Structure

      Association with 37 active members, volunteering centre including 54 volunteers with residence in the area of natural parks Nera - Beusnita Gorges and Iron Gates, administration committee, scientific council, 3 specialized teams in management of natural protected areas, water, waste management and rural development.

Action area

      South Banat region, including area of Nera - Beusnita Gorges National Park and Iron Gates Natural Park .

Goals

-Co-operation with local authorities for implementation of the management plan in the area natural parks.

- Monitoring of water quality on the rivers Nera, Caras, Minis and Danube .

-Volunteering promotion in the purpose of providing towards to local communities of ecological services for public interest as alternative monitoring of the status of environment factors and bio-diversity; warning to the local authorities in case of major aggressions against the environment; collecting of the samples of water and soil in case of accidental pollution; informing of the people and tourist groups regarding to the natural protected area regime; cleaning of the paths and stopover places included in the natural reservations.

-Drawing out of sustainable development strategies destined to the local communities from parks area.

-Cross-border co-operation.

Target groups

      Local and central authorities of environment, polluting economic agents, local administration authorities, small entrepreneurs, disadvantageous groups, tourist groups, people from local communities.

Successful projects

Democracy and local autonomy (1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999)

Financed by: HANNS SEIDEL - Foundation (Germany).

      Within the project has been achieved five symposia in cities of Bucharest, Baile Herculane, Timisoara, Drobeta Turnu Severin, Resita with participation of local administration authorities, Parliament members, decisional factors of central administration field and German experts in domain of local administration.

      The participants has been proposed solutions for an efficient local administration in Romania and for improving of Romanian settlement in according with EU Acquis. The conclusions and proposals, resulted from this symposia, has been included into a report which has been sent to administration permanent committee of Parliament, and to department of local administration of Romanian Government.

Participation to the meeting of administration council of Environment United Nation Program (UNEP) Nairobi - Kenya 1995

Financed by: Romanian Parliament.

      By that occasion has been presented the request of Romania NGO's regarding to the necessity of UNEP supplementary founds destined to bio-diversity protection in Danube Delta Bio-sphere.

Environment protection and European integration (1996)

Financed by: REC - Romania Office

      The project has been achieved as a symposium, at Baile Herculane with the participation of environment NGO's and decision factors of environment public policies domain from Romania (Parliament, Environment Ministry, State Proprieties Found, local administration authorities).

      This event had the role to capture attention of Romanian authorities regarding to the predictable difficulties of Romanian adhesion process to EU in the domain of environment protection. Within the project has been achieved a report regarding to the contradiction between UE adhesion requests and grave situation in some polluted areas from Romania. In the same time ware achieved a set of proposals destined to legislation improvement which has been sent to Parliament and Government.

Participation to the achievement of Environment Found project law within the permanent environment committee of Deputy Chamber (1997)

Financed by: Romanian Parliament

      Mr. Cornel Sturza Popovici - GEC Nera president, participated as a member of Parliament to the achievement of Environment Found draft of law. Project has been debated and adopted by the Parliament in 1998.

Transition to the market economy and sustainable development (1997)

Financed by: HANNS SEIDEL Foundation.

      The projects was achieved as a symposium at Baile Herculane with participating of Parliament representatives, local and central environment authorities and experts from UE and USA. The participants has been debated regarding to the necessary solutions for pollution stopping and ecological reconstitution in Romanian "hot areas" which can be applied in the transition economy to the market economy.

      Symposium conclusions have been included into a booklet, and a report which has been handed to the Environment Ministry and to permanent environment commission of Senate and Chamber of Deputies.

Waste regime in Romanian and European Costumes practice (2001-2002)

Financed by: Partnership Foundation

      Within the project has been achieved 4 rounds of training destined of assimilating, by the custom workers, environment inspectors, sanitary inspectors and NGO's, of the custom control procedures for wastes and dangerous substances, which already ware applied in EU countries.

      At the end of project has been achieved one provisory guide regarding to the custom control of wastes in according with the settlements of EU Acquis. The guide has been a source of information for custom workers, in the goal they adopt a preventive conduit, till the apparition in Romania of the official settlements, complete harmonized with EU Acquis.

