Babeș-Bolyai University leads biodiversity research consortium

Babeș-Bolyai University (UBB) is coordinating a consortium of seven Romanian universities and research institutes to establish RECOVER, the Romanian Center of Excellence in Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, and Society. The initiative aims to pool expertise and infrastructure to study terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, as well as the relationship between humans and nature.

The research will focus on how climate change and human activities impact biodiversity. The project seeks to develop long-term solutions for the protection and restoration of ecosystems, covering diverse environments including forests, grasslands, agricultural lands, urban areas, rivers, wetlands, the Danube Delta, and the Black Sea.

The consortium includes the University of Bucharest, Ovidius University of Constanța, the Bucharest Institute of Biology, the Cluj Biological Research Institute, the National Institute for Marine Geology and Geoecology (GeoEcoMar), and the National Institute for Environmental Research and Development. An inaugural workshop is scheduled for September 23-24, 2026, in Sfântu Gheorghe to discuss research priorities with local communities, practitioners, and public authorities.