The ecological restoration of mountain habitats by artificial regeneration

Abstract

The monitoring of alpine habitats showed that they are some of the most threatened habitats in Romania. In order to restore and maintain the mountain pine shrubs of this area to a favourable conservation status, fully in line with the existing EU and national legislation and environmental requirements, some management measures are proposed. To achieve the protection and preservation of the habitats from the Retezat National Park, certain general management measures are required to maintain the habitats at an optimal level. In the paper, the assessment of the alpine habitats found in Retezat National Park, located in Meridional Carpathians (Romanian Southern Carpathians), and the conservation management activities used to halt the alpine habitats destruction in the Retezat Mountains are presented. The current state of mountain pines in the Retezat National Park, under the action of subalpine and alpine grazing degradation, is also explained. Additionally, the study offers details concerning methods for restoration of degraded habitats, using the mountain grassland regeneration technique. Developing grazing regulations for maintaining livestock according to the current conditions of the grasslands, as well as promoting the natural regeneration of forest habitats, are both important measures in this regard.