THE SOUTH MOLDAVIAN FORESTS (COVURLUI PLATEAU) AT THE END OF THE 19th CENTURY

SORIN GEACU1

Key words: Covurlui Plateau, past forest extension

The forests are a major landscape element. In Acad. E. Pop's words, "the forest is a collective being. The most magnificent of all, vibrating with a life of its own formed of the huge diversity of millions of individual lives blended in a physical harmony that over helms and puzzles the human mind" (1942, p. 8). In the Antiquity and the Middle Ages, most of the Covurlui Plateau - the southernmost unit of the Moldavian Tableland between the towns of Bârlad and Galaţi, was covered with forests. In time, however, once human activity began intensifying and diversifying afforested areas would shrink. This situation got momentum after the 1829 Adrianopole Treaty which ended the Turkish monopole on the Moldavian trade, fact that increased the transport of wood through the port of Galaţi. The forest-rich territory continued to shrink. In 1943 Acad. S. Mehedinţi write: "what has been left of Moldavia's hillside forests which used to frighten the passer-by are but a few small patches" (p. 49). In order to give a correct and detailed outline of the forests that had existed in the two compartments of the Covurlui Plateau (the Covurlui Hills in the north and the Covurlui Plain in the south) at the end of the 19 th century, we studied the following sheets: Bujor, Bereşti, Drăguşeni, Folteşti, Galaţi, Murgeni, and Puţeni (scale 1: 50,000) printed in 1892- 1893 and included in the Atlas of Moldavia. The size of the then afforested areas was measured with the Reiss planimeter (see tables). The findings revealed the presence of a big afforested massif (6.080 ha) in the Covurlui Hills between Chineja and the Pruth River, extending from Balinteşti-Cavadineşti in the north to Roşcani in the south. Its northern part in the vicinity of Village (then Chirileşti), was dotted with glades numerous agricultural lands penetrating deep into the forest, eg in the Gruiu and Viilor valleys; nine glades, on the Scumpieriei Hill (the largest was 7 ha, the others 0.5-1 ha each); two on the Rădiciului Hill (1 ha and 2.5 ha) and another one (3.3 ha) on the Piscu Viilor Hill. A continuous stretch of forests covered the hillsides of Crângu, Pogoneşti, Chifu Mare and the valleys running in between them (Pogoneştii Mari, Pogoneştii Mici, Stancei, Buţii, Pustie, Rediu Scumpiei, La Stâlpul Grecului, Rediu Tarciu, Roşcani, Rediu Vâscu). On the Mare and the Chifu hills towards the Oarba Valley, the forest rose up to 80 -150 m. There were few glades (one 2.2 ha on the Crâng Hill, two more 3.5 ha and 3.7 ha, respectively on the Pogoneşti Hill, and one, 3 ha, on the Mare Hill). The 2 km-road connecting the villages of Suceveni and Roşcani offered numerous clearings; farther south there were two more glades one (4.2 ha) stood "La târla lui Bălac" point, the other – (40 ha, and 2 km long) , was named Smolniţa Mică in the south and Smolniţa Mare in the north (surce: "Planul economic al moşiei Rogojeni-Covurlui" - The Economic plan of Rogojeni-Covurlui Estate) drawn up at that time. In its north-western part this big afforested massif showed two deforested areas - one (25 ha) on the Lanu Scafarului Hill and the other (175 ha) in the upper part of the Caprei, Piscu Gemeni, Lanu Părului Hills (180-230 m altitudine). Apart from it, there were nine small glades (0.7-3.5 ha). The north-western fringe of the massif extended up to the Ţarina Valley (near Balinteşti) in the Rediu Carelor and Rediu Tătarului points. In its central- southern part, the Suceveni-Roşcani road ran through a large glade - Ciucliuveni (175 ha, at

