The paper analysis the use of ecosystem services in the marketing strategies of accommodation facilities and tourism agencies promoting nature based tourism in Bucovina region. The territorial marketing of goods and services provided by forests is a marketing tool which links the local natural and cultural resources to a specific territory. Bucovina region is well known for its cultural world heritages, the painted monasteries, but tourism attractions of the region are also the natural landscapes and the traditional gastronomic products. The study uses a qualitative analysis based on two online marketing surveys which have targeted 214 managers of accommodation facilities and 95 tourism agencies. Given the reduced rate of responses the results of the study are interpreted from an exploratory perspective resulting in hypotheses which have to be further validated. The study indentifies that for the majority of the respondents the nature based tourism is perceived as a complementary form of tourism to the classical, cultural one, even though its promotion potential is identified as very high. The natural “portfolio” of Bucovina region is not promoted using an integrated strategy but rather as individual cases. The study also derives as a research hypothesis the fact that the visible degradation of the forest landscapes is likely to negatively impact on the promotion of Bucovina as an ecoregion.

The World Heritage List (WHL) of UNESCO currently comprises 1007 properties in 161 States Parties. Most of these sites are cultural (779) and only 197 are natural sites whereas 31 are mixed sites with outstanding universal cultural and natural values. Romania has only 8 sites registered on WHL of UNESCO, 7 cultural sites and one natural site – The Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve – being underrepresented in relation with the real value of its natural patrimony. Beech is a deciduous species exclusively European and the beech forests constitute the potential natural vegetation for the temperate zone of Europe. Beech forests represent an outstanding and globally unparalleled example of the ongoing ecological processes of post-glacial expansion. This is a key factor for supporting the nomination of beech forests under WHL of UNESCO. Romania, the country with the larges area of beech forests and well preserved primary beech forests, has an important responsibility for the conservation of an adequate and representative network of beech forests. Considering these aspects, the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change – Department for Waters, Forests and Fisheries, National Forest Administration – Romsilva, Forest Research and Management Institute, WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme Office and Greenpeace CEE Romania Foundation have signed a protocol for collaboration having as target the selection of certain beech forests to be included on the WHL of UNESCO.