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| THE BUILA-VANTURARITA NATIONAL PARK (29.06.2007) |
| (2007-06-28) |
| Last updated: 2007-08-23 19:11 EET |
The geological variety found in the Southern Carpathian Mountains rivals even the variety in the local flora and fauna. For instance, about 200 km North-West of Bucharest, in the Capatanii Mountains, part of the mountain range between the Olt Valley and the Jiu Valley, there are crystalline structures in the North and a limestone area in the South. The limestone summit ridge is some 14 km long, the peaks of Buila and Vanturarita holding pride of place.
In 2004, the Buila-Vanturarita National Park was established, the smallest protected area of this kind in Romania, but one of the most spectacular.
The natural action of water has carved out forms of a rare beauty in the mountain. Over a 4100 ha area, you can find over 100 caves and four passes.
It is an area of an extraordinary biodiversity with many unique tourist sights.
Cosmin Botez, manager of the Buila-Vanturarita National Park told us about the reasons why the park was declared a protected area:
“The Buila-Vanturarita massif boasts a geological variety produced by the limestone relief and an extraordinary biodiversity, apparent both in the multitude of habitats and in the large number of protected species, both of flora and fauna.
The protection of this wonderful landscape and habitat was the concern of many biologists and nature lovers as early as the 1970s.
The first steps were undertaken at that time, when the only natural yew brush in Romania, found at the Cheia Gorges, and the caves at Arnauti, Bistrita, as well as the Bats’ Cave, were designated as being natural monuments.
Practically, these were the reasons why this area, including all the afore-mentioned reserves, was declared a National Park.”
The main champion of the Buila-Vanturarita National Park was an NGO -the Kogayon Association. More details from Florin Stoican president of the Kogayon Association, in charge of relations with local communities, environmental education and tourism in the Buila-Vanturarita National Park.
“We, a group of mountain lovers, set up the Association. We realized that this area must be declared a protected area because there were signs of its degradation, especially after the 1999 eclipse when lots of tourists came over. We started to conduct scientific research, we gathered information and scientific studies to which we added the information we had gathered on the ground. We collected all the information available and made a study, which we submitted to the Romanian Academy and obtained a favourable recommendation to establish the Park. The Park area was delimited more strictly than was scientifically substantiated, by establishing forest boundaries.
We forwarded the reference material to the Environment Ministry and under a Government Resolution of 2004, the Park was set up. According to the Romanian legislation, anyone wanting to run a National park can submit a proposal to the Environment Ministry, which is assessed together with other proposals. A commission then decides who can run the park. There were 2 proposals: one from RNP Romsilva and the other from the Kogayon Association. The offer made by RNP Romsilva was accepted. Then, following talks mediated by the Environment Ministry, which we had with RNP Romsilva, a cooperation agreement was signed, confirming our official participation in the management of the Park. The Park is now managed by a partnership of RNP Romsilva and the Kogayon Association. This is actually the only partnership of this kind in Romania, which I think runs smoothly.”
Monica Huidu, the biologist of the Buila-Vanturarita National Park and a member of the Kogayon Association, gave us details about the biodiversity of the area:
“Buila-Vanturarita is a limestone massif characterized by a very diverse relief. There are 4 sectors of gorges, horns and clefts, all allowing for the existence of an extremely varied flora. Here you’ll come across plants protected by law, native plants, and plants which are natural monuments. You can find yew, fir, juniper, edelweiss, mountain marigold, and a silvery plant which is a glacial relic. There are also lots of species of orchids; a paper of 1979 mentions even 28 species of orchids, from the 50 species existing in Romania. The Buila-Vanturarita National Park is the future site of the Nature 2000 environmental network. It boasts 17 types of habitats of community interest, many of them deemed a priority by the European Union. According to the list of habitats in Romania, there are around 20 habitats. The classification is slightly different. There are fir and spruce fir forests, caves that are not open to the public, Dacian beech forests, and so on. Just like the flora, the fauna is very diverse. There are large mammals such as the bear, the lynx, the wolf, the stag, the roebuck, the chamois. There are 8 species of bats living in the grottos and caves within the Park, as well as the wild cat, the pine marten, the stone marten. There are also a large variety of birds on the massif.”
This variety of limestone phenomena and biodiversity, boasted by the Buila Vanturarita National Park, cannot fail to attract tourists. Still, the area has never been visited by very large numbers of tourists. Cosmin Botez, the manager of the Park again:
“The Buila-Vanturarita massif has been visited by mountaineers and speleologists. And then, there is a smaller group, that of trekkers, who have to walk 40-50 km along a forest road from the town of Ramnicu Valcea, through Cheia resort or Olanesti spa, to reach the massif. Most surprisingly, many foreigners who know this area, especially Czechs, have been coming to visit this massif for many years now. We make every effort to promote the beauty of this park, which is full of spirituality and traditions, and to promote a sustainable ecological tourism, to educate and preserve these values through tourism for the masses.”
Northern Oltenia, where the Buila-Vanturarita massif can be found, is also well-known for its cultural establishments, such as its monastic establishments. There are dozens of monasteries and hermitages here, many of them real historical or architectural monuments.
At the Arnota Monastery, mother superior Ambrozia Rucareanu told us:
“The Holy Arnota Monastery is an establishment raised by ruling Prince Matei Basarab, who loved this place very much. He wanted to have a necropolis of his family here, but historical circumstances did not allow for that. As a reward for his love of this place, he is buried here and few visitors know that; I think it is an important thing and an honour for the monastery. Actually, there are just two monasteries in the diocese where their founders rest in peace: the Cozia Monastery, where prince Mircea the Old is buried, and our monastery with the tomb of prince Matei Basarab. Only the little church has remained from the ruler’s time. The other constructions were raised during the rule of Prince Stirbei in 1850, as the original ones were badly damaged. Prince Stirbei decided to have them pulled down and new constructions erected. However, he did not use the buildings for clerical purposes, but as prisons.”
Visitors to the Buila-Vanturarita National Park, whether they’re speleologists or mountaineers or just nature lovers, will leave this place with unforgettable memories.
(Florin Orban)
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