Radio România Internațional

Category: Green Planet

  • The bear sanctuary in Zarnesti

    The bear sanctuary in Zarnesti

    Zarnesti is a
    town in Brasov County. On the outskirts of the town you can find the world’s
    largest bear sanctuary. It was officially inaugurated in 2008, by the Millions
    of Friends Association and the World Association for the Protection of Animals.
    More than 100 bears found their peace here; they had been saved from a cruel
    and abusive life in captivity. Each of the bears has their own story. Some of
    them were saved from being kept in suffocating cages, being a mere reason for
    people to have fun in restaurants, hotels, factories, gas stations, circuses or
    even monasteries. Others were brought over from zoos around the country that
    couldn’t afford offering bears normal living conditions, or from illegal bear
    owners. Here in Zarnesti the bear sanctuary has a surface area of 70 hectares
    of forest and grazing grounds. Water tanks, trees for climbing, feeding areas
    and individual shelters have been made available on the premises. In fact, the
    bear sanctuary was born from the grief and pain caused by the death of a
    she-bear, Maya, which had been kept in captivity for the amusement of tourists.
    Maya was saved by the president of the Millions of Friends Association,
    Cristina Lapis, who is also the founder of the sanctuary.

    Cristina Lapis:



    It has been 15 years since the sanctuary was founded and it would not have come
    into being had the she-bear Maya not died in my arms, having maimed herself
    eating her front paws. That she-bear was illegally kept in a cage nearby Bran
    Castle at a guesthouse, allegedly used as an attraction point for the potential
    clients. All foreign tourists who travelled to Romanian and who passed by that
    guesthouse could see for themselves the bear’s gruesome facilities and
    announced the World Animal Protection Association. I was contacted by that foundation;
    they asked me to go check if the living conditions of the bears were that
    serious. There were also other bears from Poiana Brasov, nearby the Poiana
    Ursului hotel, who were tortured, which prompted me to vow that someday, those
    bears would be free again. I began by asking what the prospective solutions
    were, for the bears, I had the support of the authorities telling me to rest
    assured that, if I created a sanctuary for those bears who had been kept in
    improper conditions for a wild animal, I would get all the support I needed.
    And that’s how the adventure started. Back then it didn’t even cross my mind we
    would have as many as 106 bears, which is the number of bears we have at the
    moment. And that is how Romania can now boast the biggest brown bears
    sanctuary. That is how, in 2016, Romania had the world’s most ethical
    sanctuary, second-placed being a gorillas sanctuary, while the third largest
    such area was an elephants sanctuary.


    The bears in
    Zarnesti can never be released in the wilderness since they can no longer adapt
    to wildlife. Many of them cannot stand seeing or hearing human beings, as they
    had been much too traumatized by humans.


    Cristina Lapis:


    In recent years, we took the bears
    that were confiscated by the National Environment Guard, they were bears kept
    at the bread Factory, at the uranium Factory, at monasteries, they were bears
    kept near the petrol pump. These places are absolutely incredible for an animal
    to be kept in. They were kept there because the Romanian made a habit of that, in
    the past the Romanians used to be bear leaders but also circus performers, they
    were bear tamers, taking them to the market towns, while towards the end of her
    or his life, the bear was a trophy but also a money-making device. A bear that
    was shot in his cage in Poiana Brasov was a bear with a net worth standing at
    around 10,000 – 15,000 Euro. The bear is the king of the Carpathian forests and
    it is a pity to put them in a cage and mock them. It is one of Romania’s great
    treasures, and it must be protected. Not only because it is a richness of our
    forests, but also because there is the International Convention in Berne
    Romania signed and ratified through a law, officially acknowledging the fact
    that the brown bear was a protected animal. Unfortunately, we were unable to
    gather all the bears. In Romania, there are around 10 or 15 bears that are kept
    in the same conditions. For instance, at a guesthouse in Straja, this year there
    will be 20 years since a bear has been kept in a cave. 20 years! One year after
    the next the bear gets a birthday cake and is given beer to drink. The footage
    has been posted on YouTube and the whole world can see we keep a bear near a
    guesthouse to draw clients to that guesthouse. For 10 years we have been trying
    to persuade the authorities to release it and take it to a sanctuary, to a zoo,
    to a proper place…


    Romanian boasts Europe’s largest population of bears;
    they prefer vast and thick forests, less frequented by the man. Unfortunately,
    the increased pressure the forests have been under has lead to a great many
    incidents. Some bears climb down to households, doing a lot of damage.

    Cristina Lapis:


    As we speak, in our forests, or at
    least what has been left of them, there is no forest fruit, there are no
    mushrooms left, no nothing, as everything is taken away. So bears, no longer
    having a source of food, come and look for it wherever they can smell it. And
    if guesthouses, houses and villas are being built in forests, where everybody
    can have a barbecue, we almost invite them over, so little wonder then that
    they come. Of course the hungry bears are on the lookout for food. They do not
    come to town because they want to take a walk around, it’s us that have been
    trespassing and invading them! We took their lands away from them, we do not
    provide the food they need, and the solution is a complex one. Shooting them is
    not a solution either. Hotels, guesthouses, houses that are built along the
    forest tree line should have protection, they should have an electric fence,
    and the bear will stop there. In the towns and villages lying at the forest tree
    line, people should grow apple trees and pear trees, as well as corn, and the
    bear, searching for food, will stop there. Hunters’ associations and the
    forestry authorities should provide bears with food during spring, just as they
    used to do in the past.


    The bears Sanctuary in Zarnesti will soon reach the maximum
    of its housing capacity, so the Environment Ministry announced it would approve
    the building of a new sanctuary for bears. Also, beginning this year, it has
    been officially decided that the Romanians living in areas populated by bears
    should receive subsidies for the purchase of electric fences, capable of
    protecting their households. The authorities have also pledged they would
    finance a research study on the population of bears, carried with the
    state-of-the-art technology, so that we may exactly know the number of brown
    bear specimens living on Romanian territory.





  • Actions to combat desertification

    Actions to combat desertification

    World
    Day to Combat Desertification and Drought was observed on 17th June,
    an opportunity to remind people that pollution, climate change and extreme phenomena
    will, in time, lead to the destruction of forests and crops and the degradation
    and desertification of soil. A number of European states, including Romania,
    are already confronted with desertification. In Romania, the phenomenon is
    affecting the southern part of the country, near River Danube, as well as the
    region of Dobruja. In the absence of measures to tackle the problem the
    degraded surface areas are expanding from one year to the next, with sand taking
    over more and more fertile land. A 2018 report of the European Court of Auditors
    noted the lack of a common vision across the European Union and the fact that
    the risk of desertification is not tackled efficiently and effectively.




    In an interview to Radio Romania, the environment
    minister Costel Alexe says the current government is willing to support the
    implementation, as soon as possible, of projects to combat desertification and
    mentioned a number of measures taken for the stabilisation of sand soil.




    One
    concrete example is the acacia forest that has been planted in Mârşani, in Dolj
    county, for stabilisation and in order to prevent the expansion of sand dunes. The
    Romanian government has at its disposal the financial resources to carry out
    these campaigns and forestations on sand land, resources covered by the
    amelioration fund and the Environment Fund Administration. The local authorities
    need only identify the land in question and, especially, talk to the owners and
    make them understand that unless we act very quickly, and we’re late as it is, it
    will be far too late in ten- or twenty-years’ time.




    Dolj
    county, in the south of Romania, has the largest surface area of sandy soil in
    Romania, namely more than 100,000 hectares, an area known as the Sahara of Romania.
    The desertification process in Oltenia, a region in the southern part of the
    country, is closely followed by the experts from the Research and Development Centre
    for Plants Grown on Sand in Dăbuleni, who have proposed a number of solutions since
    this institute was created. The centre’s director Aurelia Nedelcu believes the efficient
    exploitation of this type of soil is the solution to combat desertification:




    Sand
    can be an ideal soil for agriculture, especially horticulture, considering the
    average temperatures recorded in this climate in Oltenia, which is arid and
    semi-arid. The amount of precipitation that falls in a year is not enough for
    any species. This is why we must use irrigation. The soil in this area is sandy,
    light, the result of wind activity and is easily moved by the wind, which is a
    very restrictive factor in agriculture.