Volunteering centre for protection of South Banat natural reservations (2003-2004)

Financed by: Civil Society Development 2000 - PHARE program, Partnership Foundation for and GEC Nera.

      Within the project have been recruited and trained 90 volunteers in the goal they provide ecological services of public interest for protection of South Banat natural parks. Afterwards they realized a volunteering program destined of protection of the natural parks Semenic - Caras Gorges, Nera - Beusnita Gorges and Iron Gates. In the same project have been achieved also an informative bulletin, a presentation panels for the protected natural areas from project zone and a booklet destined volunteering promotion.

Sustainable development strategy of Berliste - Racasdia micro-region (2003 - 2004)

Financed by: Holland Extern Ministry through the MATRA programme.

      Within the project has been achieved 21 Local Agenda of Berliste - Racasdia micro-region, from Caras-Severin county, including strategy of rural sustainable development, action plan and two micro pilot projects as municipality waste deposit. Also have been delivered to Small and Middle Firms and to the local administration authorities from rural area, an informing bulletin with monthly appearance, including the necessary information in the goal of their access facilitating to the extern grant programs.

Contributions to the integration in process of sustainable development of pour people segment from South Banat natural parks area (April - December (2004)

Financed by: World Bank - Romania office, AJOFM Caras - Severin and GEC Nera.

      Within the project has been edited and delivered in rural area an informative bulletin regarding to the opportunities of working places, professional training and financial support for the independent enterpriser offered by the Government programs and by the extern grant programs. Within the same project it have been session of free consulting destined to pour people who want to begin an independent activity and professional training of carpenter and mason for unemployed people.

Information people from rural area of South Banat's natural parks regarding to Romania adhesion process to the EU (2005)

Financed by: PHARE Programme - Europe Found 2004, Council of Caras - Severin county and GEC Nera.

      The project goal was rising of informing level of the rural people from 16 communes placed in area of natural parks Nera - Beusnita Gorges and Iron Gates, regarding to the European themes and to Romania adhesion process to EU.

      Within the project have been realized an informing campaign at the people residence for 12.000 habitants through the volunteering activities. In the same time ware achieved any publications as informing campaign support (informative calendar, leaflet, booklet, and newsletter).

Partnership NGO - local authorities from Romania and Serbia & Monte-Negro destined to environment protection in the border area of Danube -Nera micro-region (2005 - 2006)

Financed by: Phare CBC Program local councils of Moldova Noua , Pojejena , and Socol; Timisoara Regional Public Radio Post and GEC Nera.

      Project aimed increasing of the number of direct cross-border contacts between local factors involved in environment protection from the area of communes Veliko Gradiste, Bela Crkva, Pojejena, Socol, and Moldova Noua city. In the same time in the project ware involved 30 of Romanian an Serb young volunteers, which carry out activities destined to environment alternative monitoring and people informing.

      Within the project has been achieved too Environment Local Action Plan (ELAP) of Danube - Nera micro-region, Sustainable Development Association of Danube - Nera - Caras micro-region (DUNCA COOPERATION), and publications as brochure of Danube - Nera - Caras ELAP , brochure of Danube - Nera - Caras micro-region White Book, promotional leaflet and newsletter.

Who cures the scars left over by the mining industry in the natural parks area from South Banat? (2009).

Donors: EEA Financial Mechanism - NGO Fund, Environmental Protection Agency of Caras - Severin County, GEC Nera

      The goal of the project was to promote the development of the areas placed in the vicinity of the mining waste disposals from Moldova Noua and Sasca Montana.

      Within the project implementation was achieved a local strategy for stopping of mining waste pollution from the these two ponds, volunteering activities for informing the population about the responsible factors for pollution stopping and publications (brochure including the local strategy for stopping of mining waste pollution, 3 leaflets and bimonthly newsletter for information of the target groups).

NO corruption in the process of public procurements for environmental protection! (2010)

Donors: European Union - Phare, Prefecture of Caras - Severin County and GEC Nera, through the program of Facility Transition 2007/19343.01.11 - Strengthening of civil society support in fighting against the corruption.

      The project contributed to increasing transparency in public procurement for environmental protection at the level of 25 communes and three small towns from the south part of Caras - Severin County. Trough the project implementation was monitored transparency compliance of the procurement process for the development of 10 projects aimed at realizing investments in sewerage, water supply, roads, waste disposal, etc.

