Wimbledon, w.A.P & 5mith-Meyer, 5. (eds).
Geore ·llg€
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Europe and ils conservc"·of1
Wibledon, W.A.P. & Smith-Meyer, S. (eds.). 20J? Geoheritage in Europe and its conservation. ProGEO. 405 pp.
Oslo September 2012
ISBN : 978-82-426-2476-5
© ProGEO
Layout: John Erik Hals, Grafonaut.no Set in Times
ew Roman
Teehnical production: Lars Erikstad, Norwegian Institute for Nature Researehl Natural history Museum, University of Oslo for ProGEO Norway with good help from Norwegian Directorate for Naturc Management and Gcological Survey of Norway. Editors contact infonnation: William A. P. Wimbledon, Dept of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Quecns Road, Bristol BS8 I RJ, United Kingdom Sylvia Smith-Meycr, NVE, Box 5091 Majorstua, 0301 Oslo, Norway. E-mail:
[email protected]
Printed: AlT Olta AS, 1000 copies
Covcr photo: Diamantino Pereira
A1exandru Andrasauu Dan Grigorescu
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Geoheritage in Europe and its conservation • Romania
Introduction A movement for nature conservation in Romania
started at the end of tbe 19'h century. The promoters were especially biologists and artists, and their first activities were focused on studying and writing about the ricbness of natural heritagc. Several associations for nature conservation formed and scientists fought for a speciallaw on nature protection, adopted on 7'h luly 1930. Based on this act, in 1935, the first National Park was created in the Retezat Mountains. The Oetunata basalt columns (Westem Carpathians, Alba County) were the first officially protected geological site, in 1938. Anew Act for Nature Protection was adopted in 1950, and additional regulations in 1954. Through this law National and Regional Conunissions for Natural Monuments Protcction were created under the high patronage of the Romanian Academy. The new legal provisions made local administrations responsible for the organisation and surveying of the protected areas in their districts. This new framework encouraged geologists and other natural scientists (mainly from universitics and research institutes) to identify and recommend new significant sites for protection: consequcntly their number increased up to the year 1988.
Since 1990, new legislative instruments in thc areas of nature conservation, local admini tration, land planning process, public participation, civil society involvement and compliance with European Union standards have given a totally new dimension to nature conservation activities. These could be synthesized as being in three main directions: - Increasing the number of people involvcd in geoconservation, either as researchers in the field (mostly studcnts in Geology) OI' as employees in specialised environmental protection bodies, created within central and local administrations. - Development of programmes and projects to increasc public awareness and education.
Left. Buceg; Mounta;ns (Photo: Iuliana Lazar)
Sandstone concretions in Ihe Costesti Trovanti OpCIl Âlr
MlIselll11 (Photo: Alexandru Andrasanll)
- Oevelopment of a legal framework, compatible with European Union legislation to allow a bettel' approach to protcction and site management. An important impulse in geoconservation was given by the internationalisation of activity. In 1991, one ofthe authors (O. Grigorcscu) signed the Oigne Oeclaration and Romania bccame a member of the European Association for Conservation of the Geological Hcritage - ProGEO. A massive process of inventory and idcntification of ncw sites increased the numbcr of natural protected areas to 827. AII these sites arc pali of the National Protected Areas Network (NPAN) representing more than 7% of Romanian territory. Among other categorics, 25% are gcomorphological and speleological sites, and morc than 20% arc geological and palaeontological monuments and geological nature reserves. The national ProGEO group has developed several projects in arder to sustain the geosite inventory, geotourism, public awareness and education relatcd to geoheritage conservation. It has crcated a consortium in order to mobilisc thc cxpertise,
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Romania
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Geoheritage in Europe and its cOllservatioll
LEGEND
Geological sketch of Romania 50
C L:J
100
Qualemary Pliocene Miocene
"'---'1 Paleogene
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Mesozoic
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Paleozolc
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Crystalline schlsls
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Neogene volcanites
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Laramian magmatism Basic - ultrabaslc rocks
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Prealplne mtrusive rocks
TI
" Drawe
