MOVING is a Horizon 2020 project, carried out between 2020 and 2024 and gathering 23 partner organisations. The project aims to build capacities and co-develop policy frameworks across Europe, and to establish new or upscaled value chains to contribute to the resilience and sustainability of mountain areas.

Highclere Consulting is coordinating the case study work in two of the 23 reference regions: Romania – Piatra Craiului Mountains and Bulgaria – Western Stara Planina Mountains.

What makes MOVING such a special project to us?

MOVING is the only European project that researches mountain regions. Furthermore, it is one of the projects (together with FoodSHIFT2030 and FARMWELL) that focuses on the Brașov region, thus we have the opportunity to interact and work together with local stakeholders (NGOs, public authorities, Piatra Craiului National Park Administration, private sector, local communities and youth) for co-creating solutions for the sustainable development of mountain areas.

As mentioned before, the region studied in MOVING is Piatra Craiului National Park and its surrounding area (Brașov county: Zărnești, Moieciu, Bran and Fundata, and Argeș county: Dragoslavele and Dâmbovicioara). The Piatra Craiului National Park is a high-quality tourist destination which is widely considered as one of the “jewels in the crown” of the Southern Romanian Carpathians.

Moreover, within the project, we research the importance that the certified ecotourism has on the sustainable development of the area. 

Certified ecotourism is a form of tourism where the main motivation of the tourist is to observe and enjoy both nature and the traditional local customs regarding nature. The concept has been very effectively adapted to the Romanian context by the Association of Ecotourism in Romania (AER). The Zărneşti – Piatra Craiului region is one of 10 ‘eco-destinations’ promoted by AER (under the ‘Discover ECO-ROMANIA’ brand) with a range of ecotourism services that are offered locally in partnership with the National Park Authority and local businesses that have been certified by AER. 

The unique mountain landscape is highly appreciated nationally and internationally, but it is also a fragile landscape and vulnerable ecosystem that is under growing pressure.

During the last two years we have been identifying the main factors that affect the mountain landscape in Piatra Craiului, through interviews and workshops held together with local stakeholders. These factors are: 

• chaotic and uncontrolled development of holiday homes and touristic tourist accommodation. 
• putting the water and gas resources under pressure.
• tourists’ transportation and parking.
• climate change: extreme rainfall and flooding, raising temperatures.

Furthermore, we had the opportunity to present the Piatra Craiului region and the importance of sustainable tourism in the area during the ‘EU MAP webinar on Mountain Value Chains: heterogenity and innovation’ webinar and ‘Youth4Mountains: Sharing mountain regions’ examples of innovative and sustainable tourism’ webinar.

The most recent activity within the project took place in October and it entailed hosting meetings with local youth in order to identify their perceptions on the future of mountain areas, aspects that should be addressed in order for mountain areas to become more attractive for youth and role of tourism for the mountain areas sustainability and resilience. 

The meetings were held with the students for the Faculty of Food and Tourism, Transilvania University of Brașov, and we reached similar conclusions with the ones stated in EUROMONTA’s report ‘Being young in a mountain areas’: youth are eager to live or work in mountain regions, but the improvement of road, medical and educational infrastructures is very much needed, while safeguarding the mountain biodiversity.

In the following two years of the project, we will focus on maintaining our relationship with local stakeholders, together with whom we will define the future of the Piatra Craiului region and the steps needed to reach that future. We will also start researching the European, national, regional, and local policies regarding mountain areas.

Cătălina Rogozan, Highclere Consulting