PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The Natura 2000 network site “Nordul Gorjului de Vest” in south-western Romania can boast extensive ecological and biological diversity. It contains six types of ecosystem, from woods and bushes to caves, as well as 873 ha of natural sweet chestnut forest - one of only two such areas in the country. The area’s attractions provide great opportunities for tourism. But local organisations seeking to exploit the commercial benefits of tourism are very aware that only through prevention of degradation and pollution, and by actively managing the area’s ecosystems, can tourism be a sustainable activity. Parts of the area are already degraded or at risk of being destroyed because of bad management, over-grazing and deforestation of mountain pine and juniper to make way for more grazing land. Other problems come from an invasive fungus attacking the chestnut trees – chestnut blight and an overall lack of habitat management activities.
OBJECTIVES
The NORTHWESTGORJ project aimed to restore two of the degraded habitats of the “Nordul Gorjului de Vest” Natura 2000 network site and to establish conservation measures to secure their survival and long-term future. The targeted habitats are ‘Bushes with Pinus mugo and Rhododendron myrtifolium’ and ‘Castanea sativa woods’ (Habitats Directive Annex I habitat types 4070* and 9260, respectively). Restoration work involved planting Pinus mugo and applying biological and silvicultural methods to eliminate chestnut blight - combined with hygienic and cultural operations. In areas where an invasive fungus has compromised the efficacy of biological control - 25 ha in total - the beneficiary aimed to re-plant the chestnut trees using seedlings created within the project. Additional measures were expected to create long-term benefits for the biodiversity of the area through the development of appropriate infrastructure for habitat protection and tourism control. The project also planned to raise awareness about these issues by increasing public participation in nature-protection decision-making processes and conservation schemes.
RESULTS
The NORTHWESTGORJ project achieved all its objectives, often exceeding the planned targets, for the restoration of two habitat types listed in Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive. The project team restored 10.35 ha of ‘Bushes with Pinus mugo and Rhododendron myrtifolium’ (habitat type 4070*). They rehabilitated ‘Castanea sativa woods’ (9260) through, a) biologic treatments against chestnut blight on 305 ha (planned 60 ha), b) silvicultural measures on 10 demonstration plots (5 planned), and c) restoration of 47 ha of plantations (25 ha proposed).
Project actions minimised or eliminated the negative impact of tourism on the restored areas. These included the creation of visitor infrastructure for controlling eco-tourism, including the creation of two information points, two tourist trails to the habitats, six camping sites, and two caravans for accommodation.
The project team raised public awareness on nature conservation and Natura 2000, as part of the concept of sustainable development. This was achieved through 6 round-tables, 6 workshops, a project seminar and final conference, participation in 26 national and 10 international events, and through the project’s information materials. The project also organised training courses for children, focusing on habitat restoration, and intense media campaigns on the promotion of habitat restoration and conservation.
Project beneficiaries established measures for the long-term conservation of the restored habitats, in the After-LIFE Conservation Plan. This included plans for extending the area of the two habitats (50 ha for habitat 4070* and 33 ha for habitat 9260), and the continuation of monitoring activities, and awareness-raising and education campaigns.
NORTHWESTGORJ has wider relevance as a demonstration project for good practices relating to the management of protected areas on a large-scale and in difficult environments, especially practices developed for the management of areas with degraded areas of the two targeted habitats. At the same time, the project contributed to the improvement of habitat conservation in Romania by implementing complex treatment and restoration activities, and by fostering communication activities related to conservation, environmental education and information campaigns. These activities also raised awareness about the benefits that the Natura 2000 network, in particular sites containing the two target habitat types, provide to both the environment and human communities.
Products obtained from chestnut forests represented in the past an important source of income for the local community. Through the restoration of ‘Castanea sativa woods’ habitat, the project contributes to the improvement of a traditional source of revenue for local people, which has declined and even been lost in these areas. The habitat with Castanea sativa is a very good example of a habitat that provided multiple ecosystem services to human population. Conservation of such habitat types is clearly demonstrating to the general public the benefits of biodiversity conservation. For the project this was realised using different communication tools, including a Chestnut Festival organised by the LIFE project team. This successful event has been taken over by the local authorities and transformed into an annual cultural event.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report (see "Read more" section).
