PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The project concerned two Natura 2000 network sites near the city of Brasov in central Romania.
The first is a complex reserve containing a forest and a marsh ecosystem with rare fauna and flora. The other is a marsh area that also hosts a number of well preserved rare species. Some, such as the marsh fritillary butterfly, endemic plants and red-listed carnivorous plants appear in both. The sites are under threat from numerous directions. They have suffered through grazing by various types of animals and trampling during their passage through the forest and marsh, from an excessive development of invasive species, from attacks by various insects and from diseases that affect the vegetation. They have also been adversely affected by modifications to the natural hydrological regime of the area - land has been drained and water catchments created for various purposes - by habitat and property fragmentation and by a lack of defined boundaries on the ground.
OBJECTIVES
The 'FOR-MARSH' project aimed to improve the conservation status of three priority Annex I habitats in two sites in central Romania: the "Forest and Eutrophic Marshes of Prejmer” and “Dealul Cetatii Lempes - Harman Marshes”.
It would seek to buy land, make necessary compensation payments, map water and soil in target areas and introduce best-practice restoration techniques for: alluvial forests with alnus glutinosa and fraxinus excelsior; calcareous fens in the Prejmer and Harman swamps and Eurosiberian silvo-steppe with Quercus sp. Habitat. It would also target preservation of three target Annex II Habitats Directive plant species: liparis loeselli, ligularia sibirica and adenophora lilifolia.
Numerous targeted conservation or restoration measures would be implemented across the project sites, including improving forest habitat, eliminating invasive species and unsilting streams in the marsh. The project also aimed to reduce the adverse impact of human activities by a series of actions: meetings with mayors and farmers to raise awareness of the sites' importance; creating a team of rangers to patrol the area on regular basis; preventing open fires, protecting areas with natural fences and marking SCI boundaries. Work planned to be carried out to mark site boundaries - including with natural fence in some areas. A geographical information system (GIS) would be set up and a public information campaign carried out to promote the SCIs and their socio-economic benefits for the neighboring communities.
RESULTS
The project FOR-MARSH enhanced the conservation status of three priority habitats in two Romanian Natura 2000 sites: the eutrophic forest and marshes of Prejmer and Lempes Fortress Hill - Harman marshes complex. The habitat "Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior" was restored through the planting of around 8 000 alder saplings sourced from the surrounding area. Their development was supported by protecting the site with electric fences. The beneficiaries also leased 0.6 hectares of alluvial forest in Prejmer area to ensure its conservation.
Restoration activities also focused on the marshes of Prejmer and Harman, remnants of an old and wider wetland. Sheep grazing on these areas was stopped for two years to allow a range of actions to be carried out: cleaning of the marsh springs, elimination of invasive plants, protection of the area with fences and ranger patrols. These measures helped the habitats to return to a favourable conservation status.
The improvement of the habitat quality is indicated by the widespread reemergence of endangered flower species: fen orchid (Liparis loeselii), ladybells (Adenophora lilifolia) and Ligularia sibirica. These species had all but disappeared from the sites. However, efforts to purchase marsh areas were only partially successful. The beneficiaries acquired 28 hectares, just 26% of the targeted area, although they plan to continue this initiative over the coming years.
Another major outcome the project’s actions is the natural regeneration of Euro-Siberian silvo-steppe with Quercus sp. vegetation on Lempes Hill, near the villages of Harman and Sanpetru and close to the city of Brasov.
Finally, the project’s communication activities helped improve local attitudes towards nature conservation in the two Natura 2000 sites. The team carried out local cleaning campaigns and offered site visits, creating two thematic trails in the area and two picnic facilities. They also produced a range of publications about the sites, installed information boards and held local meetings, engaging all sectors of the local population. The increased level of local knowledge of these sites is vital for their good maintenance.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Conservation Plan (see the "Read more" section).