    Fifty
    years ago, an irrigation system known as the Sadova-Corabia system was built in
    this area. Over 9,000 hectares of land were deforested, but another 1,400 hectares
    of shelterbelts were created to prevent the advance of sand. Unfortunately,
    some of these forests have disappeared in the last thirty years as a result of illegal
    logging. The director of the Research and Development Centre for Plants Grown
    on Sand in Dăbuleni Aurelia Nedelcu explains how sandy soils can be stabilised:




    Rows
    of 10-metre wide acacia shelterbelts are planted on sandy soils susceptible to
    wind activity and dissipation. They are placed within a distance of 288 metres in
    the most exposed areas and within 560 metres in the less vulnerable areas. The
    effect of the wind is thus counteracted by these barriers made up of acacia
    trees and shrubs. Rye is cultivated in autumn in strips located 50 metres of
    each other, and in spring we cultivate horticultural plants to act as
    windbreaks. Irrigation has also helped turn these sandy soils into land that
    can be used in agriculture.




    The Research
    and Development Centre for Plants Grown on Sand in Dăbuleni has been studying
    for many years how different plants and fruit trees adapt to sandy soils and
    the results have been encouraging. The director of the centre Aurelia Nedelcu
    tells us more:




    Fruit
    tree plantations were introduced, especially stone fruit trees such as peaches,
    apricots and cherries. They responded well to irrigation. Vegetables were also
    grown. The Dăbuleni water melons are now in high demand at farmers’ markets. While
    in the past there was no question of growing potatoes here, this arid region
    has been transformed, thanks to irrigation, into an area that produces early crops
    of potatoes, a very profitable business for local farmers. Strawberries are
    also doing very well here, and they can be harvested beginning in April.




    Last
    year, the Research and Development Centre for Plants Grown on Sand in Dăbuleni started
    growing species that could so far only be found in Romania in botanical gardens,
    such as kiwi, olive trees, Chinese dates, goji trees and fig trees. However,
    creating new varieties and hybrids is not enough, but must be accompanied by
    the most important means of combating desertification, namely irrigation.





  • The 2020 Green Areas Program

    The 2020 Green Areas Program

    MOL Romania and the Foundation for Partnership continue in 2020 the Green Areas Program, financing environmental projects. The program is aimed at NGOs in partnership with educational institutions and public institutions in cities. They offer funding for creating and restoring public parks, playgrounds, school parks, and parks for kindergartens, involving the community.

    Launched in 2006, the program focused on urban green areas, but starting in 2009, it acquired a new component, Protected Natural Areas, aiming to protect and popularize protected areas in Romania. Up until February 20th, environmental organizations signed up for financing in one of the two components of the program: green urban areas and protected natural areas. Starting in 2018, financing is also provided for projects as part of the European Week of Mobility, which occurs in September, involving activities with a high degree of community involvement. Here is Laszlo Potozky, director of the Foundation for Partnership:

    “For 2020 we maintained these two components, and seeing the success of the program so far, we boosted the total amount for the program to reach almost 800,000 lei. Another novelty is the fact that the maximum amount that can be applied for went up, which means that for Urban Green Areas you can apply for 11,000 lei, while for the Protected Natural Areas component you can apply for 26,000 lei.”

    Bucharest is one of the most polluted cities, according to green activists, pollution caused by automotive traffic, construction sites that are not monitored to standards, as well as electricity plants and home central heating units. Another factor that increases pollution is the lack of green spaces. According to Bucharest City Hall, the city right now has no more than 23 sqm per capita, considering that both European and national legislation set the minimum at 26 sqm green space for every inhabitant. Other figures, provided by the Court of Accounts, indicated that the amount of green space per capita is actually 9.86 sqm. Here is Laszlo Potozky once again:

    “For the urban area, starting with the first years of the new millennium, there were plenty of articles talking about the insufficient amount of green areas and the state they were in, about the intensive urbanization of our cities. You can see how much construction is going on, to the detriment of existing green areas, which were insufficient to begin with. Comparisons between Bucharest and other capitals showed that we were in a sorry state when it comes to green areas. Which is why we thought it would be worth starting with a program to try to save or improve what we already have, or set up new ones where we can. Therefore, in terms of Urban Green Areas, I can tell you that after 14 years we can quote some impressive figures. With the projects we financed, 550,000 sqm of green space were created or restored. It seems a lot to me, considering that the small projects a while back were provided 7,000 lei, and now they get 11,000 lei. Also, over 80,000 trees have been planted, and over 85,000 shrubs, not to mention the educational aspect.”

    This program emphasizes youth education, with informal ecological education activities carried out in schools, kindergartens, or the community at large. In addition to participating in these programs, young people of school age and volunteers are provided with educational activities on protecting forests, water bodies, waste management, ecosystems, biodiversity, rules of behavior in protected areas, etc. Here is Laszlo Potozky once more:

    “I love recalling the fact that if Romania excels at something, and is in top position among EU countries, it is at biodiversity. In fact, we are first in Europe in this chapter. Unfortunately, the amount of money put up by the Romanian state for conservation and protection of natural areas is basically zero. And so we have other programs to support biodiversity, and therefore we can speak of hundreds of projects to intervene in protected areas, from national parks to smaller local protected areas. Ill give you a few examples: 141 Junior Ranger camps, outings that last a few days where we teach children proper behavior in nature, what a protected area is, what protected plants are, how we should behave towards them. Also, the people who implemented these projects have set up over 100 thematic trails of various types in these protected areas. In total, weve had over 1,270 extracurricular activities for ecological education as part of the two components.”

    In its 14 years of existence, the Green Areas Program financed a total of 620 projects which involved over 235,000 people, especially youth. Last year, due to the large number of projects implemented as part of the Green Areas Program, finance providers have decided to offer awards to two of the projects. The Floral Clock at the Petru Rares National College in Piatra Neamt, implemented by the Petru Rares Parents Association, and the Play and Joy on the Playground project, implemented by the Piticot Association of Dej. As part of this project, the association created a sensory alley, a labyrinth, and an aromatic herb garden, with over 150 flowers in the kindergarted yard. At the same time, they painted the kindergarten fence in happy colors, restored the playground equipment, and planted over 200 trees and shrubs.

  • The European Bison in the Carpathian Mountains

    The European Bison in the Carpathian Mountains

    The European bison is a Eurasian
    species of bison that has become increasingly endangered in Europe. Due to
    excessive hunting, poaching and the ever shrinking of its natural habitat, the
    European bison has become extinct in many countries. The last bison population
    disappeared in Western Europe as early as the 11th century, with
    Eastern Europe still home to a healthy bison population until 1927. The last
    bison was killed in Moldavia in 1762, and in 1790 in Transylvania. The only
    country that continued to host bison population was Poland, which is to date
    the country with the highest number of free-roaming bisons. Romania too is
    making efforts to reintroduce the bison into the wild in various areas of the
    Carpathian Mountains, in Neamt, Caras-Severin and Hunedoara Counties. At the
    end of 2019, the Conservation Carpathia Foundation kick-started a new project
    to reintroduce the bison in the Fagaras Mountains. As the bison population keeps
    growing, the degraded habitats will be restored and the wildlife will be
    reinvigorated. Adrian Aldea, a specialist with the Conservation Carpathia
    Foundation, told us more:


    We are talking about a wider
    project carried out by the Conservation Carpathia Foundation, to create a
    wildlife habitat, one of the biggest in Europe, where we plan to reintroduce
    the beaver and the bison where these species are missing. The European bison is
    missing from most areas of the country, except those where this species was
    forcefully reintroduced. It is a majestic animal, currently on the endangered
    list, an umbrella species that can contribute to the introduction of other
    species, that would help rebuild the food chain. Our project entails the
    creation of three reintroduction areas, and for five years we will be bringing
    some 30 European bisons to each of these locations. After ensuring a period of
    acclimatization and quarantine, as per the sanitary and veterinary regulations
    in place, the bison population will be released in the wild. We have 11 bisons
    in quarantine right now which will be monitored. They are fitted with GPS
    tracking collars, allowing us to see the areas they cross, which habitats they
    prefer. The bisons are brought from reproduction centers in Europe and in
    Romania, and their selection is based on the genetic profile. At present we
    have 4 bisons from Germany and 7 from Poland.


