ProPark Foundation for Protected Areas has implemented the project „Sustainable Development without borders – Best practice transfer between Romania and Norway” during April –Mai 2016. The main objective of the project was to promote the activities and achievements of ProPark and to collect best practice examples from Norway that will enable the team to find new solution for building capacity programs for the protected areas teams in Romania. The project was funded by NGO Fund  în România,SEE grants 2009-2014 (Bilateral FundS).

Thus, together with the partners - Change the World and four protected areas administration staff, an agenda was set up for a 7 day visit to Norway, from 2nd-9th of May.

Thanks to a partnership with the organization Change the World (CTW) ProPark had access to information and examples of good practice in areas complementary and relevant for protected areas, such as alternative ways of life for local communities, civil participation, local participation, training programs and learning among local communities, technological innovation, consulting services for communities and development of local communities.

We had the chance to visit four protected areas in Norway and a Zoological Park and analyse their positive examples of management of protected areas, which were included in a collection of best practices.

This collection of best practices from Norway will be disseminated through the courses and other events that ProPark organises, by promoting these positive examples provided, that will indirectly contribute to an increased capacity and motivation for the protected area managers and other stakeholders.

By making the Collection of best practices, each team member has completed their knowledge within a particular field, relevant for protected areas management, thus contributing to the organizational development.

 

Two projects financed by the NGO Grant scheme have been disseminated in Norway to the partner and the protected areas administrations. Our innovative actions were of interest to the Norway partner and with the support of ProPark, our initiatives can be taken up and implemented in Norway also.

 

During the interviews with managers of national parks, two possible partnerships will be analysed and included in future projects. The first collaboration refers to a new trainer possibly identified in the visitor centre at Jotunheimen National Park, on the topic of Environmental Education, Interpretation of Nature and Ranger.

Also by promoting the voluntary platform for nature in Romania and the wonderful projects where volunteers are needed, Bjornepark Zoological Park representatives have shown great interest both during and after our return back to Romania.