Danube - River of Cooperation

 

Current Problems Regarding the Protection of the "Balta Nera - Danube" Wetland

by Ilie Chincea and Ilie Odorescu [1]

paper presented at the XI International Conference "Danube - River of Cooperation", November, 17-19 2000

 

The Balta Nera - Danube wetland is located in the south-western part of Romania, where the Danube entries the Romanian territory (44°50' latitude and 21°21' longitude), and has an area of 101 hectares, including both an area situated upstream of the site where the Nera river flows into Danube, and an area of the Danube's shallow waters.

The wetland includes ecological systems with intermediary position among the terrestrial systems and the aquatic ones, made up of lakes, moors, natural and permanent fresh waters, with a very low flow, as well as low fields that can be flooded with the phreatic waters, close to the surface.

The Balta Nera - Danube area is legally established as a natural reservation (Law No 5/2000), being strictly protected and fully preserved, especially in terms of wild life. It is also under the direct incidence of the Convention regarding the Preservation of the Wild Life and the Natural Habitats in Europe, adopted in Berna, on September 19th, 1979, the Convention regarding the Preservation of Migrating Wild Life Species, adopted in Bonn, on June 23rd, 1979, to which Romania has adhered and is part of.

The Balta Nera - Danube wetland is a natural reservation, in accordance with the demands of Ramsar Convention regarding wetlands, Iran, 1971. In this context, Environmental Protection Agency Resita starts this year to apply for collaboration obtaining in order to achieve arrangement works in the frame of a project that was drew up and submitted to the Ramsar Bureau, Berne, Switzerland. The arrangement works are achieved for propose of higher quantitative and qualitative plant and animal species from the wild flora and fauna.

In order to carry on the collaboration, the following objectives are targeted:

  • Multiplication and distribution of informative materials, printed within the project, according to the future needs
  • Employing a person to permanently guard and strict protect the bio-diversity
  • Endowment of the reservation's administration with documentary materials, as well as with tools for field observation

The limits of the wetland are presented as follows:

  • At the north - agricultural lands and Yugoslavia
  • At the south - the Danube River
  • At the west - Yugoslavia
  • At the east - agricultural lands and Danube River

Due to its geographical location, the Balta Nera - Danube area is internationally important, determined by the fact that it includes a part of the Nera river waters and of the terminus part of the "Iron Gates I" basin on the Danube, which are frontiers with Yugoslavia, as well as by the fact that it includes ecological systems similar to those from the other wetlands, such as: the wetland from the right bank of Tisa River, Yugoslavia, and wetlands located upstream of Danube, on the Serbian territory.

Also, the continental climate with Mediterranean influences, from this area, ensures proper conditions for the habitat of many wild flora and fauna species. In this context, we mention the fact that Balta Nera concentrates, on national and European levels, several floral and fauna types, with many southern and western-Asian elements, which have adapted and developed perfectly, due to the favourable conditions.

The area is also an important stationary point for birds in the spring - autumn transition periods, because the respective area is located exactly on the passage way for the western part of the country: Tisa - Maros - Danube. The research conducted so far on the fauna showed a high specific diversity of rare elements, in Romania being one of the rare places that comprise such a large number of species on such a restricted area.

To illustrate the above-mentioned elements, here are just some of the wild life species, of special interest on national and continental levels, identified in the wetland.

Among the birds, we can quote some protected species on the European level, being listed in the European Red List: Anas platyrhynchos plathyrhynchos, Anas querquedula, Ardea cinerea cinerea, Aynthya ferina, Aynthya nyroca, Buteo buteo buteo, Egretta garzetta, Fulica atra atra, Larus ridibundus, Phalacrocorax pygmaeus, Pica pica pica, Podiceps cristatus cristatus, Podiceps ruficollis ruficollis, Carduelis carduelis, Carduelis chloris, Fringilla coelebs coelebs, Philloscopus collybita collybita, Sylvia atricapilla atricapilla, Riparia riparia, Emberiza citrinella, Erithacus rubecula, Sitta europaea.

Among the rare bird species: Apus melba, Emberiza cirlus etc.

The common fish species existing at the Nera river's mouth into Danube and in the swamp area covered with slowly flowing water connecting with the Danube are represented by: Esox lucius, Leuiscus cephalus, Cyprinus carpio, Silurus glanis, Stizostedion lucioperca, Pierced fluviatilis, Guvio sp, and the rare identified species are:Alburnus alburnus, Leuciscus leuciscus, Umbra krameri, Lota lota, Chalcaburnus calcoides mento.

Also species of reptiles as: Lacerta muralis, Ablepharus kitaibeli, Lacerta viridis, Lacerta taurica, Coluber jugularis, Testudo graeca hermanni, Emys orbicularis and insect eating mammals: Lorex aranaeus, Neomys phodieus, Talpa europaea have been identified, as well as a large number of invertebrate animals: spiders, insects, bugs, butterflies from the orders of: Araneae, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera.

Among the endemic species that reveal the importance of the genofound in preserving the diversity of the fauna of the zone, we mention: Acme banatica, Argna parreyssi, Spelaeodiscus triaria, Limax tigvenuis, Bulgarica rugicollis, Campylaea trizona, Helicigona banatica, Ischinus excavatus, Cataglyphis bicolor, Clinopodes rodnaensis, Polydesmus dadaianus, Carabus cancelatus graniger, Carabus ullrichi superbus and Carabus Kollari.

The wild flora on the river banks and from the flooded areas include isolated trees and shrubbery, such as Salix alba, Salix fragilis, Populus alba, Alnus glutinosa, Fraxinus angustifolia, Cerasus avium and bush shrubbs: Ligustrum vulgare, Rosa canina, Amorpha fruticosa, Cornus sanguineea. Among lianas: Vitis sylvestris, Humulus lupulus, and among the herbaceous plants: Equisetum arvense, Iris pseudacorus, Lemna minor.

