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JPAGE_CURRENT_OF_TOTAL
A. PREPARATORY ACTIONS, ELABORATION OF MANAGEMENT PLANS AND/OR OF ACTION PLANS
A.1 Designation of Project’s Management Team
Considering the successful implementation of the BCMP (financed mainly by GEF trough the WB), several members of the RNPA were designated for the LIFE PMT.
Beside the 6 members of the core team, an additional number of 4 rangers were hired.
In 2007 some changes of PMT staff have been done: Project Coordinator, Community Officer and Scientific Coordinator; in spring 2008 (march) the Project Coordinator of PMT has been changed again.
The reason for that was the staff management practiced by NFA.
A.2 Integration of acquired data into the Park’s Management Plan
Due to the various changes in the Romanian environmental policy and the data acquired since the beginning of the implementation of the current MP, PMT has found some new issues to be considered in the process of elaboration of the new management plan:
- New legal provisions for the activities developed in the alpine area;
- Pan Parks zoning (wilderness core area);
- New status of RNP as Natura 2000 site;
- Law no 345/2006 (Wildlife and natural habitats protection act), Law no 265/2006 (Environment protection act).
The management plan was supplemented with some late data concerning the designation of newly protected species as stated in the Government Order no. 1198/2005, but also subsequent designation of Natura 2000 network in Romania (comprising alpine habitats area as part of present project’s objectives), regarding designation of Prime Butterfly Areas in Europe (PBA for Erebia sudetica on Berhina Valley - see www.biodiv.ro - CFMCB site) and provisions of 92/43, 79/409 Directives.
As our current MP expires in 2008, we agreed with both the PAS from NFA and Biodiversity Directorate from MMDD to deliver the next MP version at latest to mid September 2008, in order to be evaluated and approved by Dec 2008. Based on this we would keep the milestone for the task “Delivery of the new Management Plan” to the responsible institutions for the official approval. New rules emerged of the new laws issued in 2006 have been integrated in the Park Regulations (part of the Management Plan).
The first draft of revised MP has been discussed on 15.December.2007 by the SC.
In 27-28.March.2008 the SC discussed the content of MP (biggest changes have been made in internal park zoning, Natura2000 measures, actions plan).
Now the Management Plan is sent for approval, to MMDD.
A.3 Improve the professional skills of the staff
One of the rangers attended a special course initiated by Romanian National Association of Mountain Rescuers in life saving and survival techniques in winter time (February 2006).
In 2007 the next actions meant to improve professional skill where done:
- the park director attended a training in “Environment English” in UK
- the biologist participated to different trainings/seminars regarding bats (identification, management) and Natura2000 issues
In 2008 one of the rangers attended a winter school for advanced survival techniques
A.4 Assessment of alpine habitats status
The report on the primary status on alpine habitats (first report) was delivered on the 25th of February 2006.
The first interim report was delivered at the end of June, comprising the conclusions of the primary status report.
The second interim report containing the list of impacts and their potential effect on the alpine habitats (as foreseen in Action. A 4 Task: Identification and prioritization of mitigation actions) was issued in late 2006 and included in the 2nd Overall Progress Report of the project.
The 3rd report was delivered in electronic format (.pdf) directly accessible from the CFMCB organization official site (www.biodiv.ro). We have now under construction a separate web section to be dedicated to the activities undertaken by CFMCB within LIFE project.
An informative e-letter was transmitted to about 300 potential stakeholders.
The classification of habitats was made in accordance to the recently issue Manual of interpretation of Romanian Habitats (Habitatele din Romania - Donita & Colab. 2005-2006). In this work most of the information from the Interpretation Manual of European Union Habitats are correlated, introduced and adapted to Romania's ecological features.
During the year 2006 several characteristics of the main habitats existing in the alpine- sub-alpine region of the Retezat NP were assessed.
In order to complete the foreseen tasks, was promoted an interdisciplinary approach of the problem, in order to respond to the project's goals. This would be possible by studying the structure and distribution of several taxonomic groups. Methods used for that were: night time collecting, Barber traps and life-traps (for micro-mammals).
Regarding the butterflies, besides undertaking a systematic inventory of the identified species, CFMCB assessed (at least for some target species) their abundance and distribution patterns according to the habitat type by using transects. Transects method is a well known and widely used modality of obtaining information about butterflies. Its structure is very variable according to the particularities of the studied area(s). Routes where established in different type of alpine habitats: intensively grazed alpine- sub-alpine meadows, moderately (or little) grazed alpine- sub-alpine meadows, dwarf-pine (Pinus mugo) areas and rocky slopes.
There were 10 main study spots, covering a large parts of the Retezat Mountain conditions.
One of the actions was to identify the type of habitat; until now, in the alpine area, 4 types of habitats were identified (including 15 subtypes).
For studying the impacts that interact with the relevant functions of alpine habitats, CFMCB considered the anthropic impact in direct correlation with standard forms used for characterization of considered PA. The forms were received from MMDD to be used in the process of identification of protected areas which are to be included in a national network of PAs.
These forms are the same with those used for Natura 2000, and represent a valuable tool for a future management of the protected area.
A.5 Dedicated alpine data-base
Task 1: Natura 2000 standard Forms – completed
Now this can be found already in Romanian Law where RNP is declared as SPA (HG 1284/2007, ROSPA0084 Muntii Retezat) and SCI (Ministry Order 776/5.05.2007, ROSCI0217).
Task 2: elaboration of dedicated alpine data-base will be achieved by specific actions of data gathering from relevant sources: libraries, museums, universities.
This database is accessible also online at http://mybiosis.org (right now a backup of data is on the roll). This will include also a GIS support and is in continuous progress.
A.6 Alpine count of listed species
A survey camp was conducted in the limestone area of Retezat NP during August 2006. Several individual survey actions were conducted from May to October 2006.
The camp and individual surveys have been continued also in 2007. For now there are data for night collecting from more than 35 different points.
Download: Species List
A.7 Identification of key habitats linked to listed alpine habitats
The efforts were focused on identification and mapping of two priority habitats (6230 *Species-rich Nardus grasslands, on siliceous substrates in mountain areas (and sub-mountain areas, in Continental Europe) and 4070 *Bushes with Pinus mugo and Rhododendron hirsutum (Mugo Rhododendretum hirsute)).
The alpine habitats represent some of the most threatened habitats from Romania. Intensive and extensive exploitation during last century transformed dramatically their natural value and support capacity, and altered their fragile biodiversity.
We consider that we have to take the opportunity of the implementation of this project in order to perceive the subtle signs of unbalance marking the lost of traditional practice, the decay of these habitats from the economic point of view, but most of all vanishing of the natural patrimony. The grazing activities, especially during the last period, are dominated by abusive behaviour, in many cases being observed the effects of both over-grazing and under-grazing.
Therefore we consider that a simulation of traditional grazing will enable us to pin-point the abusive activities and to complete the park regulations with some measures in order to revive the traditional use of pastures.
A first scenario simulation has been created. Case study was habitat 4070 *Bushes with Pinus mugo and Rhododendron hirsutum (Mugo Rhododendretum hirsute) as this is considered to be the major “natural” change in the studied area. Premises: in the last 20-30 years it was illegal to cut it, for some time the grazing was reduced and this favored the dwarf pine growth, it seems that the climate change also favors the dwarf pine, lake coverage does not change (significantly) over time, the forest habitats do not change (on surface) and the growth rate of dwarf pine. Conclusions: the area covered with dwarf pine grew with about 1% at each 10 years, in the detriment of grassy habitat.
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