    The Southern Carpathians are
    currently home to the largest wild area in Europe, spreading over three
    protected sites: Retezat National Park, Domogled-Cerna Valley National Park and
    the Tarcu Mountains Natura 2000 site. As early as 2014, Rewilding Europe and
    WWF Romania have been carrying out a project to reintroduce the bison in these
    locations. Today, dozens of bisons are roaming free between the two areas in
    Tarcu and Poiana Rusca Mountains, and the project is set to continue until
    2021. The authorities want to use the wildlife to increase biodiversity and
    boost the sustainable development of local communities. Matei Miculescu is a
    bison ranger in Tarcu Mountains.


    Right now we have some 50 bisons
    roaming free. The bisons are adjusting quite well, we even have 6 bisons born here
    in 2019. Their habitat spreads some 100 square kilometers. In Armenis, with the
    bison reintroduction project, we have an opportunity to develop local tourism.
    Eco-tourism will attract more people, considering that Armenis hasn’t fared
    quite well in this respect. We have designed a few packages for tourists who
    want to visit the area and enjoy nature, admiring the free-roaming bisons
    together with local guides, even sleep outdoors, in safari-like tents, during
    the summer season. To promote this type of tourism, we are cooperating with the
    European Safari Company based in the Netherlands, but we have also set up our
    own websites. One such website is magurazimbrilor.com, where people can see
    what’s happening in Armenis, and our second website is nearly ready. Here
    everyone interested can find out more about the nature outings we are going to
    start this year. We will have a three-day package with hikes, trying to spot
    free-roaming bisons, and longer trips with a focus on reconnecting with nature,
    learning new things about the bisons and birds.


    As soon as bisons were brought to
    Armenis, the locals have set up a local association called Magura Zimbrilor
    Armenis, offering agri-tourism services. Matei Miculescu:


    We have a few ongoing projects,
    one infrastructure project we are conducting jointly with the Armenis Town
    Hall. We are trying to build some green houses, in harmony with nature, to
    accommodate tourists. We also thought of setting up a community kitchen that
    will try to cook local products, such as fruit, vegetables, dried fruit, jams,
    zacusca and so on.


    The Vanatori Natural Park in Piatra
    Neamt is also carrying out a project of reintroducing bisons into the wild. It
    is the only place in Europe where bisons can be found both free and in
    captivity.


    (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • The Strambu Baiut primeval forests

    The Strambu Baiut primeval forests

    The forested area in Maramures County, northern Romania, is 290,000 hectares, accounting for 46% of the total surface area. In the old times, however, this was a region covered with thick, barely accessible forests that formed a natural fortress.



    The locals had developed a science of when and how to down trees, with a number of rituals performed before going into the forest. They used to believe that the wood from trees growing on the sunny side of the mountains was better, so when it came to building churches, houses or wind mills, they would pick the trees that had grown in sunlight in the middle of the forest. The trees were cut down in the first 2 months of the year, in periods with a full moon, so that the wood would be dry and protected from woodworms.



    The forest cover of Maramures is now dwindling. Environmental associations estimate that there are 250,000 hectares of old-growth forests in the Romanian Carpathians, accounting for only 3% of the total forest area. One such primeval forest is located in Strambu Baiut, in the Tibles Mountains. Thousands of different flora and fauna species, day and night birds coexist here in a delicate balance. The old treetops shelter over 10,000 species, ranging from unicellular organisms, fungi, plants, and insects, to large mammals, including boars, deer, chamoix, bears, lynxes and wolves. The local authorities want the region promoted as a tourist site, says Calin Ardelean, a project manager with Worldwide Wildlife Fund Romania:



    Calin Ardelean: “The primeval forests in Strambu Baiut, spreading around 3,000 hectares, are natural forests. This means that for hundreds of years they have been growing up naturally, with no human intervention whatsoever. There has been no wood harvesting, no thinning out of diseased or undesired trees, and so on. All processes take place here just as they did a thousand years ago, and this is the most important thing about this place, the fact that this is truly a living lab. We can conduct activities here that would be highly relevant in the context of climate change, research that could highlight the behavior of these natural ecosystems with respect to the climate changes caused by man.



    Strambu Baiut used to be a mining region, with gold extracted around the Lapus river sprigs ever since 1315. Since 1989, mining operations in the area have gradually declined, and the locals have started to look for jobs elsewhere. Last autumn the authorities launched a project aimed at preserving biodiversity and at promoting the local resources and values, to the benefit of the Lapus Mountains community. The goal is to switch from gold and silver mining to tourism development, in an attempt to secure incomes for the local community in the medium and long run, Calin Ardelean explains:



    Calin Ardelean: “We are trying to capitalise on all these and to turn forests into the gold of the local communities here. These old-growth forests are the golden forests of Maramures, the new gold of this region. WWF Romania has initiated the planning for local development in the Strambu Baiut area and Poiana Botizi village, which are very close to the protected area. We have run some studies on the environment services that can be provided in the protected area. We were surprised to find out that revenues from the direct exploitation of the resources there, that is of the wood and water, would reach around 250,000 euros, but on the other hand, if, as we intend to do, we focused on revenues from cultural services, such as tourism, scientific research, entertainment, education, the revenues would be around 10 million euros per year. Our goal is to put together the infrastructure needed for visiting this region, so as to help increase the number of tourists to some 10,000 people per year, by implementing this management plan.



    Tourism is one of the most common environment services used in order to capitalise on the protected area, environmentalists say. Promotion campaigns have already been initiated, and the implementation of the management plan is pending.



    The first step will be to ensure small-scale infrastructure in the protected area, e.g. theme routes, information boards, picnic areas, camping areas etc. The next step has to do with the larger-scale infrastructure, including accommodation facilities, museums, visitor centres. Groups of up to 20 tourists will be organised, accompanied by local guides, to make sure that nature is not tampered with, Calin Ardelean also says:



    Calin Ardelean: “These old-growth forests in Strambu Baiut area are mixed forests. There are many old trees, trees reaching their natural life span of 400-500 years, trees that have collapsed and died and make up the soil for the new generations. So in autumn and spring these forests are spectacular in terms of colours. In early spring beech trees are a strong vivid green, and in autumn they are golden yellow. The landscape is quite diverse, and the routes are designed so as to cross very different areas, precisely because these forests are not at all uniform, visually speaking. There are surprises at every step.



    More than one-quarter of Europes UNESCO-listed beech forests are located in Romania. Alongside other old-growth forests in Romania, the ones in Strambu-Baiut and Grosii Tiblesului were included in 2017 in the UNESCO world heritage list, ensuring tighter protection rules.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • The Rodna Mountains National Park

    The Rodna Mountains National Park

    The Rodna Mountains National Park is the largest protected surface area in Eastern Carpathians. It is Romanias second largest park, after Domogled-Valea Cernei, with a surface area of 54,000 hectares. The Rodna Mountains National Park was created in 1932. At that time, the park had a mere 198 hectares of barren alpine surface area. In 2007, the park was designated a Natura 2000 Site. On the premises, you can find a wide range of natural areas having a multifarious scientific purpose. These areas are also of valuable interest in terms of relief, landscape, flora, and fauna and as regards speleological research. The Rodna Mountains National Park has many types of habitats: it has shrubberies, boreal and alpine pastures, mountain meadow lands, swamps, peat moors, as well as a spectacular, well-preserved glacier relief. The parks forests, pastures and rocky areas are home to a variegated and rich flora and fauna. It also has numerous rare Carpathian species, as well as species that can only be found in the aforementioned park. Here is the director of The Rodna Mountains National Park Administration, Lucia Mihaela Poll:



    “We have the rush light of the Rodna Mountains, the catchfly, which is a one-of-a kind species around the world, with its little pink flower. We have more than 2,000 species of superior plants, species of glacier relics, protected species, such as the spotted gentian, the garden angelica, the broadleaf Rhododendron. We also have the yew tree, the stone pine, we have more than 600 species of butterflies, 12 species of earthworms, but also many species of birds, such as the black grouse, the area being one Romanias last such regions where that species can be found, the wood grouse, the golden eagle. In the mountain waters we have such fish species as the huchen or the Danube salmon, the trout, the grayling. As for mammals, we have lots of chamoix, with the number of specimens growing significantly. We have families of marmots, the red deer, the roe deer, the bear, the wolf, the lynx and the wild cat. Although around ten hunting areas are part of the Rodna Mountains National Park, we have robust populations of bears, but we had no problem with bears attacking humans in urban areas. Right now theyre up in the mountains, where they can still find blueberries, blackberries, raspberries…. We have more than 100 specimens of bear in the park, we know their dens, we have more than 110 sheepfolds, transhumance is practiced year after year, while during summer, bears pay visit to some of the sheepfolds, but they dont attack people. “


    The chamois is an iconic species living at high altitudes in the Carpathians. It has been declared a “nature monument” ever since 1933. It is a protected animal, and is one of Romanian faunas most precious species. The chamois, the golden eagles, the red deers and the eagles animate the wild landscape of Rodna Mountains alpine ridges. It may not pose an indirect or a direct danger to people, it may not do any sort of damage whatsoever, yet the chamois has been, as of late, included on the list of the animals that can be hunted. The decision has intrigued the ecologists, who have been vocal calling for the protection of the chamois.


