Explorers of Wilderness in Romania's Southwestern Carpathians
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
PROJECT DEVELOPED WITH THE FINANCIAL SUppORT OF THE GERMAN FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL FOUNDATION (DBU). GUIDE 2017 v Explorers of Wilderness in Romania’s Southwestern Carpathians Beușniței waterfalls © Cătălin Gavrila Guide for teachers and students GRADES 9TH – 12TH Guide for teachers and students – Grades 9th – 12th Explorers of Wilderness in Romania’s Southwestern Carpathians ISBN: ISBN 978-973-0-20097-3 © WWF Romania - Part I, Part II. The content can be reproduced for non-commercial and educational purposes with the appropri- ate quotation of the source. © WWF Romania, New Horizons Foundation - Part III. The content can only be reproduced with the consent of WWF Romania and the New Horizons Foundation. Bucharest, 2017 Coordinator: Irina Lapoviţă (WWF Romania) Authors: Part I: Raluca Crista (WWF Romania), Mihai Enescu, Cătălin Gavrila (WWF Romania), Adrian Grancea (WWF Romania), Irina Lapoviţă (WWF Romania), Mara Sîrbu (WWF Romania) Part II: Cătălin Gavrila (WWF Romania) Part III: Maria Butyka (New Horizons Foundation), Tiberiu Culidiuc (New Horizons Foundation), Irina Lapoviţă (WWF Romania) Contributors: Ovidiu Adăscăliţei, Marius Berchi, Matthias Diemer, Adrian Hăgătiș, Orieta Hulea, Oana Mondoc, Cătălina Murariu, Barbara Tauscher English translation: ProLingua Proofreading for English version: Eileen O’Connor, Matthias Diemer (WWF Switzerland), Adrian Grancea (WWF Romania), Cătălina Murariu (WWF Romania), Mara Sîrbu (WWF Romania), Emilia Marin (WWF Romania), Valerie Passardi (WWF Switzerland) Maps: Marius Vlaicu Photographs: Doru Bănăduc, Marius Berchi, Raluca Crista, Dan Dinu, Alin Drăguşin, Costas Dumitrescu, Cătălin Gavrila, Adrian Grancea, Daniel Humelnicu, Cristian Ilea, Peternel Ladislau, Mihai Leu, Mihai Lupșan, Mara Sîrbu, Flavius Srînca, Călin Uruci, Carol Varga, Petre Zărioiu Graphics and DTP: Alex Spineanu Print: Print Partner Acknowledgments: Octavia Borș (New Horizons Foundation) The National and Nature park Administrations: the Semenic - Cheile Caraşului National Park, the Cheile Nerei Beușniţa National Park, the Domogled-Valea Cernei National Park, the Iron Gates Nature Park, the Retezat National Park and the members of the Caraş-Severin Mountain Rescue Service. WWF Romania volunteers: Emilia Marin, Claudia Melcaru, Florentina Topfer, Alexandra Teleucă, Delyan Todorov, Iulia Călin The young people involved in the project and the teams of teachers and headmasters: 1. The "Traian Lalescu" National College, Reşiţa: Dir. Pavel Ghimboaşă, Dir. Doxan Adrian, Prof. Nicolae Chiosa, Prof. Ovidiu Bădescu 2. The "Mathias Hammer" Highschool, Anina: Dir. Mihaela Wetternek, Prof. Imbrescu Adriana, Prof. Marius Simion 3. The "Hercules" Highschool, Băile Herculane: Dir. Şain Anda, Dir. Toma Drăgoi, Prof. Trifina Corina, Prof. Camelia Bariţ 4. The "Traian Lalescu" Highschool, Orşova: Dir. Gheorghe Oprescu, Prof. Mihaela Drăgan, Prof. Mirela Calea 5. The "Mircea Eliade" Highschool, Lupeni: Dir. Daniel Ianoşi, Prof. Beczuk Adiola, Prof. Raluca Vlaic This Guide was developed under the “Getting Active for Wilderness in Southwestern Carpathians” project, implemented between December 2014 – December 2016 by WWF Romania, WWF Switzerland and WWF Austria with the financial support of the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU). The translation was made with the financial support of WWF Switzerland. About WWF Established in 1961, WWF is a major international organization carrying out nature conservation projects in more than 100 countries. The WWF global mission is to end environmental degradation and to build a future where people live in harmony with nature. More details about the international work available at: www.wwf.org and about the work in the Southwestern Carpathians at: www.wwf.ro About the German Federal Environmental Foundation The German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU) was established by decision of the German Parliament in 1991 and is one of the largest environmental foundations in the world. Its aim is to protect the environment and is focusing on education and environmental awareness projects. More details available at: https://www.dbu.de/ EXPLOrers OF WILDerNess IN ROMANIA’S SOUTHwesterN CarpatHIANS WILDERNESS TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I The Carpathian Wilderness, Wealth for the People 1. Natural protected areas 9 2. The concept of wilderness 14 3. What can we do to preserve wilderness areas? 20 PART II Exploring wilderness in Romania’s Southwestern Carpathians 1. How do we visit and enjoy a wilderness area? 33 2. What to pack when hiking? 