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B I O D I V E R S I T Y : D E L I V E R I N G R E S U LT S I N E U R O P E A N D T H E C I S
Romania: establishing a Nature Park in a multiple use landscape
Maramureş: a unique natural and cultural landscape With an area of over 130,000 ha, Maramureş Nature Park (MMNP) covers approximately 22 percent of Maramureş County, situated in the northern-most parts of the Carpathian Mountains in Romania. The landscapes and ecosystems of MMNP range from river valleys and floodplains, through forested slopes to high-level meadows and peaks of over 1,900 m. 18 major habitat types have been identified, including areas of pristine forest, now very rare in Europe. 24 percent of the plant species known from Romania are found in MMNP, including 26 Carpathian endemics. The fauna is rich and diverse, characteristic of the Carpathian region. MMNP includes mosaics of natural and human modified habitats and contains many settlements, with a total population of over 90,000. People in Maramureş have maintained close links to their land and environment, managing much of the landscape using traditional eco-friendly practices maintained over centuries. The region is renowned in Romania for its traditions, its cultural heritage and its unique architectural styles, notably the famous wooden churches. Local people cherish and maintain these traditions, and visitors from all over Romania visit to experience the festivals, folklore, costumes, stories and songs of Maramureş.
PROJEC T:
Strengthening Romania’s protected area system by demonstrating government-NGO partnership in Romania’s Maramureş Nature Park (2005-2009)
The project was established with the objective of conserving the biodiversity of Maramureş by adopting an effective and appropriate mode for protected area management. In such a large and diverse area, the most appropriate approach was to adopt the am-
These unique values are increasingly threatened by habitat fragmentation and degradation, by over exploitation of natural resources and by uncontrolled tourism development. Underlying these threats has been a declining local economy and outmigration of young people to seek work elsewhere. The challenge for Maramureş is to take advantage of its natural and cultural treasures to promote development, without spoiling the unique cultures and landscapes of the region.
bitious target of creating a multifunctional protected landscape. Since 2005, MMNP has progressed from being newly gazetted and existing only on paper to having a fully functioning administrative unit, a comprehensive management plan agreed with all
stakeholders, and working partnerships with regional and local government institutions for implementing and enforcing the management plan. The total area in strict protection zones of the Nature Park has grown from nothing to over 18,800 ha.