    Mihaela Poll:


    “Before 1928, in Rodna Mountains, there were between 120 and 160 specimens. During the Second World War, they were exterminated, then in 1964 repopulation was started all over again, with yeanlings brought over from the Bucegi massif and the Retezat. Of those yeanlings, in 1967, there were eight to ten specimens that had been let loose. In 1990, the reported number of such specimens reached 320 or thereabouts, while in 2004, when the Rodna Mountains National Park Administration was established, 36 specimens were seen in the spring, and 61 in autumn. Then it was us who began the repopulation. In 2004, eight specimens were brought, from Bucegi and Retezat. In 2019, during the spring assessment, we had more than 120 specimens of chamois, while the autumn assessment is scheduled in a week from now. But you should know the chamois does exist. There are many tourists who saw them. We have large droves of 50, 60 such specimens. Here in the National park, hunting is forbidden, and the chamois is a rated as a nature monument as were trying to protect it. Yet we have been confronted with problems, related to poaching, but also regarding diseases. The chamois may die of heart attack, if she gets scared. Very few people know that…However, as of late, since it was peace and quiet in the mountains, they managed to breed.”


    All across the Rodna Mountains National Park, you can find many nature reserves. On the northern slope, you can find one of Romanias most spectacular waterfalls, the Horses Waterfall, which can be found at an altitude of 1,300 meters. It was also in Borsa that the Iezer Lake can be found, which is also known as the unfathomable lake, located under the Pietrosu peak, at an altitude of 1,825 meters, it is a glacier lake, surrounded by barren and wild peaks, which are part of the Pietrosu Mare scientific reserve. One of Romanias biggest glacier lakes is the Lala Mare Lake, lying at an altitude of 1,815 meters. It is teeming with trout and surrounded by the broadleaf Rhododendron, a protected species. Glacier relictual flower species can be found in the marshy areas nearby, such as the Edelweiss or the yellow gentian.


    Mihaela Poll:


    “We have The Daffodils Clearing, at an altitude of 1,600 meters. We have been carefully monitoring it since 2007 and from a mere couple of hundred square meters in terms of surface area, it reached almost six hectares last year. Tourists come over in large numbers to admire them, in May. Pietrosul Mare is home to a couple of glacier lakes, unique around the world. Pietrosul is the tallest peak of eastern Carpathians, 2,303 meters, here we have all sorts of species, many families of marmots, and a lush vegetation…We can also find here karstic springs, valleys, limy steep slopes, groves, pastures, grasslands, juniper bushes, coniferous or deciduous forests, as well as mixed forests. Not only that massif, but the Rodna massif in its entirety, as we speak, at least, offers a breath-taking landscape. Each season has its own beauty”.


    Around 2,300 hectares of the Rodna Mountains National Park are declared strictly protected areas, because of the protected areas of an utmost scientific importance, including wild areas where the intervention of man was extremely low. More than 800 hectares of old-growth forests are to be included in the National Catalogue of Virgin and Quasi-Virgin Forests.




  • Romana’s Virgin and Quasi-Virgin Forests

    Romana’s Virgin and Quasi-Virgin Forests

    Romanias Carpathian Mountains are home to the largest secular forests in Europe. Back in the day, in the 18th century for instance, the forests were roaming with herds of deer, aurochs and wild boars. Unfortunately, irrational exploitation and deforestation, have destroyed a large part of these forests. Around the year 1900, there were some 2 million hectares of forests, but only 200,000 have remained. Even if the forest area has reduced in size, Romania is still the richest country in Europe in terms of secular forests. Huge trees, reaching up to 60 m in height, are still reigning the forests, and big carnivorous animals, such as wolves, bears and lynxes are still populating the wild areas. In order to ensure a better protection, the forests in Izvoarele Nerei, Cheile Nerei-Beusnita, Domogled-Valea Cernei, Cozia and Codrul Slatioara have been included in the UNESCO world heritage list.



    Gheorghe Mihailescu, the General Director of Romsilva, the National Forest Authority, told us about the importance of these forests:


    “The virgin and quasi-virgin forests in Romania are extremely important as they are models of how forests grow, develop and regenerate naturally. Their lives go on without any human intervention. And these are among the most diverse forests. Not always a forest that is 100% natural and closed is also extremely diverse. The diversity of a forest is also rendered by the diversity of its generations. For instance, in a 100% natural forest, one can find just one 180 year – old generation. But, in order to be able to speak of diversity, 10, 20 and 30 year old trees must also be part of that forest. Not always natural forests are the most diverse. The most diverse forests and the most diverse areas are a combination of 100% natural forests, cultivated forests, managed forests, meadow crossings, grasslands, etc. These are more diverse and more beautiful than the 100% natural ones, because these natural forests tend to become 100% secular. And then, the domination of 100, 200 or 300 year-old trees no longer encourages the young generations. We use them as models and there are not too many left. There are just a few countries in Europe that sill have such forest. Currently, we have some 28,000 hectares, identified and mapped, which meet this criterion, namely to have been declared virgin or quasi-virgin.”



    A Catalogue of virgin and quasi-virgin forests was made in 2016, which means that these forests are under strict protection, and no human interference is allowed. So far, some 7000 hectares of virgin and 22,100 hectares of quasi-virgin forests have been included, and the process continues. However, some environmental organizations have accused authorities of destroying secular forests and have called for the intervention of the European Commission. The Greens say that Romsilva organizes forestry works inside the NATURA 2000 protected sites, without a proper analysis of the impact of tree cutting in these unique areas.



    Gheorghe Mihailescu, the General Director of Romsilva, responded to such accusations:


    “Forests are protected. Those forests have no problem whatsoever; at least the forests in the administration of Romsilva are untouched. Environmental organizations have submitted a few notifications to the European Commission. Indeed, they compare a situation of 2004, the Pin Matra survey, with what weve done now. Its unfair to compare a concrete situation with a theoretical one. All those forests are monitored and are under a strict control. There are certain errors in that there are national roads, changed areas, in the UNESCO natural heritage, but that was an error because those in charge of that survey did not go to the respective areas. Were now trying to correct those errors. Certain NGOs dont accept corrections. But a lot of NGOs join us and help us. We have our own errors too here and there. Our credibility is somehow altered but were struggling to recover it. Today there is talk in Europe that Romania doesnt protect its forests, but this country has the most valuable beech forests, the nicest flora, the largest biodiversity. Havent we protected them? Do you know that certain European countries call a garden with a few trees national and natural parks?”



    Romania has 6.5 million ha of forest, of which Romsilva, a state-owned company, manages 3.14 million ha, accounting for 48% of the countrys forest stock. Romsilva also manages 22 national and natural parks covering over 850,000 ha. 245,000 ha of that area account for areas with a strict and complete protection, where human activities are restricted. This autumn, Romsilva has started the zoning with distinct boundaries of the 22 national and natural parks.



    Gheorghe Mihailescu told us more:


    “Weve requested the zoning of parks to be marked by boundaries to know where we can carry out certain works. We didnt know whether a certain area had complete protection or it was an area with a sustainable development or a preservation area. So our employees will do boundary marking using GPS and concrete demarcation elements, in order to mark the boundary between those areas because people can make mistakes when the ground is not marked by clear boundaries.”



