Carpathian Network of Protected Areas
The protected areas
The Carpathians
The Carpathians cover an area of about 209,000 km2 which is home a population of 17 million. The highest peak in the Carpathians is the Gerlach in Slovakia at 2,655 m. The Carpathian range extends from Austria to Serbia, covering most of Slovakia and Romania and parts of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Ukraine. The Carpathians form a natural bridge between western and eastern Europe for species migration and genetic exchange. They contain some of the most intact ecosystems and are home to a wealth of indigenous species.
The Carpathian landscape has largely been shaped by a long tradition of mountain agriculture and sheep farming. Today these traditional occupations are in decline because of economic development and increasing pressures on the natural environment. However, five Carpathian countries have now joined the European Union, which should increase the potential for sustainable development through new environmental policies.
Cooperation on conservation and between protected areas is becoming ever more essential. The network will respond to the need for cooperation and coordination – for example by facilitating thematic exchanges to identify key issues and creating joint instruments. The Carpathian Network of Protected Areas (CNPA) was created in December 2006 as a means of implementing the Carpathian Convention and has increased the potential for cooperation within the massif and with neighbouring mountain areas.
The Apuseni Natural Park
The Apuseni Natural Park is situated in Western Romania, in the Central-North-Western side of the Apuseni Mountains, comprising a part of the Bihor massif at South and Vlădeasa massif at North, on the administrative territory of three counties (Cluj , Bihor, Alba). Located in the heart of Transylvania, ANP includes 80% of the total amount of karstic rocks of the Bihor – Vlădeasa Mountains. The lithologic and tectonic complexity of the region created the necessary conditions for the formation of an exquisite karst relief, where all karst types in temperate climate region can be found. More information: http://www.parcapuseni.ro/
The Natural Park Bucegi
The Natural Park Bucegi is located south of the city Brasov in central Romania. The Natural Park host a diversity of habitats as alpine and subalpine grasslands, tall forbs habitats, scrubs, rocks and screes habitats, chasmophyte vegetation on calcareous rocks, peat bags, deciduous forests, coniferous forests and mixed deciduous and coniferous forests, rivers and lakes, communities of hydrophytes along the waterway.More information: http://www.bucegipark.ro/A1.htm
The Natural Park Balta Mica of Braila
The Natural Park Balta Mica of Braila is situated in a meadow with natural system of inundation of Danube, between Vadu Oii and Braila. Balta Mica of Braila conserves important ecological component of the Inferior Danube system, situated close to the Reservation Biosphere Danube Delta. This Area has an ornithological importance because it is situated on the most important migration lane of the birds from the inferior basin of Inferior Danube, being situated on the halfway of the migration routes between the places from Northern Europe and the refugees from Africa. There were observed a big number of birds, among which, 160 species were protected on international plan.More information:http://www.bmb.ro/
Buila-Vanturarita National Park
Buila-Vanturarita National Park is located in the northern part of Valcea county, at south of Capatanii Mountains, the territory of villages Costesti, Barbatesti and Baile Olanesti and has a total area of 4500 ha. Although it is the smallest national park in the country, this not mean that is the least spectacular. More information: http://www.buila.ro
The Călimani National Park
The Călimani National Park spreads over four counties: Bistrița-Năsăud, Suceava, Mureș and Harghita. The Călimani Mountains are surrounded by stories with legendary outlaws and hidden treasures. Pintea is the most famous legendary character to have lived in these mountains. His hand is encrusted in the Apa Rece cliff, near Pintea’s River. The locals will be more than happy to share with you the fascinating stories of the past and to brag about the courageous deeds of Pohonțu, Pleșca, Miu or Haralambie Niculiță. More information: http://www.calimani.ro/
Ceahlau National Park
Ceahlau National Park was organized in 1955 as a protected area and its present days boundaries were marked in 2003. The maximum altitude on Ceahlau Mountain is on Ocolasul Mare Peak at 1907 m. The most visited and important peak of the mountain is Toaca Peak of 1904 m (mainly because Ocolasul Mare Peak is closed for the public). More information: http://www.ceahlaupark.ro
The National Park Cheile Bicazului – Hasmas
The National Park Cheile Bicazului – Hasmas is of a great geologic, geomorphologic and paleontologic interest. It is also interesting from the point of view of its landscapes, and biological diversity generated by the great variety of geoclimactic conditions. The Bicaz Gorges are famous in Romania also because of their impressive dimension. At the same time, the Red Lake, formed through the natural blocking of the Bicaz river's waters (1837) offers a lovely scenery to the eyes. The park is located in the central - north - eastern region of Romania, in the zone of Harghita and Neamt districts.
