 | Conference November, 17-18 2000. Environment |
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| Motto: Danube is a king of the rivers. Introductive considerations The Danube River is the most powerful artery of the economic cooperation between the East and West of the European continent. This plays a vital role in the economic and social development of the riparian countries. The present but mostly the future of Europe is indissolubly linked by the Danube so that the good health of the big river certainly brings peace and welfare for the entire continent. Any form of degradation of the Danube could cause conflict situations, uncertainty, instability and poorness. The total length of the Danube is 2850 km, of which 2414 km is navigable, and its hydrographical basin area is 815 thousands sq. km., about 8% of the Europe's surface, fully or partially covering 13 countries: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Yugoslavia, Romania (27% of the area of the basin), Bulgaria, Moldavia and Ukraine. Through the completion of the Rain-Main-Danube system it was created a navigable river way of 3515 km in length, which connects the Black Sea with the North See and serves about 500 millions people, the 1st place in the world. It is redundant to explain why the Danube has to be a river of cooperation. The sustainable development concept implies the use of resources from ecosystems for the satisfaction without restrictions of the consumption needs for the present generation so that the next generations can satisfy their own consumption needs in same conditions. This implies finding the optimum between the four fundamental systems: natural, social, economical and technological, which corresponds to that lasting development which can be sustained by all of the four systems. The sustainable use of natural resources represents that kind of ecosystems exploitation, which can lead to the sustainable development parameters achievement. The protected areas are important components of sustainable development planning both on a national and international plan, representing fundamental models of strategies and programs for sustainable conservation and use of biological diversity. The protected areas contribute to sustainable development through:
Trans-frontiers protected areas Agenda 21 makes an appeal to adopt national strategies for sustainable development, to help implement decisions taken at the Earth Summit (Rio de Janeiro, 1992) and Convention regarding Biological Diversity. Although the conservation activities in their majority are done in a single country or a part of a single country, however a lot of the natural characteristics go beyond the national borders. This is obvious for Europe where the countries are small and numerous, and where the areas rich in biodiversity (such as mountain strings, river valleys and enclosed seas) often form the frontiers between countries. The Danube River situation is similar; it crosses or forms the border of many countries. The collaboration between the bodies for the management of trans-frontier protected areas can extend to all functions of management, especially important being the mutual monitoring programs, coordinated management of the mutual nearby area, training and personnel exchange. For the ecological understanding and education and for making frontier-passing points for tourists the possibilities are increased. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) promotes the trans-frontier protected areas and had prepared guidelines for their establishment and management. There are over 30 pairs (or other groups) of trans-frontier protected areas in Europe and many are on their way to be established. Of that only one is on Danube's flow, the Biosphere Reserve Danube Delta, between Romania and Ukraine. Anyway, more effort is necessary to profit by the numerous occasions for trans-frontier protected areas, which also have as effect the strengthening of cooperation components of these areas. For Europe, with the present changes, with tensions and conflict threats, especially based on the nationalism increase, the trans-frontier protected areas bring a lot of benefits and help at the cooperation and peace promotion (instead of conflicts between nations). As a consequence, the idea and the practice of trans-frontier parks and other protected areas should receive a strong politic support. Important protected areas on the main flow of the Danube The present situation of the protected areas established on the main flow of the Danube is:
The beautiful gorge of the Iron Gates After it has gone through half of the countries from its river basin, going through two thirds of its length, Danube enters the Romanian territory, in the Bazias locality, constituting state frontier with Yugoslavia (Serbia) until it meets the Timoc River. As nowhere on its long route starting from the Black Wood Mountains (Germany) until the Black Sea, the Danube shows its strength and beauties in the gorge between Bazias and Turnu Severin (respectively Kladovo on the Serbian shore). The names of the gorge are many, being known as Portile de Fier (Iron Gates) and Danube Clisura on the Romanian shore and Djerdap respectively Klisura on the Serbian shore. The 134 km length of this gorge is an uninterrupted succession of mountain landscapes which accommodate a series of geological rarities, plants and animals as