1 Institute of Geography, Bucharest Sorin Geacu

110-210 m alt). Close to it there was Ciotcăria (a name illustrative of tree-cutting) - 55 ha, which was 1.5 km long from the north to the south on the homonymous hill (100-140 m alt.). Rădivâscu Glade (Rediu Vâsc) - 23 ha stood on the Rădivâscu Hill; Glade extended as far as Mateiaş, on the same massif. Another six small clearings (1-3 ha) opened near Roşcani. In the south the afforested zone covered the Rădivâscu and Ciucliuveni hills and the eastern side of Băneasa Hill. This massifs measuring 16 km from the north to the south and 12 km from the east to the west, was criss-crossed by numerous roads: Suceveni-Rogojeni, Suceveni-Băneasa, Suceveni-Slivna, Slivna-Băneasa, Băneasa-Roşcani, Rogojeni-Roşcani and Slivna-Roşcani. Today, only a few fragments have been left: Pogoneşti, Arcaciu Leului, Arcaciu Brenei, Rediu Vâsc, Valea Teiului and Iezătura. Another afforested zone (5.500 ha, 60-190 m alt.); 16 km from N-W to S-E and 10 km from W-E (Cuca-Folteşti), on the edge between the Covurlui Hills and the Covurlui Plain, was lined by the Viile-Băleni-Cuca road in the NNW and the Fântânele Village off it in the SE. The name given to this woodland was Puţichioaia (present-day Viile), Ventura and Lupul in the north and Căligar in the south close to Cuca. This uninterrupted mass of wood covered the hills of Piscu Rediu Eciu, Piscu Velichi, Piscu Sărei, Piscu Tăieturei, all with northern exposition, and the valleys of Rediu Frasin, Ezătura, Chişteala, Rediu Lung, Velichi, Rediu Surpat, Fântâna Dascălului. Its central body encompassed the Mâţilor, Coşarelor and Boeresc hills. Glades (3.5 and 3.8 ha) could be seen only in the Coşarelor Valley; other clearings were Curătura Ţocului (4.8 ha) in the north of Coşarelor Hill and Poiana Rediului (2.8 ha) close to it; four more clearings (0.5-1.5 ha) were also there. Lots of glades dotted the Frumuşiţa Valley: one (11 ha) at its springs, followed by a larger clearing (25 ha) and six more (0.3-1.7 ha) near it, on the sides of the limitrophe hills. Three clearings appeared alongside the Folteşti-Fântânele road, the largest (2.8 ha) opening at the road-crossing with the Frumuşiţa Valley. In the point where the road emerged from the forest toward Fântânele stood "Poiana lui Vintilă" glade. A 0.7 ha clearing was found on the Plopu Brook, a tributary of the Fântânele Valley; farther south in the valley proper, a large glade (32.3 ha) extended uphill. In the southern extremity of the massif, part of the Şerpoaia Valley slopes were deforested. Another three clearings (0.7 ha, 1.5 ha and 2.5 ha) stood on the northern side of Halagiu Hill. No oak grooves from this tree-covered land have remained. An acacia plantation was grown after 1948 in order to prevent the onset of erosion processes. So, in the northern and central parts of the former area, several forests appeared: Viile, Iezătura, Cuca, Dălbăneasa, Călugăreasca Mică, Viilor and Buturiş. Another afforested massif (1.825 ha) extended in the S-E of Covurlui Hills, false between Roşcani (in the north) and Brăneşti (in the south). Forests would line either side of the Roşcani Valley south of the homonymous village growing on the Schin Hill and Valley (Arcaciu Murgoci). On the lefthandside of this valley a continuous forest strip (13.5 km) covered the whole of the Cordaşu Hill (inclusive of the small valleys - Strâmbele, Strâmbele Mari, Strâmbele Mici and Cordaşu) extending over the Părul Hill as far as west of Brăneşti. In the south, it was seen on the Grumăzoaia Valley slopes. Glades were few: two on the righthandside of the Roşcani Valley (2.8 ha close to the valley and 1.5 ha on the hill), another two (4.2 ha and 2.5 ha) in the northern extremity, other six (0.7-1.5 ha) in the Strâmbele area; Poiana Bulgarului clearing (7.3 ha) and two more in the south (3.5 ha) and south-east ends (5.8 ha). What has been left today of this afforested land are the Strâmbele, Cordaş and Valea Schin woods.