    A yellow square surrounded by a red stripe will mark the area with a strict protection; a blue square surrounded by a white stripe will mark the area with a complete protection and a yellow square surrounded by a white stripe will mark natural reserves or monuments. The boundaries of national and natural parks will be marked by a red square surrounded by a white stripe.


  • An environmental programme entitled “With Waters Clean”

    An environmental programme entitled “With Waters Clean”

    In order to fight pollution on the Danube and the Black Sea, the association has launched a programme entitled With Waters Clean, which is an appeal to involvement into education and environmentally-friendly activities for the inhabitants of towns and villages along the Danube. Millions of tons of waste, consisting mainly of plastic bottles and bags make their way to the world’s oceans and seas every year.



    According to the United Nations Organisation, plastic wastes are posing a great threat to the environment while the European Commission has pointed out that after the Mediterranean, the Black Sea has the largest quantity of marine litter in the EU and plastic accounts for 90% of this quantity. Doru Mitrana, chair of the MaiMultVerde Association, believes the quantity of litter could be even bigger than estimated due to the recent flash floods that could carry more litter into the rivers, into the Danube and eventually into the Black Sea.



    Doru Mitrana: According to the latest surveys, almost 4.2 tons of plastic are being carried by the Danube into the Black Sea every day, which means 1533 tons a year. We started from the figures provided by this survey, which was conducted by the University of Vienna, and from the images that we see everywhere with flash floods carrying litter into the rivers and we got a real picture of the situation which could be even worse and the quantity of litter bigger. That gave us the idea for this project, which is meant to be a partnership for our common good, a way of finding a solution to a situation, which is affecting us all. And when I speak about a partnership I am referring to citizens, companies and state authorities because a clean Danube actually means a clean Romania. We have all seen litter pouring in from everywhere, ending up right into the Danube and then in its delta. So it doesn’t matter that we dump plastic in Transylvania or in Moldova, it will eventually end up in the Danube by means of its tributaries.



    Initiators of the ‘With Waters Clean’ project are going to cooperate with the other riparian countries as well as with European and world institutions such as the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River, United Nations Water and UN environment. In order to put an end to the destruction of the marine ecosystem, the European Union wants to completely end the plastic pollution of its seas by 2030, European officials have announced on the celebration of European Maritime Day in Romania.



    The measures include a ban on plastic wrap use as well as projects aimed at eliminating maritime litter, such as waste-collecting nets or drones able to identify litter-infested areas. The European Union also wants to encourage innovation in the maritime field through a research programme entitled Horizon 2020 meant to promote regional and international cooperation. Here is Doru Mitrana again.



    Doru Mitrana: This plastic has made it to the Danube Delta, to areas with a rich biodiversity where it turns into fish food. In this way sooner or later we are going to find it on our dinner table. Litter consists of plastic of big dimensions, which can be recovered, but the real threat is posed by microplastics, which could be found in waters and animal bodies and unfortunately we can no longer do anything in this respect. So it is important for us not to add fresh quantities of plastic to the ones already polluting waters. Other surveys show that unless we change things, it’s possible to have more plastic in waters than fish by 2050. These are worrisome statistics because waters are a food source and also a source of entertainment and other economic activities, which could lead to local and national development.



    The programme With Waters Clean comprises a series of clean-up actions carried out by volunteers and members of the Danube communities on the river banks jointly with County School Inspectorates. This stage will be followed by another one in autumn, focusing on the implementation of the solutions identified.



    Doru Mitrana: Our intention is to find solutions for Romania and that’s why we started with a clean-up camp in the Danube Delta in May this year when 100 volunteers collected roughly 5 tons of plastic waste from the Sacalin Island. The project is also carried out in 10 riparian cities on the Romanian side of the Danube where we work in partnership with other local NGOs and some from Bucharest. They help us build initiative groups made up of people interested in getting involved with this project and finding solutions to this crisis. Right on June 29th, on Danube Day, we want to kick off the first clean-up activities in these communities who are to work together and identify solutions to prevent plastic from reaching the waters. Among the solutions there are the selective collection of waste as well as recycling and collecting facilities in some entertainment areas on the Danube so that these recreation areas may be litter-free.



    The International Danube Day is celebrated every year on June 29th to mark the Convention on Cooperation for the Protection and Sustainable use of the river Danube an event which took place in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1994. This year, the motto proposed by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube, Get active for a Safer Danube! is promoting solidarity among the peoples sharing this common resource. Events dedicated to this day are unfolding in all the 14 riparian countries with a view to adopting joint measures and strategies for the protection of this river against diverse threats such as extreme phenomena like drought, flooding or accidental pollution.


    (translated by bill)


  • Protection of sturgeons in the Danube Basin

    Protection of sturgeons in the Danube Basin

    The Danube River and the Black Sea are still home to some of the worlds most important wild sturgeon populations. Unfortunately, over the past decades, these migratory fish populations have dramatically dwindled because of barriers created by man. Dams and hydropower plants have divided the natural habitats of these fish species. Furthermore, fishing, pollution and the destruction of habitats have caused imbalances of the marine ecosystem and sturgeons have consequently been much affected.



    Out of 6 species, only 4 have managed to survive, namely the beluga or huso huso, the sterlet, the sevruga sturgeon and the Russian sturgeon, which are on the list of endangered species on the Red List of Endangered Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Fishing of sturgeons was first forbidden in Romania in 2006 for a period of 10 years, and in 2016, the ban on sturgeon fishing was extended by another 5 years.



    In order to contribute to the conservation of sturgeons, WWF – World Wildlife Fund Romania has implemented various projects approaching the issue of overfishing, which is the main direct threat to the survival of the last wild sturgeon populations in the Danube. WWF Romania experts say that more involvement is needed and a wider European cooperation. Also, mechanisms need to be created for fishermen to be supported, for them to be able to obtain revenues from alternative sources and to be involved in activities related to the conservation, protection of habitats and the preservation of essential fish migration routes.



    At present, in Romania, commercial fishing of sturgeon is banned, as well as the sale of sturgeon meat and caviar from the wild sturgeon in the Danube. Cristina Munteanu, a national manager of the WWF Romania project, has more: “Sturgeons are still most affected. We do not have the exact number of individuals in the species remaining in the Danube and the Black Sea, because these partial monitoring methods are rather expensive and require a lot of time. However, the knowledge we have following this partial monitoring shows that the sturgeon population is not big enough to allow commercial fishing. The ban on sturgeon fishing continues until 2021 and afterwards a decision will have to be made, in the next year, based on the latest scientific data which is available to us.



    WWF Romania cooperates with the World Sturgeon Conservation Society, a global network of researchers, together with which it drafted a pan-European action plan for this fish species. The plan was adopted at the end of 2018 by the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats and it will serve as a framework for all the European countries located in the regions with sturgeon populations. Last year, 10 European countries: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine initiated a project for a 3-year period, for the conservation of endangered migratory fish species in the Danube basin.



    Here is Cristina Munteanu with details: “The project is funded by the EU through the Danube Transnational Programme and it was launched last June. It is meant to identify common methods to set up sturgeon habitats, to make demonstrations of how to increase the fish population, to identify methods to set up fish farms with the purpose of repopulating the Danube and the Black Sea with sturgeon. Based on the analysis of current policies well eventually make some recommendations on how to include the conservation of these species in various plans such as the water transport plans, the plans for sand and gravel extraction from the Danube or any other project undertaken on the Danube. There are 10 countries in this project grouped by work packages. Depending on their experience, each partner will be involved in one or two work packages. One package focuses on identifying habitats, another one focuses on conservation ex-situ, namely on fish stocks which are used for repopulation. Other packages are devoted to policies and databases including up-to-date information. Although the project has just started, we managed to achieve some things such as a draft habitat-identification manual. We have also started to analyse the existing policies and we are currently drafting a report on these policies.



    Also as part of this project, on April 18, in Isaccea, Tulcea county, action was taken to repopulate the Danube with sturgeon, more precisely with Russian sturgeon: “The event was actually a demonstration; we did not actually replace the extinct fish individuals. We released around 1,500 baby sturgeons that were marked and that will be monitored, to see their behaviour in the Danube on their way to the Black Sea and how long they stay in the feeding areas. Repopulating actions will also take place in Hungary where a smaller number of sturgeons will be released. The repopulating actions will be resumed next year.



