About the Project
Retezat National Park was declared a Biosphere Reserve in 1979 by fulfilling UNESCO MAB old criteria. Since then, the specific criteria for obtaining and maintaining Biosphere Reserve status have changed, particularly regarding the presence of human communities within the Reserves and the willingness of these communities to be part of a Biosphere Reserve. Specifically, the mandatory presence of human settlements within Biosphere eserves is required, a UNESCO requirement that could only be met by expanding the boundaries of Retezat National Park.
Romania, through the Ministry of Environment, identified two possible scenarios: either submit the requested data to the UNESCO Human and Biosphere Committee (MAB) and comply with its requirements, or permanently lose its biosphere reserve status by 30 September 2022, which would represent a significant loss. To address this challenge, the Retezat National Park Administration, together with the Grădiștea Muncelului – Cioclovina Natural Park Administration and the Retezat Tourism Association, have been working collaboratively to meet the required criteria. The National UNESCO Secretariat was expected to receive updates on the progress of implementing the new boundaries of the Retezat Biosphere Reserve (RBR) in order to secure the additional time needed for the process. This would allow the results of the NABU project to fully support the reorganization and adjustment of the Retezat Biosphere Reserve, ensuring full compliance with the MAB criteria for Biosphere Reserves.