296 The South Moldavian Forests (Covurlui Plateau) at the end of the 19th century

But for a few exceptions, the 19th-century afforested areas from the north, north-west and central-north of the Covurlui Hills are still in place. At that time, Tihuleşti Woods covered 627 ha extending as far as the Bereşti-Pleşa road; south of Bălăneşti Woods stood the forests of Roşia (113 ha) of which only two- fragments: Capătu and Cruceanu (62 ha) are there today. In-between them are two small clearings: Teilor (1.5 ha) and Artenie (0.6 ha). Docăneasa (125 ha and a 0.5 ha glade) and Ghibarţu woods (113 ha) also existed then. Missa (today Nisa !) and Banciu woods (together 1.050 ha) stretched north of the Pupezeni Valley up to the fringes of Bălăbăneşti. There were only two glades: Poiana Vântului (3.2 ha), in Missa Woods and Poiana Porcăreţelor (1.7 ha) in Banciu Woods. South of Hobana stood Jerdia-Gurguieţi-Stroiu-Foteşeni forests (700 ha) and an 8.7 ha glade at Stroiu. Only its south-eastern section (Foteşeni) is deforested. Five small forest patches (0.5-7 ha) were found on the southern side of the Mănăstirii Valley (west of Cârlomăneşti). In 1892, the forest which today they call Fundeanu, was known by that name only along the Findeanu-Adam road, its central and western parts being called Pogana-Cernăteşti and Buhneala respectively. All these forests had only a few clearings: two (2.5 ha) in Cerţeşti Woods at the sources of the Mănăstirii Valley, two more in Pogana-Cernăteşti: Ursoaia (8.2 ha) and "La Nisipuri" (0.9 ha); on the northern fringe, near Căuieşti; stood a larger glade (9.3 ha). Between Fundeanu and Smulţi there was a forest (378 ha) named Braniştea in the east and Motoş in the west (Motaş today). It extended west of the Fundeanu-Drăguşeni road. Today, the section north of the Braniştea Valley is deforested. Here there were three clearings: Geruşiţa in the south (5.5 ha) and two smaller ones in the central-western part (1.2 and 3.2 ha). In the surroundings of Ghingheşti Village stood a homonymous forest (502 ha) called Baicu in the SW. There were few deforested areas mostly in its northern part (on the Uliu Hill). The Tâmpa-Brăieşti-Tainiţa Woods (625 ha) had two glades: Prisaca (3.8 ha) and Potroci (9.5 ha). Its present outline is slightly different from the 1893 one. Zărneşti Woods (680 ha) (named Zărneşti in the NE close to Zărneşti Village, and Cătănaş in the SW), with the Cătănaş glade (75 ha) in its centre and eight more clearings beside (0.2-3.2 ha). The two forests which existed between Bursucani and Rădeşti have been cut. One (112 ha) stood north of Zimbru (between Rădeşti and the Bursucani-Bălăbăneşti road) on Andruş Hill (with Poiana Grecului glade - 1 ha in the NW); the other (51 ha) covered the western side of Ciora Hill as far as the Valley. East of Drăguşeni, in the Tălpăloaia-Piersicului area, there were three forests (152 ha). A small patch stood between Bălăbăneşti and Bălăşeşti; also on the north and north-western side of Emaşu Hill; between Pochidia and Cerţeşti, stood Borna Woods (65 ha), now deforested. Corozelu Wood (257 ha) between Cârlomăneşti and is no longer there today. It extended in the homonymous valley and its Vâlcele tributary, as well as in the southern side of the Iazu Valley. A big forest (378 ha), crossed by the Băneasa Valley and covering also Scroafa Hill in the west and Băneasa Hill in the east, cut to the ground today, grew between Jorăşti and Balinteşti, with a 5 ha clearing inside. The hills between Jorăşti and Slivna were dotted with lots of forest patches, eg. Vlaicu (98 ha) today Valea Bănesii; on the lefthandsid of the Şeasa Valley there stretched a 4 km long (max. width 700 m) forest strip (175 ha) of which only three fragments have been left: Rediu Vasilache in the south, Piscu Mănăstirii in the centre and Rediu Carpen in the north.

