The project wants to be a support for the Romanian authorities in the process of European legislation implementation, regarding the environment protection: Habitats Directive, CE 92/43/EEC (about the natural habitats and flora and fauna species) and Birds Directive, CE 79/409/EEC (about the birds’ species conservation). Within its actions, the project focuses on priority forest, sub-alpine and alpine habitats, almost 40% of the Romanian territory, which host species of flora and fauna of importance for the European

Community (this are included in more of the half of the total number of Natura 2000 sites in EU).

The Transylvania University Brasov-Silviculture and Forestry Exploitations Faculty, together with World Wide Fund for Nature-Danube Carpathian Programme (WWF-DCP), the National Forest Administration-ROMSILVA (RNP - ROMSILVA) and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, had obtained UE financing for a LIFE-Nature project "Priority forest, sub-alpine and alpine habitats in Romania" (LIFE05NAT/RO/000176) that will develop from 2005 until 2009. The project implementation team has 4 specialists and the office is located in Brasov.

Project objectives and concrete results

• Identification and description of the Natura 2000 sites for priority forest, sub-alpine and alpine habitats;
• Conceiving a sustainable management strategy, adapted for Natura 2000 sites;

• Making the potential localization map, at the national level, for the priority forest, sub-alpine and alpine habitats, and "pinus mugo" bushes;
• Identification, description and mapping of over 50 potential Natura 2000 sites;
• Regulations elaboration of the proposals for sustainable management and project’s Natura 2000 sites monitoring;
• Support for the elaboration and implementation of a compensations system for the landowners in Natura 2000 sites (if the sustainable management reduce the owners incomes);
• Training the local communities in developing some actions that will assure the sustainable usage of the natural resources;
• Promoting the ecological, social and economical values of the Natura 2000 sites in the Rodna Mountains National Park and Ceahlau National Park.
• Raising awareness of the public and stake holders about the Natura 2000 identification process and the way of the European Natura 2000 sites network is working.
• Elaboration of the “Romanian Habitats” manual and the “Potential threats ” study;
• Encouraging a transparent collaboration between all the institutions and organizations, governmental and nongovernmental, directly involved in achieving the Natura 2000 network purposes.