Autumn comes with the year’s harvest, but also with good news from abroad. Bison Land is once again among the most sustainable destinations in the world. In addition to the bison release program in the forests initiated by the Administration of the Vânători Neamț Natural Park, examples of good practices are also the initiatives to involve the local community in the development process of the destination, to increase the standard of living at the local level.
We, the Bison Land Association and the Administration of Vânători Neamț Natural Park, have set out since our foundation to support the sustainable development of the destination with the same name. And we chose to do this step by step, focusing on several directions. Among our objectives are the preservation and promotion of the authenticity of the micro-region, or the increase of the standard of living at the local level.
The local community is very important to us and to our demersal. So we chose to involve the community as much as possible in this process. In this sense we can remember:
– events to promote local culture and gastronomy (EcoBrunch in Bison Land) where we gather in an outdoor space local producers, folk craftsmen, guesthouses, local artists and other big-hearted people from the local community to present the best has to offer this destination
– workshops with folk craftsmen and local artisans
– cooking workshops and events for young generations organized with the support of educational institutions
– promotion and support in the market of local products under the Made in Bison Land brand
We are happy and appreciate the openness of those we have worked with so far. We want, over time, the entire community to feel that they are part of the process of developing and promoting these story lands. And, we also want the authenticity of the place to remain alive for as long as possible, being it culture, traditions, architecture, gastronomy, etc.
These initiatives were appreciated by the jury made up of international specialists in tourism and sustainable development. So our example of good practice was awarded at the Green Destinations 2023 conference that took place in Tallinn on Monday, October 9.
You can learn more about our initiatives and the process we have in place here.
Bison Land is again the only micro-region in Romania included in the Top 100 Destination Sustainability Stories. In 2017, the ecotourism destination of Neamț County was included in this elite ranking for the first time. By including the destination in the Top 100 Sustainable Destinations worldwide, we prove that we are on the right track and find courage to continue with this endeavor, even in the most difficult moments.
Bison Land is the ecotourism destination of Neamț county that overlaps Romsilva – Vânători Neamț Natural Park, Târgu Neamț town, Agapia, Bălțatești, Crăcăoani, Vânători Neamț communes.
