A BIRDWATCHING PARADISE Dumbrăvița - Rotbav - Măgura Codlei (Brașov County – Romania) - FINAL RECEPTION OF THE PROJECT WHICH ENSURESA FAVORABLE CONSERVATION STATUS OF THEIR HABITATS

At the end of January 2024 was the final reception of the works for the project entitled Implementation of active measures for the conservation of biodiversity based on the Management Plan of Natura 2000 site ROSPA0037 Dumbrăvița – Rotbav - Măgura Codlei financed by the Large Infrastructure Operational Programme and undertaken by the National Institute for R&D in Environmental Protection - Bucharest.

Dumbrăvița - Rotbav - Măgura Codlei has three distinct areas with a total area of 4434.10 ha, from which two wetlands form the so-called Carpathian Delta. That is a protected area which is part of the Natura 2000 network and the only one Ramsar Site from the central Romania. It is one of the most important wetlands within the Carpathian chain as stop-over and breeding area for many bird species.

So, apart from the well-known Danube Delta located in Romania, there is also this one, which shelters over 200 species, among which some of them are rare, of particular beauty.

One of the strengths and attractions for visitors, is the Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) who stops here during fall migration. Dumbrăvița area is the most important stop-over area for this species within central Romania and one of the most important at the national level.

The birds of first importance are the nesting species in different habitats, such as: pygmy cormorant (Microcarbo pygmaeus), common tern (Sterna hirundo), little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus), purple heron (Ardea purpurea), night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), squacco heron (Ardeola ralloides), little egret (Egretta garzetta), great egret (Ardea alba), ferruginous duck (Aythya nyroca), western marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus), little crake (Porzana parva), corn crake (Crex crex), Ural owl (Strix uralensis), white-backed woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos), middle spotted woodpecker (Leiopicus medius), black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius), grey-headed woodpecker (Picus canus), collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) and red-breasted flycatcher (Ficedula parva).

Among the species that are only passing through the natural protected area, the most representative ones, present in large number every year, are: black stork (Ciconia nigra), gret egret (Ardea alba), ruff (Philomachus pugnax), wood sandpiper (Tringa glareola) or black tern (Chlidonias niger). For great egret, the area is a very important foraging and roosting place.

Apart from the birds, there are living here other animal species of community interest, such as: otter (Lutra lutra) and beaver (Castor fiber).

The natural site is also remarkable for the variety of landscapes; there can be seen wetlands (fish ponds, lakes, running water, swamps and reeds), meadows, pastures and forests.

The purpose (general objective) of the project is ensuring the favorable conservation status of bird species of community / national interest in the protected natural area by maintaining / restoring the conservation status of their habitats (especially aquatic habitats) by implementing the Management Plan of Natura 2000 site ROSPA0037 Dumbrăviţa – Rotbav - Măgura Codlei.

Nowadays, the avifaunistic special protection area is managed by the Romanian National Agency for Protected Natural Areas.

The main results of the project:

-          21 ha unclogged area from the Dumbrăvița lake (Hamaradea-Holboșel);

-          10 artificial islands made on the Dumbrăvița lake (Hamaradea-Holboșel);

-          2 equipped dams;

-          5 existing islands on the Rotbav lake (3 restored);

-          4 new islands on the Rotbav lake (3 completed);

-          8 floating platforms made-up;

-          250 m long unclogged and widened channel CS 3-49 from the development of Bârsa-Vulcănița – code 4421;

-          2 observation towers completed;

-          11 nests made and placed;

-          40 people participating in 2 organized conferences;

-          4 articles and press releases published;

-          1 web section made;

-          21 panels/information boards made and placed.