Abstract
Declared in 1990, the Piatra Craiului is one of Romania's 15 national parks and biosphere reserves. It has exceptional scenic and biodiversity value but is under threat from unsustainable agricultural, forestry and tourism management. The paper examines these threats in a historical context, regarding both the growth of the town of Braşov and areas of dispersed rural settlement on the mountain edge, and argues that a sustainable future will require negotiation between the park authorities and all stakeholders, including the local communities and private woodland owners who have benefited or will benefit from restitution. The way forward is explored with forest management in a central role. First, the certification of woodlands, along with the establishment of forest user groups and community woodlands, should help to reconcile the conflicting interests in the woodlands and in wood processing in support of sustainability. Second, the overgrazing of the meadows which is degrading the pastures, restricting forest regeneration and conflicting with large carnivore conservation, could be moderated by the growth of ecotourism linked with bears and wolves which would generate a new source of income to compensate farmers for reducing their flocks – given the importance of the biodiversity resources and the socio-economic pressures – and the paper therefore considers how new approaches to forest management might provide a basis for conservation and sustainable development. It will be for the recently-established national park management system – developed with World Bank Global Environment Facility funding – to take these ideas forward in due course.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abrudan I.V., 2001: Aspecte privind certificarea padurilor. Revista Pădurilor 116(2): 41–44.
Beck S., 1976: The emergence of the peasant worker in a Transylvanian mountain community. Dialectical Anthrpology 1: 349–364.
Beckley T.M., 1998: The nestedness of forest dependence: a conceptual framework and empirical exploration. Society and Natural Resources 11: 101–120.
Beckmann A., 2001: Crying wolf. Central Europe Review 3(14) http://www.ce-review.org/01/14/beckmann14_1.html accessed 25.04.01
Beckmann A. and Abrudan I.V., 2001: More than green gold, Central Europe Review 3(14) http://www.cereview.org/01/14/beckmann14_4.html accessed 25.04.01
Bernea E., 1997: Spatiu timp şi cauzalitate la poporul român Humanitas, Bucharest.
Bogdan T., 1970: Procesul de urbanizare a României: zona Braşov Editura Politica, Bucharest.
Cioaca A., 1987: Muntii Bodoc Baraolt Perşani. In: Oancea D. et al. (eds.), Geografia României: Carpatii Româneşti şi Depresiunea Transilvaniei Editura Academiei RSR, Bucharest, pp. 175–185.
Cioaca A. and Dinu M., 1998: Weekend tourism in the Braşov area. In: Iordan I. (ed.), Socio-economic changes in the suburban areas of large cities in Romania and Poland. Academia Româna Institutul de Geografie, Bucharest, pp. 84–92.
Cirelli M.T., 1999: Trends in forestry legislation: Central and Eastern Europe. FAO, Rome.
Constantinescu T., 1980: Le karst de Piatra Craiului. Travaux de l'Institute Speleologique 'Emile Racovita' 19: 203–217.
Constantinescu T., 1996: Masivul Piatra Craiului: particularitatile reliefului. Ocrotirea Naturii şi a Mediului Inconjurator 40: 35–46.
Constantinescu-Mirceşti C., 1976: Pastoritul transhumant şi implicatiilor lui in Transilvania şi Tara Româneasca în secolele XVIII–XIX. Editura Academiei RSR, Bucharest.
Cristea E., 1969: Contributii privind dezvoltarea şi amenajarea din punct de vedere turistic a masivului Piatra Craiului. In: Tufescu V. et al. (eds.), Lucrarile Colocviului National de Geografia Turismului Institutul de Geologie si Geografie/Oficiul National de Turism, Bucharest, pp. 151–157.
Cristea E., 1984: Piatra Craiului: turism alpinism. Editura Sport-Turism, Bucharest.
Cristea E. and Nedelcu E., 1971: Piatra Craiului: turism alpinism. Editura Stadion, Bucharest.
Dabu I., 1998: With the 127 new employees we will start the fight against the forests' mafia. Romanian Business Journal 5(19): 14.
De Haan L.J., 2001: The question of development and environment in geography in the era of globalisation. GeoJournal 50: 359–367.
Fortech UK, 1999: Romania: Sustainable ForestManagement. Fortech UK, London.
Furnica D.Z., 1926: Din trecutul românesc al Braşovului: documente comerciale 1741–1860 n.p., Bucharest.
Giurcaneanu C., 1988: Populatia şi asezarile din Carpatii Româneşti. Editura Ştiintifica şi Enciclopedica, Bucharest.
Giurcaneanu C. and Mocanu C., 1967a: Depresiunea Braşovului. In: Giurcaneanu C. and Mocanu C. (eds.), Valea Oltului. Editura Ştiintifică, Bucharest, pp. 132–171.
Giurcaneanu C. and Mocanu C. (eds.), 1967b: Perşani Defileul Racoş şi Bazinul Baraolt. Valea Oltului. Editura Ştiintifica, Bucharest, pp. 172–184.
Giurgiu V., 2000: Cercetarea stiintifica în contextul reconstituirii dreptului de propietate asupra padurilor. Revista Padurilor 115(2): 1–6.
Grabher G. and Stark D., 1998: Organising diversity: evolutionary theory network analysis and post-socialism. In: Pickles J. and Smith A. (eds.), Theorising Transition: the Political Economy of Post-Socialist Transformations. Routledge, London, pp. 54–75.
