METHODS FOR CONSERVING NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES THROUGH HUNTING TOURISM IN ROMANIA

Abstract

Hunting tourism constitutes a significant form of sustainable tourism in Romania, contributing both to the preservation of biodiversity and to the promotion of traditional cultural heritage. When practised responsibly, it supports the balanced management of wildlife populations through the establishment of hunting quotas, habitat restoration, and the implementation of anti-poaching measures. The revenues generated from hunting permits are directed towards conservation programmes, species monitoring, and environmental education initiatives. Beyond its ecological dimension, hunting tourism plays an important role in safeguarding rural traditions, local craftsmanship, and traditional gastronomy, thereby reinforcing the cultural identity of local communities. In various regions of Romania — including the Carpathians, the Danube Delta, and the forests of Transylvania — hunting tourism is carried out in close cooperation with local residents, generating direct economic benefits and encouraging community involvement in environmental protection, hence, hunting tourism in Romania may be regarded as a model of equilibrium between the conservation of natural resources and the sustainable utilisation of cultural heritage, provided that it remains strictly regulated, educational in purpose, and ecologically oriented.