Barbara Promberger-Furpass and Christoph Promberger have been awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Merit by the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in recognition of their exceptional and tireless commitment to forest conservation in Romania.

On the occasion of International Volunteer Day, celebrated this year under the motto 'Germany in the World,' the Federal president personally decorated the Prombergers at Bellevue Palace, the German Embassy in Bucharest reported on Friday.

Barbara Promberger-Furpass, an expert in comparative psychology, and Christoph Promberger, a forester and biologist specialising in wildlife, have achieved remarkable results through their work with the Foundation Conservation Carpathia, founded in 2009.

Through their efforts, over 27,000 hectares of Carpathian forests have been purchased and declared a nature reserve, while 2,000 hectares of deforested and other degraded lands have been restored. Protecting biodiversity and virgin forests as a carbon reservoir has significance far beyond Romania's borders, reads the press release.

The foundation also actively involves local communities, who benefit economically from visitor information centres, sustainable tourism, and initiatives promoting locally produced food.

Additionally, through the Foundation, the Prombergers maintain a close partnership with the Bayerischer Wald National Park, facilitating regular exchanges between German and Romanian officials and civil society representatives to highlight the economic potential of a national park, the diplomatic mission added. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Oana Ghita; EN - writing by: Simona Iacob)