Gutkowski R.M. (ed.), 1997: Restoration of Forests: Environmental Challenges in Central & Eastern Europe. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht.
Ionescu-Dunareanu I., 1975: Piatra Craiului: ghid turistic. Editura Sport-Turism, Bucharest.
Ioraş I.F., 1995: The Romanian non-timber management. In: Segalina G. (ed.), Learning from Forests: Proceedings of the 20th IFSS 1992. CLEUP, Padova, pp. 263–268.
Ioraş I.F., 2000: The impacts of livestock grazing on plant communities and soil structure on semi-natural Norway spruce stands in the Piatra Craiului Massif. High Wycombe: PhD thesis Forest Products Research Centre Faculty of Technology Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College/Brunel University.
Ioraş I.F., Render M., Voiculet, M. and Verghelet M., 1999a: The effects of mountainous grazing on forest vegetation and management. Revista de Silvicultura 1–2(9–10): 40–46.
Ioraş I.F., Render M., Voiculet M. and Verghelet M., 1999b: Community forestry: a viable management solution to reduce the ecological impact of livestock grazing at high altitude. Revista de Silvicultura 1–2(11): 60–68.
Kennan R.J. and Kimmins J.P., 1993: The ecological effects of clear cutting. Environmental Review 1: 123–144.
Kleine M. and Heuveldop J., 1993: A management planning concept for sustained yield. Forest Ecology and Management 61: 277–297.
Kollert W., Uebelhot K. and Kleine M., 1995: Financial analysis of natural forest management on a sustainable yield basis. GTZ Sustainable Forest Management Project Report 200, Eschborn.
Lepedatu I., 1998: Vechi aşezari Bârsene: oraşul Zarneşti. Editura Transilvania Expres, Braşov.
Maior G., 1923: Fânetele şi pa¸sunile de munte: descrierea muntilor nostri din punct de vedere agricol şi silvic. Adevarul, Bucharest.
Manolescu R., 1965: Comertul T;ârii Româneşti cu Braşovul, Sec. XIV– XVI. Editura Ştiintifica, Bucharest.
Motoiu M.D., 1998: Ariile protejate din Muntii Piatra Craiului. Atlas Supermagazin 2(5): 27.
Muica N., Roberts L. and Turnock D., 1999: Transformation of a border region: dispersed agricultural communities in Braşov County, Romania. GeoJournal 46: 305–317.
Nicolescu N.-V., 2000: Certificarea padurilor din România între FSC şi PEFC. Revista Padurilor 115(6): 41–45.
Noica C., 1978: Sentimentul românesc al ştîintei. Editura Eminescu, Bucharest.
Oncescu N., 1943: Région de Piatra Craiului-Bucegi: étude géologique. Institutul Géologic al România, Anuarul 22, Bucharest.
Panaite L., 1964: Aşezarile satelit ale ora¸selor din sudul regiunii Braşov. Analele Universitatii Bucureşti: Geologie-Geografie 13(2): 155–161.
Panaite L., 1966: Central industrial Bra7#x015F;ov'. Analele Universitatii Bucure şti: Geologie-Geografie 15(1): 157–166.
Planche-Gillon H., 2001: Pan-European forest certification. Revista Padurilor 116(1): 35–36.
Promberger C., 1998: Carpathian Large Carnivore Project (CLCP): Annual Report 1997–1998. CLCP, Braşov.
Promberger C., 1999: Carpathian Large Carnivore Project (CLCP): Annual Report 1998–1999. CLCP, Braşov
Promberger C., 2001: Carpathian Large Carnivore Project (CLCP): Annual Report 2000. CLCP, Zarneşti.
Promberger C., Promberger-Fuerpass B. and Mertens A., 2000: A Large Carnivore Centre for Piatra Craiului: Project Proposal. CP,Zarneşti.
Randall S.G., 1976: The family estate in an upland Carpathian village. Dialectical Anthropology 1: 277–285.
Render M. and Ioras F.I., 1999: Community forestry in transition societies of Central & Eastern Europe. In: Countryside Agency (ed.), Community Forestry: a Change for the Better. Countryside Agency, London, pp. 42–45.
Snape T., 2001: Land of plenty. Central Europe Review 3(14) http://www.ce-review.org/01/14/snape14.html accessed 25.04.01
Staddon C., 2001: Restructuring the Bulgarian wood-processing sector: linkages between resource exploitation, capital accumulation and redevelopment in a postcommunist locality. Environment & Planning A33: 607–628.
Stoiculescu C.D., 1996: Paşunatul montan. Revista Padurilor 111(3): 45–47.
Teodoreanu E., 1974: Ressources climatiques favorables au developpement du tourisme et des villages touristiques dans le couloir Rucar-Bran. In: Dragomirescu S. (ed.), III-ème Colloque de Géografie du Tourisme: resumés. Institut de Geografie, Bucharest, p. 41.
Voiculescu M., 1996: Tipologia celor mai importante fenomene geografice de risc în Masivul Fagaraş. Analele Universitatii de Vest din Timişoara 6: 33–40, 41–54.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ioraş, F., Muica, N. & Turnock, D. Approaches to sustainable forestry in the Piatra Craiului National Park. GeoJournal 55, 579–598 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021701314030
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021701314030