In swamps, most of the flora is represented by sedge, bulrush and cane bunches.

The main problems focused on for a durable preservation of the zoological and botanical environment that is characteristic of the wetlands are as follows:

  1. The protection of the natural habitats
  2. The protection and preservation of the wild fauna species
  3. The protection and preservation of the wild flora species
  4. Awareness of the population living in the vicinity of the wetland for their participation in the protection of the biological diversity

1. The protection of the wild flora and fauna habitats is an emergency issue, due to the fact that currently the natural habitats are partially modified by the domestic animals' grazing when the flooded areas had no surface waters, by the illegal tree and shrubbery cutting, as well as by the extraction of some construction materials (sand, balast) for local needs. The waters and soils are still polluted by housekeeping wastes, coming from the people living upstream.

2. The protection and preservation of wild flora species is a necessity, in order to eliminate the quantitative and qualitative losses produced by the grazing (buds, leaves, branches, twigs, young shoots, forest seedlings). Protecting the flora is also achieved by preventing the plants' reaping and collecting of some parts of them (leaves, flowers, roots, fruits), by some people living in the vicinity of the area.

3. Protecting the wild fauna requires special measures that would prevent the continuous diminishing of the number of species and the bird flocks, through the consumption of their eggs and offsprings by the stray dogs that accompany the domestic animal heirds that pasture near the protected area. The wild fauna, and especially the birds, are highly disturbed and endangered by the modification of the shelter conditions, by the wood cutting and the circulation of the domestic animals, by the poaching carried out when hunting or fishing by the Nera river. Poaching with highly sophisticated equipment brings about big damages that result in the diminishing of the number of species, fewer fish and birds, some of them becoming rare or vulnerable, close to extinction.

4. Raising the awareness of the population living near the wetland in regard to the necessity of their participation in protecting the local biodiversity will cut down, to a high degree, the quantity of wastes dumped in the Nera river and the Danube and will limit the antropic actions that have negative effects on the wild flora and fauna.

The general objectives targeted by the setting up of a protected area are:

  • Identification of the wetland;
  • Expanding the wetlands of international importance, insufficiently represented at the national level;
  • Involving the private sector in the durable preservation and utilisation of the wetlands.

The specific objectives refer strictly to the Balta Nera - Danube area and include:

  • Delimitation of the wetland;
  • Arrangement and equipment in the area;
  • Settling down and the demographic growth of the vertebrate and invertebrate wild fauna population, as well as the plant associations, after limiting the antropic factors;
  • Setting up of an ornithological shelter area for the sedentary and migrating birds;
  • Practicing tourism, in accordance with the environment protection regulations (ecotourism)
  • Raising the awareness and educating the population.

For achieving these goals, as well as for obtaining the results that would preserve the habitats and the biological diversity at a proper level, according to the local stationary conditions, the management plan stipulates activities and actions closely connected to each other, as follows:

No Objectives Outputs Activities
1 Delimitation of the wetland Insurance of the identity and integrity of the wetland Materialization of limits on plot of land trough stone landmark planted at the intersection with other employment and at the avert directions of limits
2 Arrangement and the endowment in the zone Avoidance of uncontrolled movement with effects on wild flora and fauna 1. Realization of access ways, insides the zone access
2. Realization of two observing points
3 Realization of a shelter zone for stationary and passengers species of birds, and realization of measurement for protection and preservation of animals and plants species in general Insurance of the peace, shelter and food factors, to increase the number and the collectives of species Realization of actions (guard and control) to prevent the pasturage, the illegal cutting, the fish and hunting poaching, extractions of some construction materials pollution of waters and soils with wasting fodder animals
4 The insurance of number of plants and animals at the level of the reliability of zone Knowledge of species forces, of there quality and of measurement that are imposed to been take 1. Monitoring
2. Periodical plotting and qualitative and quantitative evaluation of flora and fauna
5 Awareness and education of the local population for guarding the biological diversity unchanged Insurance of the implication of population from private sector for conservation and for long durable use of the wetland 1. Installation of explaining panels, for warning, orientation, and prohibition
2. Organization of cleaning actions from refuses 3. Instruction of population trough conferences, flyers, films, posters

The Environmental Protection Agency Resita, as a local authority, dealing with the environment protection issues, according to the tasks and responsibilities assigned by the regulations in force, carries out (on a schedule basis) checking and monitoring activities, regarding the way in which the objectives are pursued and how the funds from management plan of the "Balta Nera - Danube" protected area are used.

 

Bibliography

Angheluta Vadineanu, Sustainable development. Theory and practice, vol. I, Ed. University, Bucharest 1999

Dimitri Deveust & others, Sustainable development. Mechanisms and instruments, vol. II, Ed. University, Bucharest 1999

Bertel Bruun & others, Birds from Romania and Europe. Illustrated catalog, Ornithology Romanian Society 1999

Dimitrie Radu, World birds, Ed. Albatros, Bucharest 1967

I. Simionescu, Romania's Fauna, Ed. Albatros, Bucharest 1983

Moebiu C, Hydrographic basin of Nera River - Hydro-biological Monograph (Ph. D Thesis), University of Bucharest 1973

Study regarding the organization of a protected areas network on the Romania territory (Synthesis - Danube narrow path), Institute of Biology, Bucharest, 1994

[1] Ilie Chincea, Director EPA Resita, Romania
    Ilie Odorescu, Manager of "Nature and Biological Diversity Conservation" Department EPA Resita, Romania

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