Volume 23(3), 29- 33, 2019 JOURNAL of Horticulture, Forestry and Biotechnology www.journal-hfb.usab-tm.ro

The potential ecologic and visual value of the Bega Canal in Timișoara

Székely G.1, Țenche-Constantinescu Alina-Maria1

1Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine „King Michael I of ” from Timisoara, CaleaAradului no. 119, 300645, Timisoara, Romania

Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract The Bega Canal has been in Timisoara for three centuries an Key words important geographical element of the city, a communication means, and the main ecologic element of the settlement. It has been built in different periods Timișoara, Bega Canal, of time, between the year of the Habsburg conquest 1716 and the middle of parks, bridges, ecology, the XX'th century. Originally it had an important strategic function, because it landscape was defending a part of the fortress. This thing became less important in time, but the water was used for navigation and physical exercises by those who loved sports connected to water. Today most of the parks and green areas of the city are aligned along the canal. The water is the spine of the major ecologic system of Timişoara, though the value of different parts is not equal. Studying different parts of this green corridor we can learn about local ecologic problems, and can find the means to make the canal a major element of the city. The visual value of certain parts of the canal bank is generally connected to local ecology, because where vegetation is healthy and diverse, the image of the place is also attractive.

History of the Bega Canal mechanisms considered complex at that time that were diverting the water as it was needed. Bega Canal, is the most southern tributary of In the year 1728 the works for the Bega canal Tisa , which flows trought Timișoara from the water system were began, and this canal later became North-Est to the South-West. The springs of Bega river the first navigable canal of Romania. In the area a are in the Poiana Ruscăi Mountains. The river Bega number of channels existed, that were used to supply water regim was characterized by hight variations of the necessary water for the defence system of the the water level and volume. Before it was arranged, the fortress and for the mills and other incipient industrial water bed was unstable because of the smooth slope of facilities that were created. Out of all the channels and the land which was under 0,40 m/km. Only a small canals which existed in that period of time, presently quantity of rain water was infiltrating in the soil and only the so cold Dead Bega chanel ( the Bega-Timiș area was offen flooded and used to neighborhood) and Behela spring (Green Forest) can be a marsh teritorry [13]. Hundreds of years ago, river be found. [13]. Near 700 Market Place in Timişoara, Bega which has its springs in the Mountains was such a complex mechanism is exposed. The creating a marsh in the plains where today Timişoara is construction was restaurated a couple of years ago, situated. The kings of Hungary built the fortress of after it was discovered. During the XVIII' th and XIX' Timişoara (Temesvár in Hungarian) in the marsh, th century the Bega Canal needed to be partly because it was a well protected place easy to defend, reconstructed or enlarged several times, especially even if it was not healthy for the inhabitants. The name because it was damaged periodically by floods. More of the fortress came from the river Timiş (Temes in important reconstruction works took place at the end of Hungarian), which was also very near to the fortified the XIX'th century and after World War I. In the year settlement [1]. When the Habsburgs conquered the 1870, Emperor Franz Jozef visited Timișoara. This place in 1716, the engineers immediately understood visit determined the city councils to create green areas that the water of the marsh has to be collected in a on the right bank of Bega Canal. In the urban plan, canal, and used to protect the new fortifications [7]. made by architect Ludwig von Ybl, in the year 1895, it This new fortification system partly inspired by the was envisaged to expand the parks on both sides of the theories of engineer Vauban, was built instead of the Bega Canal, and increase the planted surfaces and old one that remained from the time of the Turkish rule walkways [9]. On this occasion the banks of the canal and from the middle ages [10]. The Austrians built were paved with stone and later with concrete elements, and they became higher in certain places in