    Romania also has sturgeon farms. One kg of sturgeon is 9.5 Euros and caviar costs between 127.6 Euros and 212.7 Euros per 100 grams. (translation by L. Simion)

  • Comana Nature Park

    Comana Nature Park

    Comana Nature Park is a protected
    area of national interest, 35 km away from Bucharest, in Giurgiu County. It
    stretches over 25,000 ha, is part of the Natura 2000 European network, and is a
    Ramsar site with a remarkable biodiversity. Over 8,000 ha are covered in
    forests dominated by oak, lime trees, acacia, and elm trees, with a variety of
    fauna, including pheasants, deer, boars, hares, and foxes. The park has thee
    protected areas: the Butcher’s Broom Science Reserve, the Peony Science
    Reserve, and Comana Pond. Here is Valentin Grigore, director of the Comana
    Park:




    For the May 1st
    mini-holiday, tourists will find Comana Park full of blooming peonies. Due to
    this milder winter and the early spring, plants bloomed earlier, so the peonies
    will be in full bloom in the first week of May, as opposed to their usual time,
    in the second week. In addition to the
    Peony Science Reserve we have the Butcher’s Broom Science Reserve, which
    is a perennial plant, an Atlantic Mediterranean plant with beautiful fruit
    which stays red even through the winter. We also have the yellow crocus, as
    well as about 20 ha of wild daisies, whose location I will not divulge, because
    it is too rare and beautiful.




    Comana Pond has a surface of some 1,200
    ha. It is the country’s third wetland in terms of biodiversity, after Braila’s
    Lesser Isle and the Danube Delta, according to Valentin Grigore:




    We have identified here 141 species
    of bird, 78 of them protected. It is a tiny jewel close to Bucharest. A lot is
    being said about the Vacaresti Delta, but here, in Comana, biodiversity is on a
    much larger scale, and is extremely beautiful. Here, in our small delta, we
    have endemic fish species, which can only be found here. There are 10 species
    of amphibians, frogs, reptiles, and tortoises. We are monitoring the expansion
    of the jackal populations in the area. It is not on the list of protected
    species, but it has potential, due to the lack of wolves in the area. Now, in
    spring, migratory birds are coming back. The children who visit are fascinated
    by storks. In addition to regular storks, we have its sister species, the black
    stork, which is more frail, more sensitive, and much rarer. About an eighth of
    the Romanian population of this species, protected across Europe, can be found
    in Comana. It is dependent on the existence of old trees, with large canopies,
    such as old oaks on the shore of ponds, and here we have all these conditions.
    We have a long list of birds in this area. We have forests, we have salty
    marshes, we have flood plains, so we have a plethora of birds. We have
    cormorants and several kinds of egrets. We have plenty of birdwatchers. Some
    come to watch a specific bird, others come for art photography. We have loads of
    birdwatching blinds all around the pond.




    Comana Park is home to the black
    stork, Ciconia Nigra, and in order to protect them, experts with the Romanian
    Ornithological Society recently organised an action to plant a special species
    of oak, Quercus Robur. Here is Ovidiu Bufnila, communication secretary with the
    Romanian Ornithological Society:




    Black storks use Comana Nature park
    for nesting. We are talking about a very charismatic but very shy species. As
    opposed to the white storks, which live close to people in villages, nesting on
    chimneys or electricity poles, black storks are much shier, they nest in the
    forest. Sometimes they nest in eagle nests, but prefer to make a very strong,
    very large nest, just like white storks, in the crotch of branches. That is why
    we have decided to have the campaign to plant oaks. This species sustain life
    from top to bottom, you can find all kinds of life forms, from insects to
    birds. Jaybirds nest in the branches, while the acorn that falls from the tree
    feeds boars and other animals. This is the ideal kind of trees. We called on
    120 volunteers from the company DB Schenker. They helped us plant 1,000 trees
    in one day.




    In Comana Nature Park you can trek, sail,
    ride horses and bikes. Close by you have Comana Monastery, built by ruler Vlad
    the Impaler in 1461 as a fortified monastery.

  • Marine waste

    Marine waste

    Increasing amounts of plastic litter
    are dumped into the waters, affecting the health of ecosystems. Studies show
    that by 2050 the amount of litter will exceed that of fish, as tonnes of pieces
    of plastic litter are floating in the oceans. Plastic accounts for 85% of marine
    waste and genuine ‘islands of plastic’ are floating in the world’s seas. Many
    sea species are mistakenly using micro-particles of plastic as their food and plastic
    thus makes its way into the food humans consume. Environmentalists have already
    pulled alarm signals calling on the authorities to come up with plans to reduce
    the quantity of waste in the world’s seas.




    Luis Popa, director general with the
    Girgore Antipa Natural History Museum in Bucharest explains the impact of plastic
    waste on the sea environment:




    Plastic production began around
    1960s and in the last 50 years we have reached an output of 300 million tonnes
    of plastic at global level. Plastic is 90% made of oil. In fact, plastic
    producers are using the same amount of oil as the entire aeronautic industry. Moreover,
    plastic is a synthetic material, which isn’t biodegradable and this proves to
    be a major downside when it comes to waste disposal. It can pollute the
    environment for hundreds and thousands of years, and even longer in the ocean
    environment. What is the impact of plastic disposal? First there is a direct
    impact on wildlife but it may also have indirect consequences. For instance, if
    plastic particles have made it to the beaches, they may lower the temperature
    there and that may influence tortoises, which need a higher temperature to
    hatch. Half of the plastic disposed in the seas is floatable but there is
    another half that goes straight to the bottom of the ocean affecting the oxygen
    exchange with a heavy impact upon the flora and the fauna there. A good deal of
    these plastic particles become fish food.




    Since 2009, the Mare Nostrum
    Organisation in Constanta has been monitoring the beaches on the Black Sea
    coast, gathering tonnes of waste. 2018 was considered the dirtiest year, with
    the largest amount of waste registered on the Romanian Black Sea coast. Over
    100,000 items of waste have been identified and eliminated since 2014. The city
    of Constanta holds the negative record with 22,612. The towns of Costinesti and
    Corbu have reported the lowest amounts of waste, with around four tonnes each.
    Here is Marian Paiu, an environment expert with the Mare Nostrum NGO.




    Unfortunately, last year we
    reported the largest amount of waste. At the beginning of the year we thought we would have
    an acceptably clean year, but it later turnout out as the dirtiest year, with
    more than 38,000 items of waste reported in autumn alone. This is a very large quantity.
    In 2015 we collected 2,019 items of waste in spring, in 2016 we had 3,885 waste
    items, in 2017 waste went up to 18,000 items, while in 2018 we collected 24,000
    items. This type of waste consists mainly of small items, besides items of
    clothing and fragments of building materials. All this waste we collect and
    then sent to be destroyed is found in the sand, on the beach. In recent years,
    cigarette butts have been the most common type of waste found as part of our
    monitoring activity. For example, in the Constanta sector known as Trei Papuci,
    we found ted more than 6,000 cigarette butts, and this sector doesn’t have more
    than 10,000 square meters in surface area.




    The Mare Nostrum environmental
    organisation is currently running a project aimed at improving public access to
    monitoring data on marine waste with a view to reducing sea pollution in the
    Black Sea basin. The project is also meant to promote stronger cross-border
    integration of information, knowledge and expertise in the areas of environment
    monitoring and marine waste in the Black Sea basin. Marian Paiu explains:




    As part of this project, we have
    been trying to centralise the existing data and to make them available for
    researchers and institutions that could use them to improve their management,
    but also for the general public, to make them aware of how serious the problem
    is. We have already run a workshop to get a sense of the number of institutions
    that collect data on the situation of marine waste and what kind of information
    they have collected and to look at ways to reduce marine waste on the Romanian
    sea coast. The conclusions of the workshop were very revealing as to where we stand at the moment, and I must say we’re not doing too well. Only a handful of institutions collect this kind of data. In
    fact, no one seems to pay attention to how much waste is generated or collected
    every year.




    Four more workshops on marine waste
    and its impact on the Black Sea ecosystem will be held at the beginning of May in
    Romania, Turkey, Bulgaria and Ukraine, as part of the ANEMONE European project.

