A New Protected Natural Area Emerges in Bucharest: Petricani Meadow

On Earth Day, the Văcărești Natural Park Association offered the citizens of Bucharest a new area of education and nature conservation, modeled after the Văcărești Natural Park: Petricani Meadow.

More than six hectares of green space and sparkling water, full of biodiversity, are now accessible to the public after the completion of the themed trail of almost one kilometer, with information panels, lookout point, temporary ponds and vital habitats for butterflies and pollinating insects, very important for the well-being of urban ecosystems and our resilience to climate change.

In order to preserve and care for it, the Văcărești Natural Park Association has completed the scientific substantiation study on the basis of which the Local Council of Sector 2 can vote to declare the area as a Protected Natural Area of Local Interest. This type of protection creates the conditions for guarding, sanitizing the area, building visitor infrastructure and maintaining the habitats of endangered species, preventing fires, and managing invasive species (such as ragweed, ash, Florida tortoise) that tend to overwhelm urban ecosystems.

The area is extremely important as a biodiversity reservoir: 12 mammal species (including otter, stone marten, ferret, fox), 89 bird species, 12 fish species, 3 amphibians and 7 reptiles, as well as 101 of insect species and over 88 plant species thrive in a relatively small space. No less than 49 of these species are protected by law, so the emergency protection of their habitat is also required.

In the last 30 years, Bucharest has undergone dramatic transformations. Hundreds of hectares of green spaces and wetlands have been swallowed up by construction, tens of thousands of trees have been uprooted, and our health and that of nature are at risk. The Văcărești Natural Park Association is fighting to prevent the irremediable loss of the last urban natural areas in Bucharest: the Dâmboviței Delta (refuge of water birds), the Băneasa Forest (the green lung of Bucharest), the salva of lakes on the Colentina (the forgotten river of the Capital), from which include wild areas such as Petricani Meadow, Saulei Valley and the reeds of Dobroesti. Together, these areas have an area of almost 1000 hectares. Protecting them means 5 more square meters of green space for every inhabitant of the city, a doubling of the green areas accessible today in real terms to the citizens of Bucharest.

Granting the status of Protected Natural Area of Local Interest to Petricani Meadow will soon be put on the agenda of the District 2 Local Council.