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Projects and activities

Background

Europe’s High Nature Value farmed landscapes are of great importance for our future, because they provide sustainable farming and therefore long-term food and environmental security. Transylvania’s farmed landscapes are prime examples, probably the largest area of HNV farmland in Europe, a living historic landscape, with intact ecology, in which farming and biodiversity are in equilibrium, and supporting many rare habitats and species. Transylvania has some of the most significant areas of wildflower-rich grasslands in Europe - our most threatened type of habitat, almost completely lost in much of western Europe. These man-made semi-natural landscapes are the result of good husbandry over hundreds of years. They are source of income for millions of farmers today. Only they can conserve this unique area successfully.

Threat

This landscape is threatened by poor rural incomes, abandonment or intensification of land use, and lack of awareness of the value of the area. Measures to conserve the biodiversity of the area will only succeed if developed and carried out in close cooperation with local people, so that local communities support them, and benefit from them.

Response: a range of innovative and practical projects responding to the threats to the landscape and to its small-scale farming communities

Fundatia ADEPT is implementing a broad range of conservation and rural development projects aimed at practical conservation linked to local economic and social benefits. Measures are described under the following sections:

Biodiversity: field surveys of habitats and species led to inclusion of the area in the EU’s Natura 2000 network. We are now examining relationships between traditional farming systems and wildlife in the project area, significant for conservation at European level.


Farming: developing incentives so that local people benefit from biodiversity conservation, including practical and effective agri-environment measures suited to the area, and grants based on recognition of the landscape as Natura 2000 and High Nature Value.


Innovation and local economy. Developing a brand linked to the high biodiversity image of the area will help the local economy. We are promoting good standards and marketing to add value to food and other local products including responsible rural tourism.


Community. We are developing training courses and public awareness   programmes: books, school programmes, posters, newsletters and village festivals, essential to gather local support for conservation and understanding of its potential economic benefits.

About ADEPT

About Fundatia ADEPT

ADEPT activities

Our team

News Headlines

Fundatia ADEPT wins top European prize for farm advisory services  Read more

Swiss-funded project for economic development of High Nature Value farmed landscapes  Read more

Fundația ADEPT represents Romania in European Landscape Award competition, 2013  Read more

ADEPT wins international competition for funding for mountain bike trail that links nature to rural incomes  Read more

Fundația ADEPT participates in debate on sustainable farming and food security, Copenhagen  Read more

See all news headlines

Presentation of ADEPT activities

Click here to see a slide show overview of ADEPT activities.

Orange-ADEPT film clip

ADEPT have created a short musical clip for showing in Orange Romania outlets. This will increase the interest of a younger Romanian audience in our aims and activities. See film clip here