?? photo 1: © A. Vorauer/WWF-A Europe’s Treasure Romania Romania has a reputation as the poor hundred most important areas for bio- as the country’s first national park in man of Europe. Wrongly – because diversity in the world. 1935. Unfortunately, Retezat is one of when it comes to natural heritage, the the few of Romania’s protected areas Romania’s territory also includes country is among the wealthiest of all. that enjoys effective protection on the a long section of the Black Sea With natural riches ranging from the ground and not just on paper. coast (228 km) and associated sand vast reed beds of the Danube delta to dune and coastal habitats, including the wilderness areas of the Carpathian 2 biological features that are entirely Area: 237,500 km (about the Mountains, Romania has every right to new to the European Union. size of the United Kingdom). shake off its poor reputation. Terrain: Mountains (31 %), hills Europe’s Canada and plateaus (33 %), plains (36 %). Treasure The Romanian Carpathians, with trove of biodiversity The bounty of Romania’s wilderness their three branches (Oriental, and natural resources have earned the Southern and Occidental Car- A large part of the country is taken country the nickname as the „Canada pathians) separate the country up by the Carpathian Mountains, of Europe“. Some 47 % of the coun- into three main areas: Central which arch across much of Central try’s area is in a natural or semi-natural Transylvanian Plateau, Moldavia and Eastern Europe before settling in state. The diversity of life forms in and the Walachian Plain). Danube Romania. The rugged mountains are Romania is enhanced by the fact that river and various tributaries. Black one of Europe’s last bastions for wild the country is a meeting point between Sea coast in east. animals. With two-thirds of the Car- different kinds of habitats and species, Elevation extremes: lowest pathians within its territory, Romania is including ones from the north (boreal), point: Black Sea 0 m; highest home to Europe’s largest population Mediterranean, continental Europe, point: Moldoveanu mountain peak of large carnivores, including half of Pannonia, and Caucasus. The result – 2,544 m. the continent’s bears, and over a third is a high number of species, including of its populations of wolves and lynx. many that are endemic to the country. Land use: Irrigated land: The Romanian Carpathians are also 31,020 km2 (1993 est.), arable home to the largest areas of virgin for- Some 5.4 % of Romanian territory has land: 41 % permanent crops: 3 %, ests on the European continent. some form of nature protection. One permanent pastures: 21 %, forests of the jewels among the protected and woodlands: 29 %, other: 6 % Most of the Danube Delta, Europe’s areas is Retezat National Park in the (1993 est.). largest delta and wetland area, also Carpathian Mountains, an area that Protected areas: Total of lies in Romania. Before flowing into long served as a royal hunting ground 845 protected areas, including the Black Sea, the Danube spreads before receiving formal protection over a surface area of about 580,000 9 national parks, 6 nature parks, ha, creating a wetland home for as well as 3 UNESCO-designated a staggering range and abundance of biosphere reserves (Danube plants and animals, and an important Delta, Retezat, and Pietrosul stop-over point for migratory birds. Rodnei). All together, ca. 5.4 % of Such features have earned the area the country’s territory. designation as a UNESCO Biosphere Population: 22,395,848 (1998) Reserve as well as priority status in Capital: Bucharest – population WWF’s „Global 200“, a list of the two 2,066,723 photo 2: © WWF-Canon/Klein & Hubert As elsewhere in Europe, agriculture Particular “hotspots” have been For further information has had a decisive impact in shaping caused by poor environmental man- contact: the Romanian landscape. In contrast agement practices. In January 2000, to other parts of the continent, how- spills from a gold reprocessing plant WWF Danube Carpathian ever, the persistence of traditional at Baia Mare in northern Romania Programme forms of agriculture, including exten- flushed a toxic cocktail of cyanide and – Romanian Office sive grazing of sheep and cattle as heavy metals into the Tisza river, killing 61 Bvd Marasti, Sector 1, well as cultivation that does not rely on fish and other life forms. cod 71331 Bucharest, Romania chemical inputs and heavy machinery, Some 400,000 hectares of wetlands, has preserved much of the landscape Tel.: +40 21 224 2576/329 particularly along the Danube river and in its earlier form and health. Besides delta, have been drained in order to [email protected] producing food, such areas are still WWF Danube Carpathian Programme Mariahilfer Str. 88a/III/9 A-1070 Vienna, Austria Tel: +43 1 52 45 470 [email protected] Useful links: Romanian Ministry of Waters and Environment Protection www.mappm.ro/ Romanian National Biodiversity Strategy photo 3: © Sissi Samec ariiprotejate.ngo.ro/docs/ strategy/ able to provide a home for a rich vari- create arable land for agriculture. The ety of habitats and species, and can Lower Green Danube Corridor project Lower Danube Green Corridor provide an ecological stability that is has been developed by WWF in coop- archive.panda.org/ important for example for flood and eration with the governments of Roma- livingwaters/danube/ water management. nia, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine to restore and protect the rich wetland Danube Delta National Paradoxically, perhaps, the connec- ecosystems of the river and its delta. Institute tion between Romanians and the land has increased in recent years. The process of Romania‘s accession www.indd.tim.ro Many people who have been thrown to the European Union is already help- out of work as a result of industrial ing to address many of the country‘s NGOs: restructuring after 1989 have moved environmental problems, including Carpathian Ecoregion back to the land – in 1999, agriculture introduction of more effective environ- Initiative accounted for some 42% of the coun- mental controls and management. The www.carpathians.org try’s total employment. greater challenge will be to ensure Carpathian that the inevitable changes that will Large Carnivore Project Toxic Tisza accompany EU membership, includ- ing economic growth and develop- www.clcp.ro Romania’s still prodigious natural ment, will enhance rather than erode Pro Natura wealth has suffered erosion as Romania‘s splendid natural wealth – a www.pronatura.ro a result of human activity. Agriculture, rich natural heritage for all European industrial development and urbaniza- to treasure and preserve. Romanian Environmental tion, in particular, have affected bio- Partnership Foundation logical diversity, both generally and at www.epce.ro a local level. Pollution, the alteration of river courses and waterworks, mineral resource extraction and the overex- Photo 1: Danube delta, a paradise of birds. ploitation of biological resources as Photo 2: Carpathian grey wolves. a whole have been main culprits con- Photo 3: Retezat National Park tributing to the loss of fauna and flora. Author: Andreas Beckmann, 2003. Layout: [email protected] | Produced with support from the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forests, Environment and Water / 2003 with support | Produced Ministryand Water the Austrian from Federal Environment [email protected] Forests, of Agriculture, Beckmann, 2003. Layout: Author: Andreas.