  • The Second Cycle of the National Forest Inventory

    The Second Cycle of the National Forest Inventory

    The second cycle of the
    National Forest Inventory (NFI), started in 2013 came to a close and the
    results were made public in the late 2018. The National Forest Inventory is a
    rolling program designed to provide detailed information on the size,
    distribution and composition of Romania’s forests and woodlands. It shows what
    Romania’s woodlands and tree coverage outside woodlands are like today. A cycle
    of the NFI spans five years. According to the recently released results, beech
    is the main tree species which grows in Romania’s forests, accounting for 31%
    of Romania’s tree coverage. It is followed by resinous trees (spruce, fir and
    pine), which account for 26%, various deciduous, hard wood species (hornbeam,
    acacia ash and maple) and oak species which account for 1%.


    Then comes the group of various
    species of soft hardwood, which includes lime trees, poplars, willows etc and accounts
    for 7% of the forest. Studies show that most of the forest area, 20% of it, is
    in the third group of age (over 50) and only 10% of the forests are in the
    sixth group (100-120) years, which can be mostly found on protected areas.


    The overall conclusion drawn after
    the National Forest Inventory figures were made public is that forests are in a
    good condition, says Cătălin Tobescu, CEO of Fordaq Romania:


    First and foremost, forests and
    woodlands cover a larger area now, more specifically another 7 million hectares
    are now covered by forests. It is important that we register higher figures
    than five years ago, when the last measurements were made. Secondly, apart from
    the forests included in the national forest fund, we have tree coverage outside
    woodlands, outside the forest fund, such as tree bordered meadows, pastures,
    forest clearings, tree lines along rivers, parks, all sorts of areas covered by
    trees, with a total surface of 500,000 hectares. Subsequently, the tree coverage
    is exceeding the initial estimates. So, there are 0.35 hectares per capita,
    above the European average, although it was initially believed Romania was below
    this average. This survey also shows that barren plots of land included in the
    forest fund, where there is no forest regeneration, cover only 56,000 hectares.
    This means that only 1% of forests and woodlands are not covered by trees and
    where we can’t speak of natural forest regeneration. The figure is important because
    there has been much talk over the past 20 years about deforestation works and
    the disappearance of forests. Previous figures are now contradicted by the new
    NFI results. And what’s more, the Inventory shows that the volume of wood mass
    in forests has increased since the last measurements were made, that is during
    a five year time span. This means we cut less than the forest can regenerate
    itself naturally, and we can speak of sustainable forest exploitation. In a
    nutshell, we exploit some 60% of forest growth.


    In
    another development, environmental organizations have voiced concern over the
    second NFI cycle arguing that illegal deforestations have exceeded legal ones,
    set at 18 million cubic meters a year. By and large over 80 million of cubic
    meters of wood have been stolen so far (20.6% a year) and the NFI has failed to
    signal this situation. This quantity represents the equivalent of a surface of
    242,352 hectares of forest, which vanished between 2013 and 2018. Here is Agent
    Green investigation director Andrei Ciurcanu with more on this issue.


    We have information that they are trying
    to conceal or avoid publishing certain NFI data. We got information on the wood
    quantity measured in the first NFI cycle, which was nowhere to be found in the
    second cycle; a staggering 38.6 million cubic meters per year. We have published
    an open letter, handed it over to the country’s president and to the Ministry
    of Waters and Forests asking a legitimate question: if the annual quantity of
    wood that vanished stands at 38.6 million cubic meters and Romania annually
    exploits 18 million cubic meters, where is the difference of 20 million cubic
    meters. As these 20 million cubic meters fail to appear in the records, our
    logical conclusion is they have been exploited illegally.


    Activists
    believe that these figures are all the more disquieting as the first cycle
    revealed that between 2008-2012 illegal deforestation stood at 8.8 million
    cubic meters, 234% less than the quantity reported in the second NFI cycle.


    In
    November last year, Agent Green, Romania’s main environmental organization,
    published a report on the exploitation of the country’s old-growth forests.
    According to the report, thousands of hectares of virgin forests decay
    irreversibly on a yearly basis. Many of these forests have been included in the
    Natura 2000 network, an area currently under protection at European level. In
    the past five years Romania has lost through exploitation the equivalent of 36
    hundred hectares of old-growth forest. The most affected parks are Calimani,
    Domogled-Valea Cernei and Semenic – Cheile Carasului, which are home to beech
    forests part of the UNESCO heritage list as well as Europe’s largest beech-tree
    reserve at the Nera Springs. Conservationists have even called on the European
    Commission to intervene for the preservation of Romania’s protected areas.


    According
    to the NFI, 29.55% of Romania’s total surface is covered by forests, below the
    European average of 32.4%.

  • Rediscover Romania

    Rediscover Romania

    Romania has a rich and valuable natural heritage, boasting the most diverse bio-geographic conditions in Europe, which preserves unique ecosystems and rare species. It has 30 nature and national parks, two geo-parks, hundreds of nature reserves and monuments, 19 Ramsar sites, the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve and many protected areas that are part of the Natura 2000 network. Late last year, the Natura 2000 Coalition launched the project Rediscover Romania, which provides a new sustainable development vision for Romania, focusing on preserving nature in the protected areas. Environmentalists propose a better management of such protected areas, which would help preserve biodiversity and at the same time ensure a sustainable development of towns and villages. Liviu Cioineag, the Executive Manager of the Natura 2000 Coalition foundation told us:



    “Unfortunately, although approx 25% of the Romanian soil is legally protected, in many cases this status is valid only on paper. Management is poor, and this is something that must be improved, if we really want to enjoy nature also 30 years from now. That is why the Natura 2000 Coalition worked for two years to come up with a strategy, showing us what nature should look like 10 or 20 years from now. Its a long-term dream, which tells us that we want more protected areas. The percentage of protected areas should increase from 23% as it is today, to 30%. Moreover, what we want is for these parks to be managed in a coherent manner, and their main goal to be protection of biodiversity. This means that the level of preservation and non-intervention must be high, and the territory affected by human intervention must decrease, for each park to benefit from a non-intervention area covering 75% of its surface. This means that the only activities allowed there should be tourism and scientific activities.”



    NGOs and the greens have harshly criticized the elimination from the environmental legislation of the position of protected area steward, as such areas will now be managed by the National Agency for Natural Protected Areas. In the past, such stewards stopped many controversial projects in protected areas (hotels, mines, roads, deforestation and real estate projects) as any intervention in such areas used to require their endorsement. Another problem facing protected areas is the lack of funds, which would allow the proper management of these areas and the necessary conditions to reach the nature projection goals. Here is Liviu Cioineag again:



    “What we need is unitary management. We need the Romanian state to coordinate the management of these protected areas in a unitary manner. We want funds earmarked for protected areas, because, at the moment, only the parks managed by ROMSILVA, the National Forest Administration, get money from wood exploitation, namely some 3 million Euros per year. Other than that, no other natural protected areas, and in particular those in the Natura 2000 network, benefit from any funding whatsoever. Until last autumn they were managed by several different types of entities, from environmental protection agencies to county councils, local councils, universities and NGOs. Basically, it was last autumn that the management of such sites was centralized. The National Agency for Protected Areas, set up 2 years ago, has taken over from Romsilva the Natura 2000 sites, except for the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve and the national parks. There has been a shock in terms of the management of protected areas. Whereas not long ago civil society, NGOs, were involved in fund raising and in various other activities, such as research, monitoring, species identification, conservation, patrols, and tourist activities, which somehow brought value-added to the local communities, now all these are gone. We can safely say that at the moment Romanias protected natural areas, except for the Romsilva national parks, are in nobodys hands, they are without any kind of protection or management.”



    The experts that have initiated the Rediscover Romania project set out 10 core principles for the management of the network of protected areas and for nature conservation in Romania. Erika Stanciu, head of ProPark-Foundation for Protected Area, a member of the Natura 2000 Coalition, told us:



    “I would like to mention, first and foremost, the priority principle, which says that where there are protected areas, their goals must be prioritized over and above any other objectives. This is what the law requires, this is what should happen, because where we have protected areas, if we give priority to those objectives that are related to these areas, and which have to do with sustainable development and the conservation of nature, we will indeed manage to turn these areas into models for our society. Another essential principle is transparency. The decision-making system in the management of all protected areas in Romania must be transparent and enable the active involvement of all stakeholders. This is tied to another important principle, namely participatory management. This is important because, at present, this participatory management system for protected areas is jeopardized, after the withdrawal of the stewards who had taken care of the respective areas for 18 years. The participatory management principle means that all the stakeholders with resources and interest may be able to participate in the management of protected areas.”