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Two fragments of the Rediu Cristea Woods (125 ha) have been preserved: Rediu Cristea and Lădunca. In their north-eastern part was the Bâzanu Wood (75 ha in the north and 62.5 ha in the south). The two bodies still exist today. The four forest bodies (91 ha) being between Bereşti and Aldeşti in 1892 have been deforested. The same fate had those on the lefthandside of the Cioinagi Valley (six 87 ha fragments of which one had 65 ha); Cornei Woods (32 ha) on Bănesii Hill (SW of Balinteşti); two small woods near Onciu (2.7 ha and 21 ha), and three more east of Balinteşti - Grăpeni (7 ha), Leurda (21 ha) and Lupului (43 ha), the first two on Ghibarţului Hill, the third east of the Slivna Valley. In the centre-south of Covurlui Hills, several woods, deforested now, had stood: Mândra (14 ha) in the east of Blânzi at the sources of the homonymous valley; Găvanu- Scumpiei (120 ha) on the Mileşti-Musculeşti hills north of Măcişeni and Corni (140-220 m alt.); the same on the lefthandside of the Seaca Valley between Corod and Mândreşti - Mândreşti Woods (127 ha over 3 km long) in the north and the round -shaped Copacii Buzatului (125 ha) in the south. The following woods have been preserved to this day: Drumu Mare (62 ha, named Mândra) near Brătuleşti and Rediu Blânzi (200 ha named Pe Deal today), Macurile (150 ha), Găunoasa-Negrila (125 ha), Răbăţcani (46 ha, named Plantaţia Măcişeni), Pârleşti (60 ha) and La Rediu (19 ha, named Rediu Corni). In 1892, there were few glades in these forests: one (2 ha) in Rediu Cristea, a second (1.7 ha) in the SW corner of Macurile, a third (3 ha) in Găunoasa and a fourh (1 ha) in Pârleşti. A few forest patches totalling 19 ha (no longer there today), could be seen on the lefthandside of the Găunoasa Valley at 1 km off Valea Mărului Village, on either side of the road to Măcişeni and on the hills adjoining Urleşti (50 in all), today deforested. A big forest (625 ha) stood between Târgu Bujor and Lunca, on the homonymous hill. Its northern extension reached east of the Bujor Valley, on the Ţarina and Jirul hills. What is left of it is its NW end (the Valea Gavos Woods). Covurluiul de Sus and Sărdăreasca, north of Lunca, now deforested, covered 250 ha and 68 ha, respectively. Right south of the Bujor-Vârlezi road a 105 ha forest streched on the western side of Bujor Hill. Four woods were found between the Covurlui Valley in the east and the Vârlezi-Băleni road in the west: 1) Geamăna (45 ha named Pietrosu today); 2) in the Rediu Geamăna Valley and on the Piscu Tâlharului and Piscu Geamăna hills (280 ha named Geamăna); 3) farther south, on the Cucuieţi and Piscu Căprăriei hills (140 ha, deforested); and 4) in the Pecei Valley and on the Piscu Pecei, Piscu Chirilii, Piscu Văcăriei and Piscu Teişului hills (275 ha, deforested). On the western side of the Băleni-Vârlezi road stood two more forests (40 ha and 87 ha). East of Târgu Bujor, at the sources of the Mieloaia and the Roşie valleys, a 300 ha forest covered the Sârbu Valley slopes; another forest (175 ha) could be seen on the edge between the Mieloaia Valley and the Piscu Mieloaiei Hill. A 437 ha forest, with an unevenly shaped outline and two glades (16 ha) grew at the sources of the Rădiciu and the Păşcăniţa valleys. On the northern slopes of the Bisericii and Seaca (Oancea) valleys there were two forests (120 ha and 165 ha, respectively, the latter totalling 4.8 ha of glades), both deforested. The Budileasa Woods (113 ha) covered the Fântâna Ţiganului Valley slopes; other fragments (94 ha in all) grew in the Stoeneasa (Vlădeşti) Valley; 188 ha of woodland existed on the Drăculeşti Valley slopes.

298 The South Moldavian Forests (Covurlui Plateau) at the end of the 19th century

In the Covurlui Plain, big forests stetched south of Băleni, near Plevna Village: Băleni-Rădăcinile (700 ha in the Vâlcelele and the Cârciumei valleys), and large fragments (Băleni and Valea Bisericii (450 ha) still preserved, in the Bisericii Valley.

Map of Covurlui Hills Forests (1892-1893)

The afforested slopes from the northern side of the Ijdileni Valley basin, north-west of Scânteieşti, extended along 6 km and covered 917 ha. They sheltered five glades (13.4 ha). What has been left today is the northern portion called Mogoş Woods. South of Scânteieşti,

299 Sorin Geacu

also on the northern slopes, stood two forests (462 ha) that have been cut down. The two neighbouring bodies extended along 5 km from west to east. A big afforested area (837 ha) existed at the sources of the Mălina Valley, too. It covered 5 km from north to south and 3 km from west to east. East of it, close to the Cuca- Tuluceşti road, stood the Poleitu Woods (13 ha). Both forests have been felled, as have several others in the upper basins of the Lozova and Lozoviţa: Lupa (175 ha); the one north on Lupa of the leftandside of the Lozova quite close to Cuca (288 ha), and a few smaller tree- covered surfaces (1.5 ha-13 ha). At the sources of the Manolachi Valley (Mare, Sârbei, Puţurilor) there were 117 ha of forest. East of Pechea there was Bălţată Woods (175 ha, Bălţatu today). Unlike the present area of Gârboavele Woods, only the slopes of the two valleys: Gârboavele (56 ha) and Mare (150 ha) were afforested, the central part (Piscu Pădurarului Hill) being cultivated.

