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About us

In over 30 years of continuous activity, our association has contributed daily to the training of expert zoologists, ecologists, and young scientists who bring credit to us and our country. Today, many of them work in prestigious institutions in Romania or at universities and research centers across the European Union, the USA, Canada, and Australia. These include national scientific research institutes (INCD), the Institute of Environmental Engineering in Bucharest, the Institute of Biology of the Romanian Academy, the Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History, and the Faculty of Biology at Ovidius University in Constanta.

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We have presented our strategic education projects to the School Inspectorate of the Municipality of Bucharest and various schools across the country, where former members of our association now serve as biology teachers. Through these efforts, we aim to inspire and mentor the most passionate students who aspire to become dedicated biologists, instilling in them a deep love for nature from an early age. We believe this passion is crucial to their development as naturalists. Frequently, we have supported high school and university teachers in their endeavors to guide young students, helping them channel their interest in biology and nature into meaningful projects.

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Our mission is to cultivate a love for nature in schoolchildren, preschoolers, students, and even older generations. We aim to educate them about the vulnerability of species and natural habitats, broadening their ecological and scientific horizons. By doing so, we raise awareness of Romania’s invaluable wild natural heritage, particularly its protected natural areas—scientific reserves, national parks, nature parks, landscape reserves, and Natura 2000 sites (SCI and SPA areas).

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The Aquaterra Ecological Society has attracted financial support from private companies in Romania. These resources have been wisely invested in developing our scientific research base at the Faculty of Biology at the University of Bucharest and in organizing hundreds of scientific expeditions across Romania’s natural landscapes. These initiatives have been instrumental in training young experts in biodiversity sciences, species and habitat conservation, and sustainable development.

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Our original approach to conservation issues successfully convinced national regulatory authorities—the Romanian Academy’s Commission of Natural Monuments and the Ministry of Environment, Waters, and Forests—to declare the Vâlsan Valley a Scientific Reserve. This reserve, spanning 10,000 hectares, was established to save the Romanichthys valsanicola (asprey), an extremely rare fish species. For 32 years, we have dedicated ourselves to its preservation. Since 2019, we have not worked alone; we have established strong partnerships with the Alex Găvan Foundation for the Rescue of the Asprey and other organizations dedicated to the conservation of rare species in Romania and abroad.

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Over the past 16 years, with the help of Romanian sponsors and small self-financed contributions from environmental consultancy contracts (we have been accredited by the Ministry of Environment since 1997 to conduct Environmental Impact Assessments, SEA, and interim environmental reports), we have made significant progress toward constructing Romania’s first ichthyological and aquaculture research station for very rare wild fish species. Located in PlutoniÈ›a, Suceava County, this station, operated by the Aquaterra Ecological Society, is a unique project in Romania. We call it "Noah’s Ark" as it is designed for the future—to preserve and reproduce rare fish species for ecological reconstruction. At the station, fish are fed exclusively with live food (100% of their diet) to prepare them for reintroduction into the wild. This initiative aims to repopulate Romania’s waters with sustainable populations of endangered fish species, such as lostrids, hagfish, sturgeons, and many others.

Our story

Projects

1.Young Rangers and the Creation of a Network of Private Microreserves: Safe Havens for Endangered Flora and Fauna in Romania

2.Micropilot Laboratory - Bucharest

3.Research Center - Bucovina

4.Reforestation Campain - Bucovina

5.Fluvarium - Bucharest

6.Protecton of Danube Salmon (Hucho hucho)

7. Research Projects​

Collaborators

University of Bucharest

Eurofish International Organization

Sustainability Embassy in Romania

Natura 2000 Coalition

World Fish Migration

Fauna & Flora International

Alex Găvan Foundation​​

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Prizes

EU Prize

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Animal Planet Prize

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Ford Award

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Photo gallery

Photos taken and edited by Victor Bortas, that show the natural beauty of our country, Romania.

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