29 order to prevent flooding. In the year 1902, Emil Lacerta agilis, Lacerta viridis) and amphibians (Rana Szilard, the chief engineer of the city, outlined the sp., Rana dalmatina, Bufo viridis viridis). All these Bega Canal image, giving it its current form by significantly enrich urban biodiversity. In the reorganizing it, mainly in Fabric district, arranging the meantime, the cycling track located on both sides of parks on the banks and by constructing new bridges. the canal, gives numerous opportunities for active The parks along the Bega Canal were shaped finaly in recreation for visitors. the year 1910. The urban plan of the year 1913, The first part of the Bega Canal in Timişoara determined the accomplishment of the parks situated is the one before the hydro - electric plant, which is on the North of Bega Canal, respectively: Ion Creangă approximately where the river enters the built area of Park, Rozelor Park, Justiției Park, Catedralei Park, the city. The sluice and hydro - electric construction Scudier Park. In the meantime the most valuable included in the past some turbines. It was built over a proposal of this urban plan, consisted in defining for century ago to regulate the water quantity which enters the first time proposals for parks situated in the the city. Before the sluice the river banks are nearly southern part of Bega Canal: Alpinet Park, which later natural, so we can consider that from an ecologic point was finished in the year 1930, Universității Park, of view this part is valuable. At the building of the (1960) and Pârvan Park, (1980) [2]. The mayor of turbines the river passes through concrete basins. In Timișoara, Liviu Gabor (17.12.1932 - 26.11.1933), had this area ecologic measurements would be useless, among his priorities the creation of green areas on the because it is a totally artificial environment. banks of the Bega Canal [14]. The last works took place five year ago, when the canal was cleaned of Study zone 1 mud, and the banks were partly repaved with concrete blocks. At the beginning of the XX'th century the canal This area is situated between the hydro- was adapted for navigation, and Timişoara became a electric plant and Mihai Viteazul bridge. In the past harbour where smaller cargo ships came from the the region was totally neglected, but in 05.05.2009 . It was used for the transportation of Uzinei Park (S - 17.885 m2) which has a nice design passengers and agricultural products, but soon after was inaugurated. On the territory of the park there are World War II in 1958, navigation on the river stopped. arranged compositional elements that fulfill different Later small passenger ships took people for trips. landscape, ecological and socio-cultural functions. Today in Timişoara boats are assuring public Both banks lack a part of the necessary vegetation, and transportation from one end of the city to the other, the ecological value of the place is not very high. with many stations on the route. Vegetation is mainly composed of ornamental flowering shrubs with a variety of colors, the flowering The parts of the Bega Canal system in period being from spring to autumn, mainly Salix sp., Timişoara and many species of perennial plant. The left bank is very narrow, so that we can The Bega Canal, in its wonderful journey consider that the ecological corridor of the canal is throughtout Timișoara, flows through different situated rather on the right bank of the river. The neighborhoods which are different from the point of esthetic value of the place is high enough after the new view of the landscape and function, and has a verry park appeared. The width of the green corridor is important ecological and socio-cultural contribution. In appropriate, and there are no pollution sources in the time, many parks of the city have been arranged on its neighbourhood so the potential of the area is banks. These still preserve specimens of ornamental acceptable. On both parts there are houses on the limits trees that were planted in the first stages of the of the green space. landscaping of the city of Timisoara. They are of particular ecological importance, and also contribute to Study zone 2 urban aesthetics. The ecological value of Bega Canal, is also reflected in the fact that it represents a habitat This area contains the green corridor of the for a lot of species of fish (Carassius carassius, river banks between bridges Mihai Viteazul and Scardinius erythrophthalmus, Tinca tinca, Carassius Dacilor. auratus gibelio, Rutilus rutilus, Abramis brama, On the left bank there is practically no human Ctenopharyngodon idella, Hypophthalmichthys intervention for a long time, and the narrow green molitrix valenciennes, Cyprinus carpio, Chondostroma stripe contains only natural vegetation. On the right on nasus, Barbus barbus, Vimba vimba carinata, the limit of the green space there are houses, and even Misgurnus fossilis, Lotta lotta, Lepomis eupomotis apartment blocks not very far from the canal. The right gibbosus, Stizostedion lucioperca, Aspius aspius, Perca bank has been rearranged, being part of the project that fluviatilis, Esox lucius, Ictalurus nebulosus, Aspro had as an aim the creation of pedestrian and cycling streber, Silurus glanis, Leuciscus leuciscus, Leuciscus routes in the vicinity of the river. The green area is cephalus, Alburnus alburnus, Gobio gobio, Leuciscus narrow and vegetation is scarce. The nieghbourhoods cephalus), reptiles (Natrix tessellata, Natrix natrix,