well as numerous treasures of culture discovered in archeology, ethnography and in the local architecture. Also from the cultural point of view, this space represents a unique model of multiculture and harmonious living between people of Romanian, Serbian, Czech, German ethnics and other nationalities. Unfortunately, in the last 4-5 decades this sector, because of the differences of political power orientation between the two countries Romania and Yugoslavia the situation of the two shores of the Danube has experienced very big differences to the prejudice of the Romanian shore poorer from the economical point of view and with the natural capital degraded by the non ecological industrialization politic in the mining industries and by the poor urbanity arrangements. In the year 1971 through the achievement of the Iron Gates - Djerdap dam it was formed the accumulation lake which stretches up-stream until Belgrade and which trough its big water volume and dimensions can be considered a small interior see of the two countries Romania and Yugoslavia. The water level raised on the whole length of the gorge; the effect was that the landscape aspect became here and there less wild and the natural background was partially degraded by the fitting-out works. The negative impact on the environment is characterized by the transformation of the aquatic ecosystem type (from the river to the lake one) and by appearance of some substantial changes in the aquatic biodiversity. Also the natural phenomenon of "boiling" of the water at Cazane disappeared because of the rising of water level and the slowing of the flow speed, in the same time some dry areas disappeared such as the Ada-Kaleh Island (covered by water), famous because of its beauty. However the remaining natural capital values are remarkable, the gorge still keeping its uniqueness. The National Park Djerdap The National Park Djerdap is situated in the south-east of Europe, in the federal Republic of Yugoslavia, in the north-east of the Republic of Serbia, along the international border with Rumania. Total surface of the National Park is 63.608 ha, and the protective area surrounding the Park has surface of 93.968 ha. The Park stretches along the right bank of Danube, for about 100 km, from Golubac to Karatas near Kladovo, covering a narrow strip of forested hills, which is about 2-8 km wide, in altitude range from 50 to 800 meters. This area of Djerdap gorge was declared a national park in 1974. Its most characteristic feature is forests (covering more that 64% of total surface) and exceptional wealth and diversity of flora, fauna, geomorphologic objects and cultural monuments from various historical periods. That part of the river Danube, which belongs to FR Yugoslavia accounts for about 9% of surface of the National Park, i.e. 5500 ha. Therefore the National Park Djerdap is also a river national park. The Danube passes through three canyon-gorge valleys (Golubacka, 14.5 km long and 230 m wide at the narrowest point, Gospodin Vir, 15 km long and 220 m wide at the narrowest point, and the canyon of Veliki Kazan and Mali Kazan, 19 km long and 150 wide at the narrowest point) and three open valleys (Ljupkovska, Donjomilanovacka and Orsavska). Canyon valleys are cut into the limestone of the southern Carpathian Mountains. Djerdap, known as the Iron Gate, has been a challenge for travelers, merchants, warriors and peacemakers for thousands of years. This is the gate between two important cultural and economic parts of the world, between the lower and the middle Danube basin. Djerdap has always been a strategic point of great significance, both in war and peace. That is why Djerdap is so rich with historical monuments.
The Natural Park Portile de Fier (Iron Gates) Like nowhere in its long run from the Black Forest to the Black See, crossing seven countries, the Danube shows its strength and its beauties conceived in the strait area between Bazias and Drobeta-Turnu Severin. With a length of 134 km, this strait is an uninterrupted succession of mountains landscapes that shelter a series of rarities from geology, plants, animals' world as well as many elements belonging to human material and spiritual culture. These features transform the region into a tourist one but, unfortunately, this tourist potential hasn't been entirely capitalized. The variety, the originality and the uniqueness of the ecosystems as well as the unrivaled picturesque of the ecosystems as well as the unrivaled picturesque of the strait impose the creation of a legally protected area (Natural Park, National Park or a Biosphere Reserve) in order to provide a lasting development of this special area. Some areas of complex, botanic, forestry and paleontology subjects within the Danube strait have already been formally declared "reserve". But these areas do not own any buffer zones, they do not spread on large surfaces and as a result this leads in time to a deterioration of the protected ecosystems. There are major reasons that plead to the set up of the "The Iron Gates " protected area: Geological reasons All along the strait a variety of geological strata burst outside for millions of years while the mountains lifted. At the base of the massif one can find crystalline schist that occur near Cozla, Dubova and very close of Sichevita. The volcanic rocks are represented by gabbros and meanderings between Iuti valley and the