    The authors of the document hope that the project will be taken over by the relevant authorities, as part of a national strategy, so as to identify the adequate solutions to preserve this heritage, which is unique in Europe.


  • WWF’s Living Planet Report 2018

    WWF’s Living Planet Report 2018

    20 years have passed since the first edition of the Living Planet Report on the state of the Planets health was released. The report is published every two years by the international organization for the conservation of nature, World Wide Fund for Nature, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund. From one report to the next, results are growingly alarming, revealing the scope of humankinds impact on the Earth. The planets populations of birds, fish, mammals, amphibians and reptiles are dwindling every year, forests are being cut, soils are becoming degraded and the rivers and oceans are getting more and more polluted. Ecosystems are being destroyed and wild life is gradually disappearing. Ecologists have frequently drawn attention to the need for a global accord on the protection of biodiversity, on regenerating habitats and nature in general.



    The 2018 Report presents the same grim image of nature degradation, says Adriana Trocea, a foreign communication expert with WWF Romania: “The Living Planet Report is a study that compares the Earths health with the consequences of mans action. It compares the evolution of vertebrate species with mans ecological carbon footprint. The 2019 Report shows that, in the past 40 years, we have lost 60% of the vertebrate species populations. This is a comprehensive study which covers more than 14 thousand populations from 400 vertebrate species: mammals, fish, birds and amphibians. As also shown in the previous Reports, the biggest loss is among aquatic species, freshwater species, namely 83%. The biggest losses are reported in the Tropical areas. As to aquatic species, we have the sad example of shallow coral reefs. In this case, half of the coral reefs have been lost in the past 30 years, which is quite a fast pace. And this in the context in which the Great Barrier Reef contributes almost 70 thousand jobs to Australias economy and brings revenues worth some 6 billion dollars every year. So, each species has a very big impact on us, on all levels. Without these wild species, the Earth would not be inhabited, therefore we need biodiversity to obtain food, water, and recreation opportunities.



    The Living Planet Report draws attention to the Earths overexploited resources and highlights natures contribution to world economy, Adriana Trocea went on to say: “Nature contributes jobs, environmental services, pollinators which have a very big impact on agricultural protection. At world level, nature provides environmental services worth 125 trillion dollars per year. As regards pollinators, they are on a declining trend, so its a domain in which we should invest. In America, for instance, farmers invested in 2017 as many as 300 million dollars for pollinators, in the sense that they brought bee hives for the almond orchards. Pressure is higher and higher on all species. Human activity significantly affected habitats and natural resources. Actually, consumer behavior, the way in which man uses energy, and everything man does, does have a negative impact on wild species. 20% of the Amazon disappeared in only 50 years, which is very much if we think that the Amazon is a hotspot for biodiversity. We have very many wild species, and this happens largely because the forest was cut to allow for plantations of species used in agriculture, for instance palm trees have replaced large areas of forest.



    Losing biodiversity is just as dangerous as climate change, the authors of the 12th edition of the Living Planet Report warn, underlining the very short time span that has been left and the urgent need to redesign and redefine at global level the way in which we appreciate, protect and help restore nature. WWF urges the international community to reach a global agreement to halt the fast-paced degradation of wildlife, leading to its extinction.



    Adriana Trocea: “We still stand chances to do something. Experts in the field say we might be the last generation which can still change the course of things from this point of view. Furthermore, some positive results have been registered in recent years. For instance, the tiger is a species that has been brought close to the brink of extinction. The tiger population at global level has decreased by over 90% in the past 100 years and now we have up to 4,000 tigers living in the wild, at global level. However, thanks to the joint efforts made by the governments of the countries which are home to tiger populations, to the efforts made by experts and common people alike, this species recovers. For instance, this year in Nepal, experts reported an increase in the number of tigers. Another telling example is that of the aurochs, who went extinct in Romania some 200 years ago, but thanks to sustained efforts made by conservationists, we can now see a population of aurochs living in the wild in Romania, and their number is on the rise. There are some 50 animals living in the wild now, in Romanias Carpathian Mountains.



    Many other animal and bird species, that have once been on the brink of extinction, have now been reintroduced into the wild, under repopulation programs: the chamois, the moose, the deer, the jackal, the beaver, the saker falcon and the golden eagle.


  • A Campaign to Protect Waters

    A Campaign to Protect Waters

    Most bodies of water in the EU are in
    poor ecological condition, according to the latest study run by the European
    Environmental Agency between 2010 and 2015. 130,000 water bodies were analyzed,
    leading to the conclusion that deterioration is the rule, rather than the
    exception, in the EU, where bodies of water have been getting worse at an
    alarming rate. It was also shown that in East European countries rivers and
    lakes are cleaner than in West European countries, where population density and
    agriculture are the worst chemical polluters. The situation is no better at
    world level. Experts warn that the planet is headed towards a drinking water
    crisis, if urgent measures are not taken. The UN reckons that by 2050 around
    five billion people will be exposed to water shortages. A report of the World
    Bank shows that around 70 major rivers around the world have run dry, due to
    irrigation and excessive consumption.


    The countries of
    the European Union observe the framework directive aimed at protecting and
    restoring aquatic ecosystems. Pollution is still a reality for many rivers,
    coastal areas, and underground pockets. Mercury and cadmium are among the main elements
    responsible for chemical pollution. Here is Camelia Ionescu, national
    coordinator for the Romanian branch of the World Wildlife Fund:


    Only 40% of European bodies of water are in a good or very good state.
    The evaluation criteria for rivers are a part of existing legislation, the
    framework directive relevant to water, and additional legislation associated
    with the directive. The study took into account physical and chemical criteria,
    the way in which rivers are stifled by human activity, of concrete
    interventions such as dam building and diverting, etc. All these criteria were
    examined by each country when evaluating their rivers. One conclusion was that
    many things were not taken into account when the directive was applied starting
    the early 2000s. The directive draws clear targets for the well-being of bodies
    of water, but it was not observed. Many countries relied on postponing the
    deadline for reaching these objectives, and took advantage of many exceptions
    to the rules. These countries lacked ambition, and also lacked vision in terms
    of investing in various measures, in order to have the rivers get better. It is
    true, at the same time, that exceptions are available until 2027, but by that
    time we were supposed to have better rivers in Europe, ecologically speaking.


    The report by the European
    Environmental Agency shows that bodies of water in Romania are largely clean,
    with major investments being made in this sector of late. 287 towns and
    villages received funds for restoring and expanding infrastructure for water
    supply and treatment. 2.7 billion Euro have been allocated to this sector for
    the 2014-2020 period, with 4 new projects being approved, one major investment
    project being allocated 200 million Euro in European funds, aimed at the
    capital Bucharest. Here is Camelia Ionescu:


    Romania has a higher quality of water than the European average.
    Basically, we still have rivers that are in a good state, but we also have a
    lot of threats in terms of pollution sources, farming, for instance. I believe
    that the entire territory has been declared an area sensitive to nitrites from
    farming sources, with underground sources being contaminated with these
    substances. There are many cases where tapping into wells for drinking water is
    impossible. The farming system has to be reorganized to protect water sources.


    The European water directive is
    right now in a so-called fitness check. This is a procedure to analyze the
    relevance, effectiveness and coherence, as well as the added value of the
    directive at EU level, a process that also includes a public consultation
    launched in September 2018. Around 100 NGOs are taking part in the protection
    and consolidation of this directive, launching a campaign calling on the European
    Commission to defend the framework directive in its present state, even if
    member states want the provisions relaxed. Here is Camelia Ionescu:


    In this process of evaluation there is a component by means of which
    all citizens can express their position and ideas, and can express their
    opinions on the way water is managed. This is the moment when citizens can talk
    to the European Commission, as well as national and European authorities, about
    the way in which they see the implementation of directives and the protection
    of rivers. What we know is that this directive has been giving headaches to a
    lot of users and certain authorities in various countries. The intention is to
    adjust and modify the directive. Our fear is that these changes would lead to
    reduced targets, and a relaxation in terms of water management.


    Public consultations are scheduled
    to be held until March 4, 2019.


    (Translated by C. Cotoiu)