Forest surface-areas in Covurlui Hills 1892-1893 (numerical succesion on the map)

Nr Nr Nr Nr Nr Nr Nr Nr Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Crt. crt. crt. crt. crt. crt. Crt. crt. 1 48,1 20 25 39 7 58 19 77 120 96 117 115 113 134 100 2 250 21 700 40 27 59 33 78 165 97 19 116 16 135 5 3 625 22 788 41 43 60 50 79 113 98 13 117 41 136 87 4 680 23 65 42 4325 61 250 80 20 99 837 118 14 137 378 5 37,6 24 362 43 200 62 625 81 1825 100 175 119 21 138 75 6 75 25 112 44 62 63 40 82 175 101 288 120 15 139 18,3 7 40 26 125 45 14 64 17 83 13 102 23,5 121 75 140 8,3 8 500 27 8,2 46 150 65 7 84 23 103 6,5 122 62,5 141 36 9 925,1 28 14 47 127 66 105 85 31 104 200 123 4,2 142 125 10 306,2 29 65 48 125 67 45 86 40 105 50 124 162 143 500 11 163 30 7,8 49 12 68 280 87 1400 106 7 125 73,5 144 450 12 25 31 2,7 50 60 69 140 88 200 107 150 126 142,8 145 175 13 15,2 32 21 51 46 70 87 89 162 108 56 127 19 146 11 14 9,2 33 32 52 125 71 275 90 4100 109 212 128 3,2 147 8 15 350 34 98 53 120 72 175 91 75 110 62 129 51,2 16 225 35 43 54 37 73 300 92 812 111 60 130 37 17 6 36 175 55 11 74 35 93 87 112 113 131 24 18 144,5 37 22 56 7 75 437 94 18 113 62 132 2,3 19 29 38 27 57 2 76 38,5 95 337 114 125,1 133 8

In 1892, today's Miloş Forest was represented by two areas alongside the lateral valleys of the Saiului and the Meleş hills (162 ha in the west and 205 ha in the east). A few smaller woods (totalling 145 ha) stood north of Cişmele Village, on the slopes of the Mălina Valley. Its nine fragments (0.2-50 ha) are deforested, and so is the 100 ha forest in the Manolachi Valley south of Odaia Manolachi Village. In his work "Dicţionar Geografic şi Statistic al Judeţului Covurlui" printed in 1892, Pacu relates how the Bereşti villagers occupation was to cut the forests; at Scânteieşti people used to pull up tree roots from the forest"; in winter the inhabitants of Cuca would pull up tree roots and sell them in the market; villagers in Măcişeni were almost exclusively engaged in pulling up tree roots in winter and selling them in towns". Forests were populated by various Quercus species; extended foliated mixed woods existed only in the north (Fundeanu-Bălăbăneşti-Bereşti). The consistency of the stand was fairly low. According to Pacu, the Jorăşti forests had "small and scarce trees". Summing up we would say that in the years 1892-1893, 13.9% of the Covurlui Plateau was afforested (33 200 ha): 75.4% of the Covurlui Hills and 24.6% of the Covurlui Plain which puts the afforestation percentage at 18.4 in the hills and 8 in the plain.

300 The South Moldavian Forests (Covurlui Plateau) at the end of the 19th century

The data reported herein provide a detailed picture of the geographical dynamic of vegetation in a region little dealt with so far.

REFERENCES

Mehedinţi, S. (l943), Opere Complete, Geographica, I, 2, Fundaţia Regală pentru Literatură şi Artă, Bucureşti. Pacu, M. (1892), Dicţionar Geografic şi Statistic al Judeţului Covurlui, Tipo-Litografia I. Schenk, Galaţi. Pătraşc, Adriana, Geacu, S. (1995), Cercetări asupra pădurilor de stejar brumăriu şi stejar pufos din Câmpia Covurluiului, Buletinul Grădinii Botanice Iaşi, 5, Iaşi. Pop, E. (1942), Pădurile şi destinul nostru naţional, Extras din Buletinul Comisiunii Monumentelor Naturii, IX, 1-4 (1941), Imprimeria Naţională, Bucureşti. x x x, (1892-1893), Atlasul Moldovei, I.G.A., Bucureşti. x x x, (1898), Planul economic al moşiei Rogojeni din judeţul Covurlui proprietatea defunctei principese Eufrosina Callimachi, Biblioteca Academiei Române, Bucureşti.

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