30 are problematic, because on the right side there is some Study zone 4 pollution from cars, while on the left, next to the river bank there are ruined industrial buildings. This offers This area contains the green corridor of the an unpleasant view, and it is not clear what will happen Bega Canal banks between bridges Decebal and with the area in the future. The width of the green Michelangelo. The major green area is Ion Creangă corridor is not appropriate, and there are pollution Park (Franz Josef, Mihai Eminescu, Pionierilor, sources in the neighbourhood so the potential of the Copiilor), with a surface of 66.400 m2 which is situated area is questionable. on the right bank of the Bega Canal. The green space was built between the years 1858 and 1891 and has Study zone 3 been rearranged later in: 1932, 1956, 1981. Finally, it got its present function as recreation area and This area contains the green corridor of the playground for children in the year 1987. Along the river banks between bridges Dacilor and Decebal. The Bega Canal bank the following tree species were green corridor is narrow at the beginning. There is planted: Pinus sylvestris, Pinus nigra, Ginkgo biloba, some pollution too, because streets on both sides of the Pterocarrya fraxinifolia. The monumental Quercus sp. canal are used by cars. Decebal bridge was conceives tree individuals were probably planted on the occasion more then a century ago as part of an architectural of the rearrangement of the Bega Canal (1800-1850). complex, that resulted when the Neptun Palace was In the year 1932 the density of shrubs and trees (Salix built and Regina Maria Park (Coronini, Stadtpark, sp., Betula pendula, Morus nigra „Pendula”, Picea Varosliget, Apollo, Tineretului, Poporului) was pungens „argentea”, Taxus baccata, Magnolia kobus, remodeled [6]. Inaugurated in the year 1858 and open Carpinus betulus) between the dike and Bega Canal, to the public in the year 1862, Regina Maria Park is the was greater then today. In the interwar period, the oldest park of Timișoara. It is located on the eastern following tree species were planted: Salix babilonica, boundary of the park belt around the Bega Canal, Tilia tomentosa, Celtis occidentalis, Fraxinus towards Fabric district. Initially, the park with an area excelsior. The last rearrangement of the park took of 5.7 ha, lay on both sides of the Bega Canal. Later place in the year 2012. The esthetic and ecologic value the park was restricted and remained only on the left of Ion Creangă Park is high, and the green corridor is bank of the Bega Canal [5]. In the year 2011, the park wide. Along the bank there is a well ordered plantation with a surface of 42.690 m2 was rearranged with hight ornamental value which was created using maintaining the english style, the old fence, the Salix sp, Taxodium sp., Tilia sp., Acer sp., on both monumental gates and the old trees wich were planted banks alternatively. On the left bank the stripe of more than a century ago. In the park there are a lot of vegetation is wide at the beginning, because there is old tree individuals with high ecological and Regina Maria Park. It is continued by Vasile Pârvan ornamental value, such as: Taxus sp., Pinus sp., Fagus Park with a surface of 60.621 m2, which is also situated sp., Acer sp., Quercus sp., Ulmus sp. on the left side of the Bega Canal, between Decebal In the second part of the area the river bank on and Michelangelo bridge. In the year 2009, ornamental the right side becomes wider. On the right bank of trees were planted: Liquidambar styraciflua, Cercis Bega Canal is situated ILSA Park, with a surface of siliquastrum, Tilia sp., Magnolia sp. [5]. 22.502 m2. At the end of the XIX th century, on this In this area, a problem can represent the traffic uneven territory there used to be several mills and on on Vasile Pârvan boulevard, which is a source of the southern part there was a tree nursery. In the year pollution. Globally the area is not very polluted 1954 in the park were planted shrubs and two Acer sp. because of the dimensions of the parks on both sides of alingnments. Later, in the year 1965 the canal bank the canal. was arranged and Robinia pseudoacacia, Tilia sp, Juniperus Virginiana, Salix sp. și Populus sp. Study zone 5 individuals were planted [5]. After the year 2000, were planted Acer sp., Fraxinus sp, Syringa sp. individuals. This area contains the green corridor of the The area is part of the pedestrian and cycling river banks between bridges Michelangelo and route which was built on the banks of the canal. There Mitropolit Şaguna. In this area the green corridor is is some urban furniture in the park, but the space is quite wide on both sides at the beginning, but later on used mostly as a transit area, and as a place where the left side becomes very narrow. On the right side of people come to walk dogs or for sports. From an the canal, Rozelor (Rose's) Park is situated. Rozelor ecologic point of view the main problem is the width of Park is situated between Bega Canal, Trandafirilor the green corridor at the beginning of this section. street, Michelangelo boulevard and a sports facility. The total area of the park is 37.490 m2. The works of the Bega river sewerage which began in the year 1728, was the first important element which modified the landscape arround the fortress of Timișoara. The few

