Alina Oprea • 22 May, 2023 at 11:27 AM
2,544 ancient beech trees from Nucșoara can be adopted in the "Forest of Immortal Stories". The new project is an initiative of the Commune of Nucșoara in Argeș County, carried out with the support of the Conservation Carpathia team and aims to protect some of the most spectacular ancient beech trees in Europe and to contribute to the tourism development of the area. Anyone can adopt a secular beech tree for RON 700 (€140), choosing it from a map of the site or searching by a preferred number. The "Forest of Immortal Stories" campaign is a simple and innovative way for people to connect with nature and leave a legacy behind. We don't live long enough to tell our story, but these ancient beech trees are almost immortal. They can do it for us if we adopt them. We are helping the old beech meadows of Nucșoara to be protected, to become known, and to develop a visitor infrastructure and be included in a tourist circuit.
Beech adopters can choose to leave a story on the website which will then be edited, audio recorded, and printed on a QR code to be placed on the adopted tree. This way, every time someone scans the QR code, they will be able to read that story and connect with the person who adopted the tree. A beech tree can be adopted for a period of 7 years, and adopters receive an adoption certificate by email with an image of the chosen tree and its GPS coordinates. Those who want to join the project but prefer to adopt a tree without leaving their story can also have this option on arboricupovesti.ro website.
"I discovered the ancient beech trees in the area of Nucșoara at the most difficult moment of my life. Although I am a local and know the area and I have passed these meadows many times, I never stopped to look carefully at their value and beauty. The experience gave me hope and health and made me feel the connection between man and nature, its generosity and tolerance, giving me meaning in life. That was the moment when I said that more people should know about these beech trees, that they should be protected, and that they should stay here. I am honored to launch the "Forest with Immortal Stories" and I hope that both the people of Nucșoara and our guests will understand and contribute to our efforts to preserve and pass on what nature has so generously given us", said Ion Cojocaru, Mayor of Nucșoara.
Nature is a source of sustainable development for communities, and Nucsoara is a place that has many valuable resources around which many activities can be developed to bring benefits and income to the locals. The project is a good way to connect people with nature and can be a legacy that will last for generations to come, just like the anti-communist resistance that was born, and which persisted here for over ten years.
The "Forest of Immortal Stories" campaign is open to all those who want to support the preservation of natural values and aims to promote the vast areas of native grassland on which many ancient trees, especially beech trees, grow.
The ancient beech trees at Nucșoara are on land owned by the local town hall, but due to lack of funds, they have not been included in a tourist circuit and are not protected. Starting in 2021, the Conservation Carpathia Foundation together with the local town hall has set themselves to promote the ancient trees of Nucșoara in a unique project, selecting 2,544 trees, like the altitude of the highest peak in Romania, Moldoveanu. Each tree was included in a map with GPS coordinates, photographed, and given a number plate.
Conservation Carpathia Foundation is the largest nature conservation project in Europe, contributing to the restoration of natural ecosystems in the Carpathian Mountains for the benefit of biodiversity and local communities. Since 2009, the Romanian foundation has saved over 27,000 hectares of forests and alpine meadows in the south-eastern Southern Carpathians from logging by acquiring them for conservation purposes, planted over 3.7 million seedlings on 1,906 hectares affected by logging, created 78,000 hectares of the no-hunting zone. The Foundation contributes to the well-being of communities in the vicinity of protected forests through social, education, and green business development projects, and the long-term vision is the creation of the Făgăraș Mountains National Park.