Human Pressure on the Environment in the “Mun¸tii Maramure¸sului” Natural Park - Sustainable Development in Mountain Regions: Southeastern Europe - page 257

pastures, river bodies, lakes and marches, underground waters), the existence of
natural habitats on large extension and the preserve of the traditional way of life.
The Park also offers the possibility of visiting the area for scientific, educational,
recreational and tourism purposes. The massif's total surface (including the depres-
sion areas and boarder hills) is of about 1,500 square km, covering the northern
part of the Eastern Carpathians. The Park is administrated by the National Forest
Administration and has 133,354 ha, representing the biggest park in the Romanian
Carpathians. Moreover, 70% of the park area - except the inner-city of the localities
within - has been up for Site of Community Importance, within the European Eco
Network - Nature 2000. In the Park area, all the three species of big carnivores: the
wolf, the bear and the lynx, listed in Directive 92/43/CEE of the European Council,
Appendix II, can be identified (Romanian Forest Administration, 2007 ).
21.2 Human Impact in the “Muntii Maramuresului”
Natural Park
Romanian Carpathian Chain has a long history of human influence upon the envi-
ronment mainly as a result of its adaptation to ecological stressors and limitations.
In the context of global environmental change, the integrity of mountain systems
as well as their ability to provide goods and services to the human society is
seriously affected. The human impact upon the mountain space has increased in
intensity and concentration over the last 20 years in terms of intensive spatial devel-
opment, land use/land cover changes, etc. Therefore, the environmental stressors
“Muntii Maramuresului” Natural Park is dealing with are largely related to settle-
ments expansion, deforestation, over-grazing, mining activities and tourist activities
with high pressure upon the environment's quality.
21.2.1 Settlements Expansion
Human communities in the Park area are located in the eastern and northern part,
along the national roads and along the main river streams: Viseul de Sus, Borsa,
Bistra, Leordina, Moisei, Petrova, Poienile de sub Munte, Ruscova, Repedea and
Vi seul de Jos, totalling 89,294 inhabitants.
After 1989, due to an increased urban sprawl, the build-up area of the “Muntii
Maramuresului” Natural Park has been expanding, in Poienile de sub Munte and
especially in the Borsa Complex and Viseul de Jos - Viseul de Sus, where housing
development conditions proved more favourable. The area prone for construction
in the park is 7,000 ha and the extension of this area is brought forward by the
specific social phenomenon, which consists in the work force migration and in the
investment of the revenues.
The population in the area has dropped in percentage over the last years as a result
of human migration inside the Romanian boundaries (especially towards the West
of the country), on the one hand and outside the country, especially to France (34%),
Italy (26%), Spain (19%), etc. (Boar, 2005 ), on the other hand (Fig. 21.2 ). Therefore,