Romania 2021 - The story of the oak forests of Ciuc

PROJECT REPORT

ROMANIA 2021

THE STORY OF THE OAK FORESTS OF CIUC

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Dear friend,

Thanks to your support, a total of 10,000 trees were planted to restore 2 hectares of land in Romania.

Planting trees in areas that have been degraded or deforested helps the environment by accelerating and assuring the re-establishment of healthy forests. Through reforestation, the canopy is restored, ecosystems are made whole, and biodiversity can thrive.

None of this would be possible without you. On behalf of everyone at One Tree Planted, thank you!

What follows is a report outlining the project you supported in Romania. I hope you enjoy reading it and truly feel the impact you have made.

OVERVIEW

The objective of the Romania 2021 project - The story of the oak forests of Ciuc is to restore the once abundant oak forests of the Ciuc Depression in Romania. Oak saplingsarebeingplantedtorehabilitatethecompositionoftheforest.Bythe18th century, its native oak trees were wiped out due to the rapid expansion of agricultural lands. By restoring this species to the area, the project intends to improve forest resilience and adaptation, and increase natural habitats for local wildlife.

Today, the shift toward environmental preservation offers the chance for oak forests to reappear in the region — and for them to better withstand future threats, like warmer and drier climate in the basin. It’s also an opportunity to increase habitatandfoodsourcesforvariousplantandanimalspecies.

TREE SPECIES PLANTED

SPECIES PLANTED THROUGH THIS PROJECT

Sessile oak (Quercus petraea)

European wild pear (Pyrus pyraster)

TREE SPECIES THE OAK’S RELEVANCE

Oak trees have played an important role in human culture and economy in Europe for centuries, with pedunculate (Quercus robur) and sessile oaks being among the most valuable. They are also a sacred tree in many European cultures, frequently used as a national or regional symbol. Oaks provide high-quality hardwood for fuel and charcoal, construction, furniture, and barrels, as well as acorns for livestock and bark for tanning.

They also play an important ecological role, as they support many plants and species of insects like moths and beetles, and the acorns provide a valuable food source for birds and mammals.

Oak forests in Romania represent about 19% of the country's total forest cover. The most widespread native oak species is sessile oak, which accounts for over 10% of the total oak population and owes its common name to the fact that its acorns are “stalkless”.

Oak forests in Romania have faced strong human pressure over the centuries, including deforestation for agriculture and pasture land, uncontrolled grazing, incorrect practice of coppice systems, and defoliation by insects. This, together with severe forest mismanagement in the 1990s that resulted in massive Norway spruce (Picea abies) plantation, has led to a critical reduction and fragmentation of oak ecosystems.

Sessile oak, as well as pedunculate oak, are large deciduous broadleaved trees that can live over 1,000 years and grow over 40 meters tall. They are important components of temperate deciduous mixed forests and have a large ecological amplitude. Both species are able to act as pioneer trees, developing deep root systems that allow them to withstand moderate droughts by accessing water at a deeper lever and give them structural stability against windfalls — an unfortunately common natural disaster in Romania.

Oak forests in Romania are important ecosystems that have been negatively impacted by human activity. However, oak trees are resilient and can play a key role in forest restoration efforts, promoting forest diversity and the regeneration of many additional species.

LANDSCAPE IMPACT ON THE MAP

The Romania 2021 - The story of the Oak forests of Ciuc project is located in Eastern Transylvania, where the dominant volcanic mountainous landscape of the Ciuc Depression meets the Eastern Carpathian, at an altitude of about 600-700 mt. The area has a dominance of Norway spruce plantations that, because of their shallow root systems, are highly susceptible to severe wind-throws that characterize this part of Romania.

YOUR IMPACT ON THE MAP

Your trees were planted on private and common land in Central Romania, Harghita county. This project’s planting is distributed across 2 degraded sites just north of Sandominic.

