Bucharest will have a new protected natural area: Petricani Meadow

The project of the Văcărești Natural Park Association for the establishment of the Pajiștea Petrican/Petricani Meadow protected natural area received yesterday, October 23, the approval by vote of the Local Council of District 2. Next comes the opinion from the General Council of the City Hall of Bucharest, which will confirm the will of the citizens of Sector 2.

The Petricani meadow on the Colentina river will thus become, after the Văcărești Natural Park, the second nature area in Bucharest to receive protection status.

With an area of ​​5.7 hectares, Pajiștea Petricani was cared for in the last year by APNV, in collaboration with District 2 Public Domain Administration and Romanian Waters (Argeș-Vedea Water Basin Administration, SGA Ilfov-București), as a conservation area, protection and education. The organization built a thematic route with access stairs, bridges, urban furniture, observation areas and information elements to facilitate citizens’ access and allow its safe visit.

Petricani Meadow is located in Bucharest, on the administrative territory of sector 2, at the intersection of the streets Fabrica de Glucoză, Șoseaua Petricani and Aleea Ștrandul Tei. It consists of a lake area in the center and a meadow on the western side. The meadow continues with a wooded area, located on the natural terrace of Colentina, at an altitude of 75-90 m. At Petricani, 12 species of mammals were inventoried, including the otter, the stone marten, the ferret and the fox, 90 species of birds, 12 fish species, 3 amphibians and 7 reptiles, as well as 101 insect species and over 88 plant species. 49 of these species are protected by law.

So, District 2 residents in the Fabrica de Glucoză, Tei-Toboc, Doamna Ghica and Andronache neighborhoods will have a new park and one of the richest natural areas in Bucharest at their disposal.

Dan Bărbulescu, director of the Văcărești Natural Park Association, declares: “Pajiștea Petricani, the biodiversity reservoir where Lake Plumbuita begins, becomes the second protected natural area in Bucharest, at the initiative of APNV. It is an extremely important moment not only for sector 2 and the Colentina River, but also for Bucharest. The recognition and integration of biodiversity into the administrative logic of the city is the sign that the authorities have understood that nature is an essential factor for a civilized, healthy and safe city. In December 2024, the Văcărești Natural Park Association celebrates ten years since its foundation. The appearance of a new protected area is wonderful news, which crowns our activity that began in 2014, with the establishment of the Văcărești Natural Park.”

Together with Pajiștea Petricani, the Văcărești Natural Park Association initiated in 2023 an extensive process of conservation, protection and promotion of nature in Bucharest. Thus, Valea Saulei, Pădurea Băneasa, Stufărişurile din Dobroști and Lunca Dâmboviței are the other natural areas and diverse landscapes to be researched, promoted, made accessible and proposed for approval as natural areas of local interest for Bucharest residents. All this adds up to more than 1500 hectares of green spaces and vital reservoirs of biodiversity. They will contribute to a better climate, cleaner air and improved people’s health. Bucharest is a city where biodiversity still coexists with people, but it needs to be (re)known and protected as valuable in itself and for the ecosystem benefits it brings to the city.

The Bucharest Biodiversity Conservation Initiative is a multi-year program run by APNV and financed by the Environment Platform for Bucharest, a program initiated by the Bucharest Community Foundation and ING Bank Romania.