More information: http://www.cheilebicazului-hasmas.ro/
Cheile Nerei –Beusnita National Park
Cheile Nerei –Beusnita National Park is situated at the south-west limit of the country, in the south of the Anina Mountains , in Caras – Severin county. It includes a karst area on the middle course of Nera river, which constitutes the backbone of the park. Today,Cheile Nerei-Beusnita National Park is one of the ten national parks in the country,presenting unique elements (Cheile Nerei - the longest gorges in Romania,Lacul Dracului (The Lake of the Devil), old forests, etc..) habitats and species of community interest for whom Cheile Nerei-Beusnita National Park was declared characteristic landscape given by the alternation of the mountain heights with the Nera river’s corridor and karst landscape. More information: http://www.cheilenerei-beusnita.ro/atractii.htm
Comana Natural Park
Comana Natural Park is a unique nature reserve in Europe, which includes a lot of species of plants and animals protected by international laws, and is considered the second delta of Romania. Situated in the south of Romania, a few kilometers from the capital, at an equal distance between Bucharest and Giurgiu is the largest protected area of the Romanian Plain. It covers 25,000 hectares and includes a characteristic delta ecosystem, known from old times as the Comana Lake. Experts say that "Delta near Bucharest" is the second in biodiversity, after Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve. More information: http://www.comanaparc.ro
Cozia National Park
Cozia National Park is situated in the central-southern Carpathians. Cozia National Park area and its surrounding areas are known as an important tourist destination in Romania, through its nature (landscapes, hot springs, relief, hydrology, flora, fauna, etc.) and anthropogenic potential (monasteries, historical monuments). The possible forms of tourism are: mountain tourism, monastic and historical tourism, cultural (ethno folkloric) tourism, sports tourism, rural tourism, spa tourism, scientific tourism and business tourism. More information: http://www.cozia.ro/
The Danube Delta
The Danube Delta is famous as one of the greatest wetlands of the earth. The wonderful natural habitats formed here offer good living conditions for an impressive number of plants and animals. Among these, reeds form one of the largest single expanses in the world, amd Letea and Caraorman forests represent the northern limit for two rare species of oak thar are more frequently met in the south of the Italian and Balkan peninsulas. More information: http://www.ddbra.ro
The Defile of Mures Natural Park
The Defile of Mures Natural Park is located within the administrative territory of Deda, Rastolita, Lunca Bradului and Stânceni communes, Mures County, and spans an area of 9156 ha. More information: http://www.osrgh.ro/
The area of the Hateg Country
The area of the Hateg Country Dinosaurs Geopark overlaps the Hateg Country, situated in the north-western part of the Middle Carpathians. The geopark neighbours to south the Retezat National Park and to north-east the Cioclovina – Gradistea Muncelului Naturall Park. More information: http://www.geopark.go.ro/
The Jiului Gorge National Park
The Jiului Gorge National Park was recently established (2005) in response to the need to increase Romania’s protected areas in line with the European Union. The park is primarily comprised of highlands, the minimum altitude (300m a.s.l.) being recorded at the extreme southern limit. The J.G.N.P. lies along the sides of the Jiu River which flows for approximately 30km through a pristine gorge in the region. More information: http://www.defileuljiului.ro/
Domogled Cerna – Valley National Park
Established in 1990, the Domogled Cerna – Valley National Park has been administrated since 2003. The National Park is situated in the southwest part of Romania and covers three counties: Caraş-Severin, Mehedinţi and Gorj.From a geographical point of view, the national park covers the Cerna river basin from the river’s origin and continues to the junction point with the Belareca river. The basin is surrounded on the west by the Godeanu Mountains massif and the Cerna Mountains and on the east by Vâlcan and Mehedinţi Mountains. More information: http://www.domogled-cerna.ro/
Grădiștea Muncelului - Cioclovina
Grădiștea Muncelului - Cioclovina represents a protected area with the status of “natural park.” Its scope is to protect and conserve the natural habitat with respect to fauna, flora, forestry, hydrology, geology, speology, paleontology and pedology. The park focuses on sustainable conservation of natural resources, landscapes and local tradition. PNGM-C Natural Park is situated in the massive Șureanu Mountains, with the Orăștie Mountains and Sebeşului Mountains as subdivisions. More information: http://www.gradiste.ro
The Mureş Floodplain Natural Park
The Mureş Floodplain Natural Park is located in western Romania, in Arad and Timiş counties, center near the town of Arad (its centre lies at 4 km from the eastern most point of the area) which has a population of 173,000 inhabitants. The Mureş Floodplain Natural Park lies downstream from Arad to the Hungarian border, along the river Mureş. More information: http://www.luncamuresului.ro/
