Important Plant Areas of Romania

There are 276 IPAs in Romania, covering 426,500 hectares.

Biogeographic zones

Romania covers almost 238,000 km2 in southeastern Europe. Romanian IPAs are distributed as follows in the different biogeographic zones: Continental (128), Alpine (98), Steppic (40), Black Sea (9), Pannonic (1). The diversity of biogeographic zones matches the diversity of plant species and habitats from the Carpathian Mountains in the north, to the steppic grasslands and wetland areas of the Danube Delta in the south. Romania has two Centres of Plant Diversity, the Carpathians and the Danube Delta.

Habitat

In terms of habitat, Romanian Forest has the most IPAs, but many have also been identified in grasslands, wetlands and coastal habitats.

Land Use

More than 50% of IPAs have three or more land uses. Apart from nature conservation activities on existing protected areas, grazing and livestock practises are the most widespread land use. Forestry activities, tourism and recreation, wild plant gathering, and hunting are also major uses of these habitats.

Threats

Significant globally and European-level threatened habitats, such as coastal dune grasslands, broadleaved deciduous and coniferous woodland, and alluvial forest, are still well represented in Romania.However, they are increasingly affected by tourism, agriculture and deforestation. Urban development, construction of dams, dykes and barriers, and inappropriate water management systems also threaten several IPAs.