35 3. First aid tips 36 4. Exploring the natural wealth of our wilderness area 38 PART III The Wilderness Youth Clubs 1. About the Wilderness Youth Clubs 76 2. What and how do students learn in the club? 84 3. The Wilderness Youth Clubs curriculum 104 GUIDE FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS – GRADES 9Th – 12TH Tabăra Carașova © Adrian Grancea 4 EXPLOrers OF WILDerNess IN ROMANIA’S SOUTHwesTerN CARPATHIANS BEFORE WE BEGIN omania’s Southwestern Carpathians are home to one of the most widespread wilderness areas in Europe: a territory governed by natural processes, with areas unmodified or only slightly modified by human activities, composed of native habitats and species. Very few such areas are left in Europe, making it important to know the benefits they provide, the threats they face and what Rwe can do to preserve them. This information should be available to as many people as possible, to increase public involvement in the protection and preservation of such areas. Schools and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) play a key role in passing on such information. This guide represents an ESD initiative to support the mission of nature conservation in this invaluable wilderness area and is dedicated to everyone open to join this mission: teachers, students, representatives of natural and national parks and individuals. The guide is structured in three parts: 1. The Carpathian Wilderness, Wealth for the People 2. Explorers of Wild Nature in Romania’s Southwestern Carpathians 3. The Wilderness Youth Clubs. The first part introduces the concept of wilderness. The second part describes the four national parks and one nature park located in Romania’s Southwestern Carpathians, which together make up the most widespread wilderness area in Europe: the Semenic- Cheile Carașului National Park, the Cheile Nerei-Beușniţa National Park, the Iron Gates Nature Park, the Domogled-Valea Cernei National Park and the Retezat National Park. The third part outlines the steps recommended to open a Wilderness Youth Club and organize learning activities for young people who can get actively involved in taking action for nature and addressing the challenges faced by wilderness areas. We wish our readers all the best on this captivating journey dedicated to education and the environment! “Our most important task, if we are to save the Earth, is to educate". Sir Peter Scott Founder of WWF Cătălina Matthias Irina Murariu Diemer Lapoviță Project manager Project manager Guide coordinator WWF România WWF Switzerland WWF România 5 PART I The Carpathian Wilderness, Wealth for the People Authors: Raluca Crista, Mihai Enescu, Cătălin Gavrila, Adrian Grancea, Irina Lapoviță, Mara Sîrbu 6 1 WILDERNESS The Domogled-Valea Cernei National Park © Carol Varga 7 GUIDE FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS – GRADES 9Th – 12TH TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I 1. Natural protected areas 9 1.1 Definition, distribution and surface area 9 1.2 Natural protected areas in Romania 12 2. The concept of wilderness 14 2.1 The concepts of wilderness, wild areas and wilderness areas 14 2.2 Natural processes and species from wilderness areas 15 2.3 Benefits of wilderness areas 17 2.4 Threats to wilderness areas 19 3. What can we do to preserve wilderness areas? 20 3.1 What can the authorities and non-governmental organizations do: principles and guidance 21 3.2 What can we, the readers of this guide, do to preserve wilderness areas? 25 AbbREVIATionS EEA European Environment Agency IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature UN United Nations GEO Government Emergency Order UNESCO The United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture Wild Europe Wild Europe Initiative WWF World Wide Fund for Nature 8 THE CARPATHIAN WILDERNESS, WEALTH FOR THE PEOPLE 1 WILDERNESS Cheile Nerei - Beușnița National Park © Daniel Humelnicu CHapter 1 Natural protected areas 1.1 DefINITION, DISTRIBUTION and EXtent ccording to the internationally recognized and associated natural and cultural assets. 2008 definition by IUCN, a protected Protected areas tend to host mainly species of area is "A clearly defined geographical plants and animals that need to be protected due space, recognized, dedicated and man- to their environmental and scientific relevance. To aged, through legal or other effective ensure this protection, IUCN created classifications Ameans, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature for species according to their conservation status with associated ecosystem services and cultural values1”. (whether endangered or not). Examples of species Thus, protected areas are essential in the conservation from Romanian protected areas (in Southwestern of the natural and cultural capital. They include the Romania) and their IUCN classification with classifi- most representative and significant areas of biodiversity cation criteria are outlined in Table 1. 1. Stanciu E., Florescu F. 2009. Ariile protejate din România. Noţiuni introductive (Protected Areas of Romania. Introductory notes). Editura „Green Steps”, Brașov 9 GUIDE FOR TEACHERS AND