The Maramureş Mountains
The Maramureş Mountains, named in the old maramures certifications „Silva Nigra” and then „Woody Carpathians” („Carpaţii Păduroşi”), are the highest massif on the Romanian border, convergence point of several historical regions (Romanian Maramureş, Zakarpatia, North and South Bucovina, Galiţia), and starting with 2005 they were designated as protected area of national interest in the category – natural parks. More information: http://www.muntiimaramuresului.ro/
Macin Mountains
Macin Mountains are an important distinction between the mountains of the country, being the oldest mountains in Romania, the interest of researchers is focused, the numerous historical sites, the archaeological excavations, but also to scientific research and the vast existing natural treasures here - geological, botanical , zoo.Natural potential of currently available, Macin Mountains National Park is accessible to a wide range of tourists interested in hiking in nature, landscapes, flora, fauna park features, studies and documentation.More information: http://www.parcmacin.ro/
Piatra Craiului National Park
The entire Piatra Craiului National Park is located in the Meridional Carpathians, and it also includes parts of the neighboring mountain passes Rucar-Bran and Rucar-Zarnesti. The Piatra Craiului National Park stretches over the counties of Brasov and Arges, including areas belonging to the towns of Zarnesti, Moeciu (Magura and Pestera villages), Bran, Rucar and Dambovicioara. More information: http://www.pcrai.ro/
Portile de Fier Natural Park
Portile de Fier Natural Park, whose southern limit is represented by the Danube river, includes 18 natural reservations, among which the most important is called “Cazanele Mari and Cazanele Mici”. Cazanele Mari is the most famous and the narrowest defile: here the Danube narrows to 150 m. Here, the Emperor Traian placed the legendary bridge built by Apollodor of Damascus. The bridge was built between 103 and 105, preceding the conquest of Dacia by the Roman army. More information: http://www.pnportiledefier.ro/
The Natural Park Putna - Vrancea
The Natural Park Putna - Vrancea as a part of the Vrancea Mountains, represents from the geological point of view the result of the alpine orogenesis, highlighting in the current landscape the different intensities of events in space and time . As part of the Carpathians, the Vrancea Mountains and also the Natural Park area belong to the flysch unit, with its subunits.On the base of the sedimentary layer there are the older strata belonging to the Cretaceous flysch, while at the top ,the younger formations of Palaeogene flysch are distinguished. More information: http://www.putnavrancea.ro/
Retezat National Park
Retezat is the oldest Romanian national park, it was established in 1935. Retezat National Park is composed of the Retezat- Godeanu mountain ranges. The Retezat range extends north from the center, and rises from between the Petrosani and Hateg tectonic hollows.
The main characteristic of the Retezat Mountains is given by the presence of two big eruptive blocks that stretch out in the direction of Lapusnicul Mare and Barbat rivers: the Retezat type granodioritic massif to the North, stretching out over a length of more than 40 km and width of around 20 km and the Buta granodioritic massif, located in the south of the Lapusnic- Barbat valley corridor, which drops under the Jurassic deposits of the Retezatul Mic. More information: http://www.retezat.ro/
Rodna Mountains National Park
Rodna Mountains National Park is the largest protected area, located in the northern group of the Eastern Carpathians, an area of 47,227 hectares, of which 3,300 hectares were declared a biosphere reserve in 1979. More information: http://www.parcrodna.ro/
The Semenic National Park
The Semenic National Park is situated in Caras-Severin County and includes natural elements in terms of physical geography, flora, hydrological, geological and speleological elements from The Semenic Mountains and The Anina Mountains. In the Semenic Mountains there are, on the one hand, quasi virgin beech forests and pure fir tree stands and, on the other hand, a large variety of karst landforms. Since the national park management is mainly focused on maintaining the ecosystems in their natural state and preserving the biological diversity, the activities that are allowed here are relatively restricted. Permitted tourism activities include: hiking, caving, mountaineering or winter sports. More information: http://www.pnscc.ro
Vanatori Natural Park
Vanatori Natural Park is located in the north east of Romania, on the east side of Stanisoara Mountains, in the north of Neamt County. The park stretches on more than one commune: Cracaoani, Agapia, Vanatori Neamt, Targu Neamt town and Baltatesti and Oglinzi. The park is a protected area from 1998 and hosts some of the most important cultural and religious settlements from Neamt County. Here are some natural reservations of great touristic value. More information : http://www.vanatoripark.ro/
CNPA Activities