YEAH – Youth, Empowerment, Actions and Harmony for Human–Wildlife Coexistence

YEAH – Youth, Empowerment, Actions and Harmony for Human–Wildlife Coexistence is an international project dedicated to education for coexistence, youth involvement and the development of practical tools that support a more responsible relationship between people and wildlife. The project responds to the growing need to combine non-formal education, participatory research, technology and international cooperation in order to address the challenges created by interactions between communities and wild animals.

In areas such as Băile Tușnad and Surroundings, where the presence of brown bears is part of everyday reality, coexistence cannot be understood only through administrative measures or isolated interventions. It requires knowledge, prevention, dialogue, community participation and young people who understand both the ecological and social dimensions of relationships between people and wildlife.

Through the project, the Project Bag Association, together with WWF Bulgaria and ΑΡΚΤΟΥΡΟΣ – ARCTUROS, develops educational activities, exchanges of experience, field workshops and digital tools that support education for coexistence. The project involves young people, students, school pupils, educators, youth workers and partner organisations, creating settings in which learning takes place through direct experience, observation, teamwork and participatory research.

An important element is the continued development of the TusnadEcoBearWatch application, a participatory digital tool for documenting wildlife observations. Although the initiative began with the need to record the presence of brown bears, the application is being developed into a broader instrument that can support observation and reporting of multiple wildlife species.

Main activities

International training and exchange of experience in Greece

One of the project’s first major activities was an international training session organised at the headquarters of ARCTUROS in Aetos, Greece. The Project Bag team, together with colleagues from Romania – Tusnad Trustbuilding and the Green Szeklerland Association – and partners from WWF Bulgaria, took part in a mobility programme focused on training educators and youth workers.

The study visit included activities at the bear and wolf sanctuaries, visits to interpretation centres and presentations by ARCTUROS specialists. Participants examined practical methods for working with young people, examples of non-formal education and approaches to human–wildlife conflict.

Particular attention was given to pedagogical methods that can later be replicated in local activities: team games, practical simulations, outdoor activities, interpretation exercises and educational tools dedicated to coexistence. This stage created the methodological foundation for the workshops, camps and educational activities later implemented in Romania.

Citizen Science Multidisciplinary Field Trip and Workshops – Băile Tușnad

After the training stage in Greece, the project continued with an intensive field week in Băile Tușnad entitled “Citizen Science Multidisciplinary Field Trip and Workshops”. The activity took place in one of the project’s key pilot areas, with Tusnad Camping serving as the logistical base.

The field programme brought together a multidisciplinary group of Sociology and Communication students from Sapientia University in Miercurea Ciuc and Biology–Ecology students from Babeș-Bolyai University. This structure allowed social sciences and natural sciences to be combined for a more complete understanding of relationships among community, tourism, urban infrastructure and wildlife.

The first part focused on methodological preparation. Students analysed maps, questionnaires and data-collection tools in preparation for the study on the “Value of the Bear in Băile Tușnad” and for evaluating preventive measures already in place in the town.

During the field week, students collected socio-cultural and economic data through interviews and questionnaires with local residents and tourists. More than 300 residents and over 100 tourists were interviewed. These data are intended to contribute to a better understanding of perceptions, needs and challenges related to human–wildlife coexistence in Băile Tușnad.

Alongside interviews, students tested the TusnadEcoBearWatch mobile application in the field. They used it to assess and map elements relevant to conflict prevention, including public rubbish bins, containers and the condition of electric fences around the town. The app therefore functioned not only as a digital instrument but as part of an educational and participatory data-collection process.

The week concluded with a public presentation of fieldwork results in the presence of local stakeholders. The activity demonstrated the value of non-formal education and participatory science in supporting communities facing real challenges related to human–wildlife coexistence.

Educational activities with pupils at TusnadEcoBear Cave

As part of YEAH, school-focused educational activities were also launched at the TusnadEcoBear Cave centre. Two groups of pupils participated on separate days in the first activities of the Mobile Cave educational initiative.

The programme was designed as an interactive activity of approximately one hour, aimed at developing knowledge about brown-bear management and conservation and about responsible coexistence with wildlife. It combined exhibition interpretation, video materials, scientific information and digital tools.

The educational content was structured around four main areas. The first introduced the concept of a Bear-Smart City, through which pupils discussed safety rules and responsible behaviour in an ecotourism destination where brown bears are present. The second was a guided exhibition tour in which pupils explored biological artefacts and information about brown-bear biology, diet and ecological role. The third component included a thematic screening about the life and behaviour of Carpathian bears. The fourth focused on participatory science and technology, with particular attention to the TusnadEcoBearWatch application.

Through these activities, pupils were encouraged to understand how technology, education and direct observation can contribute to preventing human–wildlife conflict and improving understanding of wild animals. Activities at TusnadEcoBear Cave support the development of a generation that is better informed, more attentive and more able to participate actively in building responsible coexistence.

Development of the TusnadEcoBearWatch application

An important component of YEAH was the development of TusnadEcoBearWatch as a digital tool for citizen science and education for coexistence. During the project, development of the application was completed, and the tool is ready for use in educational activities, participatory research and documentation of field observations.

The application enables structured recording of wildlife observations and supports the collection of relevant information about animal presence across the landscape. Although the initiative began with the need to document brown-bear presence more effectively in the Băile Tușnad and Surroundings area, the application was expanded to include observations of other wildlife species as well.

During the “Citizen Science Multidisciplinary Field Trip and Workshops” week in Băile Tușnad, the application was used and tested under real field conditions. Students used it to collect and organise field data, including mapping and assessing features relevant to preventing human–wildlife conflict, such as public rubbish bins, containers and electric fences around the town.

Through this component, TusnadEcoBearWatch became more than a reporting application. It functions as an educational and participatory tool that helps young people, pupils, students, residents and visitors better understand the relationship between wildlife presence, human behaviour, local infrastructure and conflict prevention.

Completion of the application is a concrete result of the YEAH project and provides the Project Bag Association with a useful instrument for future environmental education, interpretation, citizen-science and human–wildlife coexistence activities. TusnadEcoBearWatch helps transform users from passive observers into active participants in documenting nature and building a more responsible relationship between people and wildlife.

Impact and relevance

The Erasmus+ YEAH project contributes to essential skills for young people: critical thinking, teamwork, understanding relationships between society and nature, responsible use of technology and active participation in community life. At the same time, it supports partner organisations in developing modern educational methods based on experience, cooperation and international knowledge transfer.

For the Project Bag Association, YEAH continues work developed over recent years in environmental education, ecotourism and human–wildlife coexistence. In Băile Tușnad and Surroundings, the project connects local experience with international methods and perspectives, strengthening a more informed, participatory and responsible approach to nature.

Through its activities, Erasmus+ YEAH aims to develop young people who not only understand the challenges of coexistence more clearly, but can also become active actors in their communities. The project demonstrates that education for coexistence is built through direct experience, dialogue, field data, collaboration and genuine participation.

The project is implemented by the Project Bag Association in partnership with WWF Bulgaria and ΑΡΚΤΟΥΡΟΣ – ARCTUROS.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Romanian National Agency for Community Programmes in the Field of Education and Vocational Training (ANPCDEFP). Neither the European Union nor ANPCDEFP can be held responsible for them.