31 Quercus sp. Individuals which are present in Rozelor have been created. Near the second bridge there are and Ion Creangă Park date from that period of time. nice old buildings near the water front, decorated a Regina Maria Rozarium, (Rozelor Park) was arranged century ago with Art Nouveau decorations [12]. between 1928-1932 and later was modiffied more Though the green area along the canal is narrow on times, the last time in the year 2012 [3]. The park is both sides, from an ecologic point of view the place is well groomed, and contains nice vegetation: Taxus valuable. There is some limited pollution from the baccata, Carpinus betulus, Salix sp., Tilia sp., Quercus neighbouring streets which are used by cars. sp., etc and thousands of species of roses. On the left side, the neighbourhood is Study zone 8 esthetically problematic, because over the old fences one can see the backyards of sport clubs, which today This area contains the green corridor of the are partly ruined. There are practically no important river banks after Regal bridge. The green areas on the pollution sources near the canal, which is important for banks of the canal are narrow, there are no parks on the the local ecology of the area. limit of the water, and there is little vegetation. The visual and ecologic value of the area is limited, and Study zone 6 there is some pollution because of the street situated on the right side of the canal. There are some old This area contains the green corridor of the industrial buildings, and houses, and the whole area is river banks between bridges Mitropolit Saguna and not attractive visually. Still two major investments Traian. have changed a little the region, the new harbour for On the right side of the canal is situated the passenger boats that transport people on the canal, Catedralei Park, with a surface of 45.399 m2. In this and the pedestrian and cycling routes on the river area before the year 1800 there was a marsh, which banks. In connection with this a part of the bank of the later disappeared when the canal was ordered [11]. The canal was rebuilt and transformed into a kind of small Platanus x hybrida trees were planted around the year park with benches. Because of the narrowness of the 1870 [2]. Between the years 1938-1940, a Tilia sp., and green corridor and its neighbourhoods the potential of Acer sp., green belt was created arround the building of the area is questionable. the Cathedral [7]. In the park the folowing species can be found: Taxus baccata, Aesculus hippocastanum, Results and Discussions Robina pseudoacacia, Ulmus sp., Ulmus glabra “Pendula”. On the Bega Canal bank there is a As a result of the analysis we can conclude Magnolia Kobus alignement which is covered with that on the margins of Bega Canal, there are green white flowers in spring. spaces which can be introduced in different categories. On the left side of the canal Alpinet park can The first type of such green corridors can be observed 2 be found whith a surface of 20743 m [4], [8]. The park on the exterior limits of the canal, before Dacilor, and was rearranged for the last time in the year 2003. In the after Regal bridges. In these areas natural vegetation is year 2009 a Cercis siliquastrum alignement was present, but there aren't enough trees, and visually planted. these parts of the canal are totally neglected. An The width of the green area is large on both exception is Uzinei Park, which shows how these sides, and there are no pollution sources in the exterior parts of the green corridor can be remodeled, immediate neighbourhood. An ecologic problem could but even in this green area there aren't enough trees. be the total lack of natural vegetation on the river Another extreme situation is that of the area between banks, because the area is considered representative for Traian and Mitropolit Şaguna bridges, next to the city, and all natural vegetation has been eliminated Catedralei Park, where the whole area is well groomed, a long time ago. but from an ecologic point of view the total lack of natural vegetation on the river banks remains a Study zone 7 problem. In the rest of the intervals between the bridges, there is nice vegetation. These areas need This area contains the green corridor of the attention especially in the parts where the green river banks between bridges Traian and Regal. corridor is not wide enough, or there is some pollution On the right and on the left part of the Bega source. Canal the green area is narrow. In the vicinity there are the backyards of different public buildings, sport clubs Conclusions and other facilities. These fences are not offering a very nice view. Still there is nice old vegetation on the In this paper we examined the state of the river banks. The canal looks natural, and even poetic Bega Canal, and the possibility that it could become a because of the vegetation. Lately the banks have been a green corridor connected to natural green areas outside little adapted, when the pedestrian and cycling routes the city. Using the present study, we understood that

