Maramures, Romania

Our Results

1) Grasslands
A farmer was found to start a project on his 19 ha of private property plus 21 ha of rented communal grassland. WWF purchased 22 cows and 4 bulls from various farmers, joined them into a herd in June 2007 and `loaned´ them to the partner farmer. Since then, 16 new calves were born.

Grazing the cows in the highlands during the summer further led to the restoration of 80 ha of high nature-value sub-alpine grassland and the project now has more than double the original amount of land (as earlier agreed with the partner). Land restoration will be extended as more grazing animals, farmers and landowners become involved. Two local cattle breeder associations now want to continue the project with its `revolving herd´.

In 2008, the grazing site and herd were subscribed to the Romanian organic certification system -- after a two-year conversion period, the farm and its produce will be certified as organic. The farmer partner developed tourism facilities linked to this conservation story, investing his own 280,000 € into accommodation possibilities for 14 tourists in a rural pension. The farmer partner is also building a winter shelter for his cows using his own funds. OEMN is helping him to understand opportunities open to him through development funds, such as through Romania’s Rural Development Programme.

The OEMN project contributed to the designation of a new Natura 2000 site through sharing scientific data and raising awareness. The site consists of 19,602 ha of grassland habitats and is partially grazed by sheep, water buffalo and the project’s cows.

The pilot is a good practice example for the implementation of new agri-environment policies in Romania’s mountain areas (i.e. using grazing to maintain natural landscapes). In March 2008, the Romanian National Rural Development Plan was finally approved by the EC. Its agri-environment measures offer subsidies to landowners who demonstrate good agricultural practices on grasslands. Starting in the summer of 2008, local grassland owners will benefit from the following subsidies and direct payments: 50€/ha in less favored mountain areas; 124 €/ha for agri-environment measures (mowing after 1st of July, 1 cow/ha, organic fertilizers) + 58€/ha for traditional agricultural practices (e.g. manual mowing). From 2010, plateau farmers will also benefit from Natura 2000 payments.

The Bruna de Maramures cow is once again becoming central to both the local economy and the conservation of high nature value grassland meadows. The project is proving to the locals that it is profitable to switch to this new form of grazing, producing high quality beef using low inputs instead of uncertain quality milk that fails to meet EU standards.

2) PES Pilot Project
A preliminary stakeholder meeting was held in Baia Mare in November 2006 to explain the mechanism to key local stakeholders. The response was guarded but positive.

Studies were later developed with information about the: characteristics of the catchment area; land-use; the drinking water supply system; potential sellers and buyers of the environmental services; placing a monetary value on the ecosystem services delivered by the grasslands and forests; and scenarios for a functional payment scheme.

The next step is to implement an information campaign -- to convince possible buyers and the necessary institutional arrangements and monitoring.

3) Forests
If all goes well, by July 2008, the forest district of Baia Mare municipality will become certified. Some 47,059 ha of forests have already started the FSC process and state districts will follow in the coming years. Some 6,580 ha of priority (HCV) forests have been identified by experts in Maramures. More responsible management practices have also been applied within the certified forests following the development of new integrated management plans.

OEMN contributed by identifying the forest owners and managers to be involved in Maramures, establishing and communicating with contacts, and active involvement in the planning of the integrated management plans to introduce alternative income generation through secondary forest product harvesting and ecotourism planning. Currently, OEMN is contributing to further developing the ecotourism program in priority forest areas to encourage responsible management practices.