BIODIVERSITY OF ROMANIA

 Biodiversity refers to the variety of genes, species and ecosystems that constitute life on earth.  Our country is famous for its diversity of flora and fauna, with 23 species of plants and 18 species of animals which are nationally and internationally protected.

 poor planning,  unprofitable occupation of the soil,  industrial pollution  mass tourism and  intensive farming methods

 The need to preserve biodiversity is a duty of all of us as human communities can not live and can not grow outside and independent of natural ecosystems. Saving nature is saving the human race.  In order to better protect plant and animal rare and endangered species, our country had established 827 protected areas. The most important and popular ones are: the Danube Delta, Macin Mountains, Piatra Craiului Mountains and its reservation, Prejmer eutrophic forests and swamps.

The Danube Delta is the least affected delta area in Europe. Delta vegetation - reeds, bulrush, sedge and willow - occupies 78% of the total area, the rest being covered by forests of willow, ash, alder and poplar. Ponds are covered by a floating aquatic vegetation.

White lily Tendrils Yellow lily Sand bindweed

 The Pelican  The Spotted Eagle  The Imperial Eagle  The Great Bustard

 The otter  The muskrat  The boar  The ermine  The raccoon dog  The fox  The wildcat  The European mink

Protection and conservation of delta biodiversity is realized by: -consultation activities, public awareness and information campaigns realizing the species and community interest habitats guide -restoring wetlands by restoring woodland and wetland lost conditions -temporary ban and/or local collection and capture of certain species -encouraging the cultivation and growth in captivity of wild flora and fauna species of economic interest in order to reduce pressure on natural populations.

Macin Mountains National Park Located in Tulcea County, between the Danube Delta and the Black Sea. It is a complex natural habitat, where unique species of plants and animals live. It is constantly monitored by researchers and it includes:

The Crown The Macin peonies The Dobrogea bell The Silene nutans

 Reptiles: the Dobrogea turtle, the Dobrogea lizard, the Striped sand Lizard.  Birds of prey: the Short - egged Hawk, the Sparrow Hawk, the Common Buzzard, the Long-legged Buzzard  The Dobrogea Turtle  The Short-legged Hawk

 Among mammalian species, micro mammals and bats have a scientific importance. The wildcat, the polecat, the stone marten and the jackal are protected.  The Jackal  The Stone marten

 In order to create scientifically protected natural reservations, the state achieves redemption campaigns of the private land in the area where rare species of plants and animals live  The maintenance and the promotion of human activities  Support for the use of best practices in agriculture  Conversion of land for the production of BIO products  Practice of ecological tourism, leading to the emergence of significant economic opportunities, such as the increased sales of natural products (curd, honey, wine) following the process of their labeling.

Piatra Craiului National Park  It is a protected area established in 1990, with the status of a national park.  Since 1999, there is also an administration of the park that has as main objectives the preservation of biodiversity, the promotion of traditional customs and local community’s way of life and tourism stimulation

 Piatra Craiului Carnation (Dianthus callizonus), endemic species, unique in the world  The Cross of the brave (Hepatica transsilvanica)  Yellow poppy (Papaver pyrenaicum)  Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum)  The Blood of the brave (Nigritella rubra, N. nigra)  Piatra Craiului Carnation  The Cross of the brave

The Blood of the brave Edelweiss Yellow poppy  green patrols were established in order to raise awareness and empower the tourists using vehicles in the protected areas, making fire for barbecue and polluting the air with their waste  promoting and encouraging the tourism, the visit of the park without jeopardizing biodiversity

 Prejmer reservation, woods and eutrophic swamps are located in the area of Prejmer village, in the Barsa plains, in the western part of the Brasov hollow.  This is a complex botanical environment that hosts a forest and a swamp, where species of rare flora and fauna, considered to be natural monuments, are being preserved.

Prejmer swamp is the refuge of many rarities. Among glacial relics preserved in the swamp we can notice:  Barsa county Jimla  Sky’s Dew

 Striped tulip and Euro- Caucasian species of marshy meadows.  Primula farinosa is a central Asian species which is found in our country only in Harman swamp and in Prejmer reservation, woods and eutrophic swamps

 restore forest composition and vertical structure with alder and ash  assist natural regeneration by mobilizing soil, planting complementary to regeneration after the first year  ecological restoration by warping sections of drains drainage and protecting springs against warping  reducing human impact through measures of reducing grazing, stubble firing and disorganized tourism

CONCLUSIONS:  We must educate people’s ecological consciousness. The respect of nature, of the environment in which we live our everyday life, must come from each and one of us. Or, maybe, seeing more often the revenge of the nature, we should start acting, respecting the decisions made regarding the environmental protection and biodiversity conservation.  In order to build pupils’ ecological awareness, teachers should make it a priority since early ages. Teaching children to protect nature, is teaching them to defend life.  Human remains the only one who can protect the living world and must learn how to do it!.