YOUR IMPACT ON THE MAP

DOCUMENTING YOUR IMPACT

Through authentic and informative storytelling, we help donors relate to the people who plant their trees and to the impact they're making for the planet. We share photos, videos, and updates from our global projects across our social media, website, and other media to create a personal connection to the incredible work happening on the ground.

PHOTOS FROM YOUR PROJECT

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE IMPACT

The Ciuc Basin: A Region of Oak Forests Reborn

By Marika Luiati, Europe Project Manager

The Ciuc Basin has a rich biogeographic history, dating back to the ages when oak forests dominated the landscape. This is evident in the names of many localities and archaeological findings in the area. However, human activity and changing climate conditions lead to the disappearance of these forests by the 18th century. Today, climate change and a shift toward environmental preservation offer a chance for oak forests to reappear in the region.

This rehabilitation initiative began in 2021, planting thousands of oak seedlings in degraded pastures, and has a long-term goal of restoring 50 hectares of disturbed land. As these efforts expand, the project is contributing to ecological restoration, creating a more balanced microclimate and enhancing the area's ability to withstand extreme weather events.

Oak forests in Transylvania are a vital part of the region's ecosystem and provide a wide range of benefits. In particular, oaks help protect water resources by recharging groundwater. They also help reduce flooding by slowing down the flow of water during heavy rains. This helps maintain stable water levels in streams, and regulates natural processes like erosion control, by filtering runoff and holding soil in place.

Since 2020, with the help of donors like you, One Tree Planted has helped our partners plant over 1.8M trees in multiple projects across Romania. These remarkable initiatives are restoring the region's natural heritage and providing a host of environmental, social, and cultural benefits, as well as crucial ecosystem services, such as climate mitigation and flood and erosion control. By continuing to support projects like this, we can help create a more sustainable and resilient future for the region and its people.

LANDSCAPE CONTEXT AND IMPACT

Transylvania and Eastern Carpathian, Romania

Improving Forest Health and Resilience

Romania is located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe, and is home to five of the 11 biogeographic regions officially recognized on the continent. The Continental region, which can be found across the Transylvanian Plateau, is characterized by its rolling hills, meadows, forests and ancestral wood pastures. Towards the East, Transylvania meets the Eastern Carpathian, where the colder climate oftheAlpineregionisdominatedbyconiferousforestsandrockyoutcrops.

Maintaining healthy, diverse forests in Romania is critical to protecting ecological, social and economic benefits, including increased wildlife habitat, species of cultural importance to local communities, recreational value, and above all, forest resilience. The country is also home to a large number of old-growth forests, which are more resilient to disturbances than younger forests. There are a number of elements that contributetotheresilienceofforests—or,theircapacitytowithstandandrecoverfrom disturbances,suchasclimatechange,pestsanddiseases,andhumanactivity.

Key factors that support resilience are the diversity of ecosystems and tree species, and sustainable forest management. This diversity helps to ensure that there is a range of habitats available for different species of plants and animals, even if one ecosystem is disturbed. Following the complex transition period of the 1990s, Romania has experienced severe forest mismanagement practices, most notably massive Norway spruce plantations, a fast-growing species that has high economical value, but can be less biodiverse and more susceptible to pests and diseases (i.e. bark beetle), and illegallogging.

Supporting forest rehabilitation projects that strive to promote sustainable management practices and maintain the diversity and structure of the forests is crucial as climate change continues to accelerate. These practices include planting a variety of tree species in disturbed systems, reducing deforestation, and protecting old-growth forests. By taking these steps, we are helping to ensure that these forests can thrive, safeguardingthebenefitstheyprovideformanyyearstocome.

AS A TEACHER, I CONSIDER EDUCATING MY STUDENTS TO BE ENVIRONMENTALLY AWARE AN IMPORTANT TASK. THIS IS HOW THEY DEVELOP A RESPONSIBLE ATTITUDE RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT. I AM SURE THAT THEIR ATTITUDES AND MENTALITY HAVE BEEN SHAPED AND FORMED THROUGH THESE PLANTING EVENTS. WE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE PROPER TECHNIQUES OF PLANTING, THE DIVERSITY OF SEEDLINGS AND THEIR IMPORTANCE IN THE AREA. THIS LEARNING PROCESS WILL NOT END HERE. IT WILL CONTINUE IN THE YEARS TO COME.