32 such a project could become reality, but in order to 3.Ciupa V., Radoslav R., Oarcea C., Oarcea Z., achieve this, it would be necessary to apply certain Timișoara verde, (Green Timisoara) Timișoara, Ed. principles. In the parks and green areas that are Marineasa, 2005; connected to the river banks, a great variety of trees 4.Ciupa V., Radoslav R., Oarcea Z., Oarcea C., should be planted, especially those species which have Sistemul de spații verzi al Timișoarei, (The green space adapted in time to our climate, and are already present system of Timisoara) Timișoara, Ed. Marineasa, 2005; in the city. On the exterior limits of the canal, even if 5.Ciupa V., Timișoara oraș grădină, oraș al parcurilor, the green corridor is narrow, the water front should be oraș al florilor, Monografie Timișoara (Timisoara protected visually from the exterior with green walls of garden city, city of parks, city of flowers - trees, or using other plants. Next to the edge of the Monography) , Ed. Artpress, 2018; water the green surface should be continuous, and 6.Göncz J., Bognár B., Temes megyénk (Frumosul should permit the free movement of birds and small nostru județ Timiș), Ed. Sopron B.K.L., Szombathely, animals. The green surface should be uninterrupted 2012, pag. 10; from one end of the city to the other. In the areas 7.Ilieșiu N. Timișoara-monografie istorică (Timisoara where the green corridor is not wide enough, special historical monography), Timișoara, Ed. Planetarium, measures should be taken to assure ecologic continuity. 2012; A protection system should be created, in order to save 8.Marcus R.., Parcuri și grădini în România, (Parks and those parts of the green stripe which are valuable, and gardens in Romania) București, Ed. Tehnică, 1958; in some cases use them as a model for other areas. 9.Munteanu I., Munteanu R., Timișoara, Monografie (Timisoara monography) Timișoara, Ed. Mirton, 2002; Acknowledgements 10.Neumann V., Istoria Banatului (The Banat of Timişoara), București, Ed. Academiei Române, 2016, The financial assistance for this article from the part of pag. 67. research project „Study regarding development 11.Opriș M., Timișoara monografie urbanistică strategy of green infrastructure of Giroc Commune” (Timișoara monography of urbanism), Timișoara, Ed. (no. 32001/30.09.2015) is gratefully acknowledged. Brumar, 2007, pag. 36; 12.Opriş M., Botescu M., Arhitectura istorică din References Timișoara (Hystorical architecture in Timisoara), Timişoara, Ed. Tempus 2014, pag. 254; 13.Primăria Municipiului Timișoara, Cadrul natural 1.Borovszky Samu - „Monografia Timişoarei” și peisagistic al municipiului Timișoara, (Landscape (Monography of Timisoara) ed. of the Hungarian and natural evironment of Timisoara) Timișoara, Academy, Budapest, 1911, pag. 11. 2010; 2.Borza D., Ciupa V., Eperieș M., Oarcea Z., Cadastrul 14.Rămneanțu V., Activitatea Primăriei municipiului verde al municipiului Timișoara (Green register of Timișoara în perioada 1919-1940, (The work of Timisoara City) Timișoara, Ed. Brumar, 2001; Timisoara Town - hall), Cluj-Napoca, Ed. Mega, 2015;

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