Little Ranger of the Mountain Village

• oxigen
• 26 iulie 2012

Oxygen Tourist Organization for Nature plans in June the implementation of a new project: Little Ranger of the Mountain Village – project funded by Environmental Partnership Foundation and Mol Romania.

Partners: Piatra Craiului National Park Office, Moeciu TownHall, Peștera Secondary School (Moeciu, Brașov), Măgura Secondary School (Moeciu, Brașov) and AdTeam Braşov.

The main objective of the project is integration and sustainable development of mountain villages Măgura and Peştera in the ecologic tourist map of Piatra Craiului National Park.

By the activities we organized, we accomplished the following:

• a 10 km thematic trail called “The Story of the Mountain Village” in the surroundings of Măgura and Peștera villages from Piatra Craiului National Park;
• greening and developing The Bat Cave from Peștera village including it in the thematic trail;
• engaging volunteers from these villages to trace the new trail by placing 6 information boards;
• raising awareness among lower secondary school students regarding engagement in activities of environmental protection and promotion of local customs, eco-tourism and local tourism in thematic camps and forming a team of 22 junior rangers.

Target public, geographical area

The targeted geographical area is represented by Măgura and Peştere villages from Moeciu, Braşov County. According to the census from 2011, the resident population of the two villages is about 1300 inhabitants.

Thus, taking into account the aspects mentioned above, it is revealed the importance in choosing the target public among lower secondary school students from the two villages (with ages between 11 and 13 years old). They will be the initiators of future development actions of Măgura and Peştera. The long-term aim of the project is to form a responsible behaviour regarding nature, to decrease the inadequate usage of natural resources and to advocate ecological tourism and local customs.

The prospective countable results

By promoting Măgura and Peştera, the project will generate the following specific results, thus heading very closely to its main objective:

1. The productive landscape of Măgura and Peştera become beneficial for eco-tourism;
2. Assimilation of the best practices by the inhabitants of Măgura and Peştera in managing law-protected areas;
3. Building up a solid partnership between Piatra Craiului National Park Office, the local community and local authorities in order the gain more visibility of the area potentiality;
4. Setting a 10 km thematic trail called “The Story of the Mountain Village” with 200 m slope level difference;
5. Placing 6 information boards that traces the above mentioned thematic trail;
6. Greening and developing The Bat Cave from Peștera in order to preserve its habitat and to settle a civil visiting;
7. Organizing presentations in order to inform 35 students and schoolteachers on law-protected areas of Măgura and Peştera;
8. Planning a camp called “Little Ranger of the Mountain Village”. Its main objectives: ecological education of children from Măgura and Peştera; formation of a 22 junior rangers team that become aware of the significance of their behaviour in nature; promoting local customs;
9. Setting two public meetings with locals from Măgura and Peştera to advocate the area potentiality so that they understand the authentic benefits of living in these areas;
10. Creating a leaflet  (5000 copies), a booklet ( A5,10 pages + folded map (2 pages), 50 copies) with the engaged students in order to disseminate the whole experience gained in the project, which might be of use for other geographical areas;
11. Designing the site www.satuldemunte.ro for future promoting actions of these areas;
12. An opinion poll made by students engaged in the project on the perception of the local communities regarding the law-protected areas Măgura and Peştera (survey);
13. A press conference with over 20 journalists in order to promote the targeted areas;
14. An educational clip regarding eco-tourism entitled “The Village – a treasure we share”.