Rewilding Romania’s initiatives aim to create more space for nature to regenerate, revitalise rural communities, and create new opportunities for people living close to nature. Over 200 fully free-roaming bison live in the Țarcu Mountains. The young generations growing up here are forming their identities in a place where the bison is once again part of the landscape. It is important that they understand why this species was reintroduced and what benefits it brings to both nature and people. The educational programmes developed by Rewilding Romania help them understand the bison as well as other key species and their roles.

After more than two centuries of absence, the European bison is once again roaming the forests of the Țarcu Mountains in Romania. Its return marks not only a milestone in ecological restoration but also the revival of a long-lost relationship between local communities and the natural world that surrounds them.

Free-flowing rivers are lifelines that ensure the health of ecosystems and support biodiversity. Through the initiative to restore the longitudinal connectivity of rivers, funded by the Open Rivers Programme and implemented by Rewilding Romania in partnership with Aqua Crisius, 82 barriers were identified in the Cerna-Belareca, Pârâul-Rece, Feneș, Sebeș, and Bistra river basins. Many of these structures built on river courses have lost their functionality, are obsolete, and are in an advanced state of degradation. Nevertheless, their impact on nature is still as present.

Nicknamed the “ecosystem engineer,” the beaver (Castor fiber) is one of the keystone species of the ecosystem. After being extinct for over a century in Romania, 182 beavers were reintroduced into the wild between 1998 and 2003. As a species protected under the Habitats Directive, the population has recovered spectacularly, and today, we can say that it is stable and viable in Romania. The most recent observations made by Rewilding Romania field teams show the presence of the beaver in the upper basin of the Timiș River, in the commune of Teregova, Caras-Severin county, and on the Strei River, in the commune of Bretea Română, Hunedoara county. These observations are the first in the above-mentioned areas and show that the species is expanding its territory.

Rewilding Romania is expanding its team and offering two exceptional opportunities for professionals eager to contribute to rewilding efforts in the Danube Delta.