The Land of Buzau: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:28, 27 May 2009

Geopark's landscape: The Land of Buzau, Romania by Marius Dobre and Catalina Olariu

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Name	The Land of Buzau
Location	Buzau County
Country	Romania
Topic	Landscape planning and Rural developement
Office	University of Agricultural Science, departament of Landscape Architecture
Case study author(s)	Catalina Olariu and Marius Dobre


<googlemap version="0.9" lat="45.338633" lon="26.732483" type="terrain" zoom="9" width="300" height="200" scale="yes" overview="yes"> 45.3917, 26.533356, The center of the Geopark "The Land of Buzau" </googlemap> http:// 64.947899, -19.196045 </googlemap>

Rationale: Why is this case study interesting?

This case study is interesting because it presents an area that is going to be declared a Geopark. It is a case with many questions and also with lots of constraints because the territory is composed of economically disadvantaged areas but with a rich geological, biological and cultural potential, potential that it is not exploited. The combination of these elements leads to a specific local landscape. The geopark territory presents an almost optimum balance between natural and anthropic, balance that should be maintained.

A geopark is a protected area, but also a tool to ensure sustainable development of the communities. This development includes also tourism, which can lead to destruction of the initial values, because of uneducated tourists and uneducated local communities.

Author's perspective

What theoretical or professional perspective do you bring to the case study? Please answer from your personal perspective.

Landscape and/or urban context

Biogeography and cultural features

“The Land of Buzau” is located in Buzau county, being situated at the intersection of three biogeographical zones: biogeographical alpine region in north, biogeographical continental region in center and biogeographical steppe region in south. All of these regions have specific elements of flora and fauna, resulting a dynamic character of the territory.

The site of the case study presents interesting diversity of geological, biological and cultural elements.

Geodiversity: the region is known for the Muddy volcanoes,  the amber from Colti,  the Salt from Meledic, the Live fires, the petroleum springs, salty springs, the spectacular relief with the “Wall of the giants” or the stone fangs, the salt caves, fossils, or other geological structural elements less known.

Biodiversity: the north part of the geopark territory is situated in the mountain forest area (with species like: Fagus and Picea), while in central-southern area there are steppe elements, species like: Stipa (herb), gopher, Carpathian Scorpio, etc. Most of the territory is occupied with a mosaic of patches of forest, bushes, pastures and arable land (result of human activity). 

Cultural diversity: the territory of the geopark is situated at the interference of three Romanian provinces loaning something from all, without denying  its own identity: dominance of the countryside, village settlement along the river valleys, the existence of isolated hamlet with old traditions, the existence of powerful and ancient religious and monastic center, traditionally clothing, traditional architecture, cultural and arhitectural monuments, boundary stones and religious crosses, and also customs, legends, stories, festivals.

Overall character
History and dynamics

Cultural/social/political context

Brief explanation of culture, political economy, legal framework

Illustration: Bullet points, image, background notes

History

How did the area/project/plan at the focus of the case study evolve?

Illustration: Table or time line