      Monitoring findings were sent to donors, project beneficiaries and public authorities with direct responsibilities in monitoring public procurement. It was also developed a guidance book for project beneficiaries on compliance with transparency regulations of public procurements and publications designed to inform target groups.

Cross border pollution by mining waste on the Danube reality and media bomb also! (2011)

Donors: European Union, Romanian Government, GEC Nera trough the program of IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Romania - Republic of Serbia.

      The project contributes to the sustainable development in the towns / communes Moldova Noua, Pojejena, Veliko Gradište and Bela Crkva by discouraging the pollution with mining wastes comming from the tailings dam of mine waters TăuŞani - Bosneag belonging of SC Moldomin company.

      The project was developed a Local Action Plan for Management Improving of Mining Wastes (LAPIMIMW) with the participation of stakeholders from Romania and Serbia (municipalities, schools, NGOs, public authorities responsible for combating of the pollution with mining wastes). Were also conducted public campaigns to inform the population on the responsible factors for implementing of LAPIMIMW.

Watchdog and advocacy Watchdog and advocacy for stopping the illegal human activities in the area of the Iron Gates Natural Park (2012 - 2013)

Financed by: Foundation for Development of Civil Society, Trust for Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe, Raiffeisen Bank, through the Civic Innovation Fund

      -A more involvement of local people, especially young people, in civic actions to reduce anthropogenic activities that assault the Iron Gates National Park. -Increase the level of information / awareness of local communities about the need to protect the natural heritage of the Iron Gates NP through the structure as natural protected area, coordinated by the park administration. -Increase the responsibility of local / county authorities with direct responsibility in combating of illegal activities in Iron Gates PN, and increase accountability of major decision makers in national public policy for environmental protection.

Support for acceptance increasing of Nera Gorges - Beuşniţa National Park at the level of local communities from in the park (2013 - 2014)

Financed by: Partnership Foundation and MOL Romania, through the Green Areas Program - Protected Natural Areas.

      The project aimed to the promotion of the natural heritage of Nera Gorges - Beuşniţa National Park at the level of local communities from communes Şopotu New Lăpuşnicu Mare, Bozovici Sasca Montana, Ciclova Romana and cities Oraviţa and Anina. Trough the project implementation was set June 5 as The Day of Nera Gorges - Beuşniţa National Park. Also have been achieved two thematic trails on the Bei Valley and in nature reserve Bigăr Spring. GEC Nera volunteers conducted a public information campaign in major communities in the area of the park, in the goal to raise awareness of the importance of heritage from Nera Gorges - Beuşniţa National Park.

STOP illegal cutting of trees in the forests of natural parks located in southern Banat (2015)

Financed by: Foundation for Development of Civil Society, Trust for Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe, Raiffeisen Bank, through the Civic Innovation Fund .

      The project contributed to: -Increase of awareness and understanding of the need of involving of the population in fighting of illegal cutting of trees. -Increase the involvement of authorities with direct responsibility in combating of illegal logging of trees. -Involvement GEC Nera and civic groups from the area of Nera Gorges - Beuşniţa and Semenic - Caras Gorges national parks in monitoring of public policies and to formulate proposals to stop the illegal cutting of trees in these parks. In the project, 30 volunteers provided environmental monitoring activities. On the base of volunteer monitoring it was achieved an action plan to combat illegal activities. Also were made public information and awareness campaigns aimed at increasing public involvement in civic actions to combat illegal logging of trees.

Volunteering for protecting of wonderful world from southern Banat (2015 - 2016)

Financed by:Foundation for Development of Civil Society trough the EEA Grants 2009-2014 within the Romania NGO Fund

      The project aimed to: -Promoting of active citizenship at the level of villages from southern Banat -Motivation of a greater number of citizens, particularly young people, to engage in volunteering activities designed to protect the natural heritage of natural parks located in southern Banat

      Trough the project implementation were trained volunteering promoters for more protection of natural heritage; were made monitoring reports of aggressions against the natural heritage and public information and awareness campaigns; were published brochure "White Paper on volunteering for the protection of natural heritage of Southern Banat", two leaflets and a regular newsletter.