BIODIVERSITY BENEFITS

Biodiversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. It encompasses all living organisms, as well as the ecosystems in which they live, and it is often measured at the genetic, species and ecosystem diversity levels. Biodiversity is essential for the health of our planet and for human well-being. It provides us with food, clean water, medicine, and other essential resources. It also helps to regulate the climate, clean the air and water, and protect us from natural disasters.

Central Romania is home to over 30% of Romania's forests, which are some of the most biodiverse in Europe. Mixed forests are found throughout this area. They are characterized by a variety of tree species, including spruce, fir, beech, and oak, and are home to a variety of wildlife, such as deer, brown bear, lynx, wild boar and red squirrel.

To determine the number of species that could benefit from the future forest of this project, the nearest Natura 2000 Habitats and Birds Directive Sites were surveyed. These are protected areas that have been intensively monitored to identify the species present. Because the planting site is fenced, protecting it from human and livestock interactions, the main hypothesis is that these species will use it for resting, feeding, and nesting. The future forest will have a significant impact on the region's wildlife population, especially 15 bird species that will have a habitat for feeding and nesting.

REGIONAL KEY FACTS ON PROTECTED HABITATS AND SPECIES:

9 EU Protected Habitats: 2 Bogs, mires and fens (Active raised bogs, Transition mires and quacking bogs); 3 Forests (bog woodland, Dacian Beech forest, Acidophilous picea forests of the montane to alpine levels -Vaccinio Piceetea); 2 grasslands (Hydrophilous tall herb fringe communities of plains and of the montane to alpine levels, Mountain hay meadows); 1 heat and scrub (Alpine and Borealheaths);1rockyhabitats(Cavesnotopentothepublic)

8 EU Protected Species: 2 Amphibians (Yellow-bellied toad -Bombina variegata, Montandon's newt -Lissotriton montandoni); 2 Flowering Plants (saw-edged bellflower -Campanula serrata, Siberian Ligularia -Ligularia sibirica); 2 Mammals (Wolf -Canis lupus, Brown Bear -Ursus arctos); 1 Invertebrate (Fenton's Wood White -Leptidea morsei); 1 Mosses and Liverworts (Long-stalked thread mossMeesia longiseta).

COMMUNITY BENEFITS

I WENT TO MY FIRST PLANTING EVENT WHEN MY LITTLE GIRL'S TEACHER TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO TAKE THE CLASS TO A FOREST PLANTING ACTION. I WAS PROUD OF MY CHILDREN AND THE ORGANISERS FOR SETTING AN EXAMPLE BY PLANTING SO MANY SAPLINGS. MAYBE ONE DAY WE WILL BE ABLE TO SIT UNDER THE SHADE OF OUR PLANTED SAPLINGS, IF NOT ME THEN HOPEFULLY MY CHILDREN.

U.N. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

THIS PROJECT CONTRIBUTED TO THE FOLLOWING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS:

WHAT ARE SDGS?

Sustainable development entails seeking out solutions that not only boost the economic outcomes of developing and poorer nations, but also work to limit (or eliminate) our impact on the planet. Trees are one such solution.

From creating jobs and reducing hunger to improving gender equality, cleaning air and water, absorbing carbon, protecting life on land and water, and more, planting trees can address all 17 sustainable development goals.

“The restoration work being done in Romania’s Ciuc Depression is invaluable. Initiatives like these, which aim to return degraded and vulnerableforeststotheirnaturalcompositionarevitaltocreatingresilient ecosystems. By involving local communities to contribute to the planting,

Gabriela Gard Regional Project Director (LAC)