ecological reconstruction, repopulation and reintroduction of disappeared species, with the subjects being debated in 4 simultaneous workshops (ecological reconstruction and land ownership; technical solutions for ecological reconstruction; repopulation and reintroduction of disappeared species; communication in ecological reconstruction projects). These workshops were an opportunity for protected area professionals to learn specific case studies for these themes and to exchange ideas about how to approach projects in this category.

A very interesting moment was the presentation of the project “Conservative Management of Habitats 4070 and 9260 in ROSCI 0129 North-Western Gorj region, Gorj county”, which illustrated the work methods for the rehabilitation of habitat 4070* - Pinus mugo and Rhododendron myrtifolium and rehabilitation of destroyed forests – habitat 9260- Castanea sativa. Participants had the opportunity to visit the chestnut tree nursery created within the project, Sohodolului Gorges, Hobița (the birthplace of sculptor Constantin Brâncuși), Tismana Monastery and the Treasury Museum at Tismana, unique in Europe.

Within the same event Mrs Erika Stanciu, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Environment (MMAP), discussed with participants about the current status of the National Agency for Natural Protected Areas.

The Protected Area Gala ended with the award giving for contest participants:

1. Protected Areas to support communities - Conservation Carpathia Foundation

2. Volunteers in protected areas - Munții Rodnei National Park

3. Education for nature - Lunca Mureșului Natural Park

4. Nature for all – photography contest - Vânători Neamț Natural Park