Protection of the Carpathians

NGOs and the Church for an Environmental Education in the Carpathian National Parks

Uncontrolled deforestation, poaching, inadequate waste management systems, unsustainable development projects, and climate change have placed the Carpathian forests at significant ecological risk.

The local population in economically disadvantaged and remote rural areas, particularly in the post-Soviet regions of the Ukrainian Carpathians and, to some extent, the Romanian Carpathians, has traditionally depended on forest resources for survival. As a result, awareness of nature conservation is often limited. NGOs, in cooperation with national parks and church communities in both Ukraine and Romania, aim to provide local people with practical alternatives and examples of sustainable livelihoods and development within the unique ecosystems of the Carpathians.

The main goal of the project is to develop and implement an environmental education programme for children and young people in rural areas of the Carpathian region.

This programme is designed to ensure that children not only gain theoretical knowledge about environmental protection but also participate in practical activities that allow them to apply this knowledge directly in nature. At the same time, young people will gain hands-on experience and have the opportunity to develop projects and action plans aimed at addressing environmental challenges through the collective efforts of local communities. As a result, participants will develop a proactive attitude towards environmental protection and a deeper understanding of their role in preserving and interacting responsibly with nature.

As the primary target group of the project, children and young people serve as the main entry point for activists and NGOs in fostering trust in environmental values among the wider rural population.

In Ukraine, the establishment and further development of the Youth School for Sustainable Development of the Carpathians constitutes one of the project’s key activities. According to preliminary estimates, the Ukranian component of the project is expected to reach approximately 720 direct beneficiaries (DIPs) and 14,410 indirect beneficiaries (IEPs) within the main target group, comprising children and young people of various ages from rural communities across the Carpathian region. In addition, at least 70 direct beneficiaries ad 180 indirect beneficiaries from the auxiliary target group, including clergy, experts, teachers, and tutors who act as important local multipliers, will be involved.

The Romanian component of the project aims to foster a lifelong appreciation of and sense of responsibility for the environment, while raising awareness of the value of outdoor and environmental education and interpretation based on pristine forest ecosystems. This will be achieved through at least 46 educational lessons and excursions, reaching more than 30,000 children and adults during the project’s implementation.