THE ECOLOGICAL NETWORK: A way to the nature conservation in Moldova 51 52 FORWARD The Conference of Environment Ministers from 55 European countries, which took place in Sofia, Bulgaria, on 23-25 October 1995, resulted in the adopting of Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy. Keeping in mind the situation in this field, the major goal of the aforementioned Strategy was to significantly reduce and, as far as it is possible, completely remove the threats, which jeopardise the biological and landscape diversity of Europe. The Strategy also includes an action plan for 1996-2000 which comprises 11 action themes. It is rather significant and symbolic that establishing Pan-European Ecological Network is listed among the priorities. For 2001-2005, it also remains in the focus of conservationists. This emphasis on Pan-European Ecological Network was not a lucky coincidence or a matter of chance, because namely ecological network, as a bridging link between different components of European natural richness, is intended to stimulate the maintenance of ecosystems, habitats, species and landscapes of European importance. With the objectives, set out by the Strategy, in mind, each Party is obliged to develop individual action plâns to meet these objectives. In our country, the issue of establishing a National Ecological Network is paid due attention, and the action plan in relation to its establishing was given priority status as compared to the other action plâns, in line with the Pan-European Strategy. Ecological Society "BIOTICA" should be specially mentioned as a body among a small number of the public, scientific and non-governmental organisations, which successfully deal with the task of developing and promoting the concept of establishing the National Ecological Network in the Republic of Moldova. Over the last 3-4 years, problems related to establishing National Network were tackled for many times at the internaţional conferences on the biodiversity of the Nistru River (1998, 1999, 2000), as well as in the collection of scientific articles, dedicated to the 125th anniversary of academician L.S. Berg (2001). The Concept of establishing the Ecological Network of the Republic of Moldova, published in the collection, results from very important joint work of a team of talented specialists, with financial support of the National Ecological Fund of the Republic of Moldova. The paper presented to the attention of readers, is aimed at popularising the issues related to establishing the National Ecological Network, among the wide public. The present brochure will also be useful to the people who will be directly involved in the work on building the National Ecological Network of the Republic of Moldova, which is 53 sought by the National Strategy and the Action Plan in the field of biological diversity maintenance. I am convinced that the National Ecological Network can be established successfully only if as many as possible of Moldovan residents and decision-makers will be made familiar with its functions and the concept for its establishing. Thus, it can and should be used in environmental education of all levels. At the same, it will play a special role of a visiting cârd of our country in this field, witnessing that in Moldova this problem is paid such a degree of attention which it deserves. Mihail Coca Head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Ministry of Ecology, Building and Territorial Development, the Republic of Moldova 54 INTRODUCTION If you ask former U.S.S.R. citizens what comes to their mind when they hear the word Moldova you will get the following answers. First of all, it is good and inexpensive wine. Secondly, rich sun, boundless fields, gardens and vineyards. A farmer would probably caii this a lovely picture. On the contrary, environmentalists are concerned because a number of reasons. When many lands are used for agriculture, there is not much space left for wildlife. There is no place left for plants and animals. There is no way for soils "to have rest". Children have no opportunity to observe true nature. It is well known that Moldova is among the leading countries in Europe with highest rates of lands used in agriculture. With exception of forests, cheerless pieces of land that men are not able to exploit are left to our wildlife. So, not only humans but plants and animals as well find it hard to leave in our place. As a result, the diversity of species declines. It is noticeably harder to meet sparrows and doves in the cities. Fortunately, we still have what to save. In order to do that, it is necessary to know whom, where and how to save. The talk is not about birds, butterflies, science or beauty of the nature. The most complicated and important thing about the environment is how do eco-systems function in order to ensure life on the Earth with its fields, vineyards and gardens. Let us imagine taking out a component from an engine. The engine is likely to stop working. Let us imagine destroying part of a computer program. The program will work only if it manages to restore itself. And, what will it be, if not? Millions of people do not make attempts to destroy their machines. If a computer is out of order, every boss will caii for a system administrator. The most dangerous tendency is that the degradation of eco-systems due to the disappearance of species and changes in species communities here and there is less noticeable compared to tradiţional environmental pollution with clear consequences. However, such degradation may be even more important and dangerous. The nature is much more complicated than a computer. It continues to repair eco-systems after humans take their components out. Even educated people destroy parts and details saying, "Why are they needed? Should not we destroy it?" The question seems stupid, but that is the real sense put in other words. From time immemorial, hundreds of thousands socialist and capitalist bosses, contemporary feudal lords and democrats, motivated by reason or greed, justice or ambition, in developed states and in poor countries give orders to destroy. How is this going to stop? Have not enough land been diverted to desert? Today, Moldova is a country of poor farmers despite good wine, rich sun and boundless fields. Some hundred years ago, humus, which is the most important component of soil, amounted to 5-6% in soil. In 1990 the figure was in average 3.5%. Political and economic systems changed in the country a number of times, but the speed of losing humus was almost the same all the time. Now, some 40.6% of lands have only 2% of humus. The soil scientists' forecast is that 2.5-3% will be the average by the year 2025, if the speed of losing humus stays the same, though in reality it increases. When will the life here become impossible for four million people? 55 In 1992, the heads of the leading countries from all over the world, being aware that conservation of biodiversity is of outmost importance, signed the Convention on Biodiversity at the Conference on Environment and Development in Rio-de-Janeiro. Since that conference, many have heard of the sustainable development concept. At the first glance, this concept or slogan looks pretty simple. However, many life dimensions are very complicated - economy and politics, energy and clean production, sustainable agriculture, deficiencies in social development, biodiversity. The most complicated task is to realize that everything can be divided into manmade and natural. Manmade things can be restored. Those created by nature during millions of years cannot be traced back, if lost. Environmental scientists are in search of the ways to solve these problems. It is more or less clear what species shall be protected where. It is understandable that territories where wildlife and rare species are better preserved shall be considered as more valuable. Such territories become strict protected areas, reserves and other protected territories. Moldovan environmentalists adhered to this principle, though there was no established system to measure the land's value. It took time to find out that even in developed European countries with many protected territories covering large areas the diversity of animals and plants continues to decline, and many are under the threat of disappearance. That is why, the concept of ecological networks started to get more and more support. The ecological network looks like a simple net with the same design and characteristics. Nets were not invented by man. They were first used by invertebrates - spiders, water larvae of insects (for instance, dragonflies), who build so-called hunting nets. Actually, nets are not the tools of insects only. Some water plants look like small nets. Organisms found the way to use nets for protection. For instance, spider's web does not only feed the spider. It also alarms the spider. When a large-scale animal touches spider's web, its fibbers send a message to the spider that determines the size of intervening object and makes a decision hoe to behave. Humans actively and consistently use nets for protection as well. Nets camouflage military objects. In circus, nets make the work of acrobats safer. Sometimes, nets are used in construction works. They were used at sailing vessels where setting and striking sails required the actions at a height. It looks that net is a universal structure used by both nature and man. Why shall environmentalists not go ahead? Environmentalists decided to create an ecological network, or eco-network, linking together nature reserves. They thought it would be beneficial because this would restore and improve the links between large and small pieces of nature that were in better conditions than others.