former localities Plavisevita, and Ogradena. At Moldova Noua, Svinita and Cazane, the Danube Valley runs through the southern ends of the Jurassic limestone deposits between Resita and Moldova Noua, Almaj Mountains and Mehedinti Mountains. Relief The major units on the left bank of the Danube belong to Locvei Mountains, Almaj Mountains and to Mehedinti Plateau. The right bank of the straits is situated in the Republic of Yugoslavia belonging to Dobrianske Planina Mountains and to Miroe Planina Plateau. The Romanian side is characterized by the alternation of depression basin sectors with narrow sectors, very similar to a gorge region. The biggest altitudes are recorded in "Cazane" sector: the "Ciucaru Mare" peak, 318m in height and "Ciucaru Mic" peak, 313 m in height, both on the left side of the Danube. On the right side are "Veliki Stribak" peak 768 m height and "Mali Stribak" peak 626 m. Flora and Vegetation The flora and the Vegetation are specific, rich in submediterranean elements, heat lovers mixed with central-european elements. In this respect the "Iron Gates" protected area shows an impressive biodiversity - over 4000 vegetal taxons, of which 28 are endemic species, 14 of them living only in this strict area (Pragnos carinata, Rubus banaticus, Orobanche valahica, Tulipa hungarica, Cephalaria uralensis, ssp. Multifida etc.). Due to the mountainous relief we can also find some nature's curiosities: above Orsova, in "Mraconia Bay" area, the beech trees forests go down to 52 m; the Turkish hazelnut tree (Corylus colurna) a southern species is able to reach 20 m in height and 1 m in circumference; the yew tree (Taxus baccata), a jewel of the Carpathians lowers in this area up to 92 m altitude, the lowest in Romania and one of the lowest in the whole world. 196 existing vegetal associations of which 17 are endemic underline the great variety of this vegetal landscape. Fauna In the "Iron Gates " protected area there are 5339 species; some of the taxonomic groups haven't been studied in our country yet. We can rarely find on such a small surface such a great diversity of elements; numerous species of low plains, river forests, as well as elements characteristic for hilly areas, karstic zones and even mountainous area. The great variety of species is due to the specific geomorphology of the area as well as the extremely favorable natural position of the area, well protected from the northern cold winds and the very strong sun radiation. That's why many southern and western Asian elements adapted easily. Like some species of plants, some species of mountain animals go down to 100 m (Salamandra salamandra, Lacerta vivipara, Salmo truta fario etc.) or southern species, which climb up to 500 m (Testudo hermani hermani, Vipera ammodites, Lacerta viridis etc.). We can also find here the scorpions, Euscorpius carpaticus.
The Natural Park "Iron Gates" is practically in the phase of constituting, the declaration has been recognized only by the Law 5 from 6 march 2000 regarding the approval of the arrangement plan for the Romanian territory. In the next period we have to go through some stages, with technical, scientific and organizational character, which together with the promotion of the much waited Romanian law of the protected areas will establish the own administration of the Natural Park "Iron Gates". The Biosphere Reserve Iron Gates - Djerdap The promotion of this trans-frontier protected area will be a success of the political will expressed in the bilateral background of the countries: Romania and Yugoslavia as well as an important step on the way of real cooperation between the Danube riparian countries supported by the international organization which develop programs for the protection and conservation of nature in this region. At the same time the emblematic uniqueness statute of the values, which constitute the natural capital of the Danube, will be reestablished because the nature its self is unique and any artificial differentiation represents only an amputation, often irreparable, of the vital flux of the very life support. The Biosphere Reserve Iron Gates - Djerdap will represent a very wide protected area, large enough to make up the infrastructure of a regional sustainable development model. This will be a good opportunity of economic launch of Danube's lower basin, which will contribute to the development standards balance in contrast to the upper basin, which is economically rich. At the same time this fact will contribute to attenuation of the tension status between the east and the west of the European continent that are fueled by the development difference and by the east people poorness. The stages that we have to go through in the near future for the constituting of the Biosphere Reserve Iron Gates - Djerdap are:
The philosophy of the sustainable development shows us that our power when is mastered by reason makes us be richer in knowledge and lasting values and poorer in weaknesses and difficulties. Bibliography notes Angheluta Vadineanu: Sustainable development, vol. I-II, Bucharest 1998; Environmental Action Program for Central and Eastern Europe, REC 1994; Parks for Life: Action for Protected Areas in Europe, IUCN 1994 Natural Park "Portile de Fier", CCDG 1998 Mutual Responsibility for the Danube River, ASER & PACT 1999 Local Action Plan concerning environment protection in Danube Clisura, ASER & PACT 1999 |