Plant Material Selection and Green-space Management Researches in Soveja Touristic Area

Abstract

Valuating the landscape features of Soveja mountain resort territory requires integrated approach of the environmental and cultural resources in respect with the site's green space reliability as well as its economic and social potential. The touristic area was subject to a landscape planning study. Subsequent landscape development objectives became the basis of green-space set-up and management strategies. In this study, plant material is approached as a connecting element of habitat distribution, land use and risk mitigation. In the first stage, touristic perimeter was defined around the urban core of the mountain resort, using the 2-hours walk isochrones. The whole landscape system was assigned an environmental education theme based on geographic features and charismatic fauna valuation, a national identity theme and a local tradition valuation. The area was divided into three concentric zones aiming specific wilderness / human impact ratios. The central area, corresponding roughly to the built resort perimeter, became the whole area's safety core - plantations were set to ensure native birds and herbivore fauna habitats, as well as staged blooming for traditional bee- keeping support; forest clearings and forest skirts were the main nature models taken into account. The median ring was set for more permissive wild-life access, in connection with promenades and wild-life observation spots: ecosystem management of the forest surrounding the resort was meant to create a park environment. The outer recreational ring, with forest and pasture paths was fully exposed to wild- life. This approach would serve landscape conservation and valuation for tourism and local communities benefit. Introduction. Soveja mountain resort landscape planning must rely on local conditions also valuating the outer landscape resource. At the same time, tourism specific environmental pressures must be mitigated within local and regional landscape. The resort's green space system is integrated into the green infrastructure (Benedict and McMahon, 2006) of the Soveja Depression, thus integrating ecological and cultural features (Mureșan, 2011). Aims and objectives. This study responds to essential green-space requirements, presenting a methodology for plant material selection in consideration of the environmental factors, ecosystem amenities, economic and energetic efficiency, cultural identity, environmental culture, biodiversity protection and social demand. Materials and methods. A mountain resort's specific in the Carpathians - such as the case of Soveja, the one in the homonymous depression, in the north of the Land of Vrancea - comes from the settlement's purpose of connecting society with natural or semi-natural environment, making sustainable use of its services. Therefore, natural environment and society connect on landscape level, the socio-ecologic features affecting green-space planting reliability. Environmental features affect plant material selection in the resort's case in two ways: through ecologic factors (biogeographical features) and through cultural landscape - related to heritage and to environmental culture. The habitat mapping of the whole tourism affected area according to palearctic habitats classification system (Donița, 2005) provided site-specific ecological restrictions. Phyto-sociological field surveys (sinfito- sociologic map: Cristea et al., 2004) and previous researches (CORINE land cover) were used in order to provide the biotope map the detail level necessary for green-space planning.