CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FOREST FUND RESTITUTION PROCESS IN TRANSITION COUNTRIES: THE IMPACT ON RURAL COMMUNITIES THE GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT Mădălina Teodora Andrei

INTRODUCTION The present project focussed on two rural communities which have a tradition in forestry exploitation; The two communities are the communes : Chiojdu (Buzău County) and Dorna Candrenilor (Suceava County); Geographic conditions permit the development of extended forested areas.

CHIOJDU GEOGRAPHIC POSITION CHIOJDU Chiojdu Commune is situated in the Curvature Subcarpathians area, at the north-west limit of Buzău County, in Chiojdu Depression at the foot of Siriu Mountains; The northernmost point of Chiojdu Commune is Siriu Peak (1654m) in the Curvature Carpathians; The highest altitude in the commune is Cătiaşu Peak – 780 m.

DORNA CANDRENILOR GEOGRAPHIC POSITION DORNA CANDRENILOR Dorna Candrenilor Commune is situated in the western part of Suceava County, on Dorna Valley, at the contact between the Dorna Depression and the surrounding mountain area, in the southern part of Suhard Mountains; The average altitude varies between m; The maximum altitude is reached in the Ouşorul Peak (1639 m).

CHIOJDU RELIEF CARACTERISTICS CHIOJDU Siriu Mountains, appear as a well individualized mountain unit. They are surrounded by lower areas such as Chiojdu Depression; Siriu Massif reaches over 1600 m in its two main peaks: Mălâia (1663 m) and Siriu (1659 m); Alpine meadows and small lakes could also be found on the plateaus of this forested massif.

CHIOJDU RELIEF CARACTERISTICS CHIOJDU The Subcarpathian area of Chiojdu Commune is superimposed over Cornetu Hill; It is a region intensely degraded by gully errosion; The maximum altitudes are reached in the peaks of Cornetu (827 m) and Cetăţuie (713 m).

DORNA CANDRENILOR RELIEF CARACTERISTICS DORNA CANDRENILOR The mountains that constitute the Suhard Massif take the form of a long body, dominated by several peaks which reach over 1600 m in altitude: Omu (1931 m), Suhardu (1709 m), Ouşoru (1639 m); the altitude descends towards south, at the limit with Dorna County; Dorna Depression is characterized by a plain or a hilly relief, with an average altitude of m, and a large opening towards the West.

CHIOJDU CLIMATIC CHARACTERISTICS CHIOJDU The commune has a temperate continental climate, with hilly climate nuances; The average yearly temperature is of 8-10°C; The yearly precipitation average is of mm; There are favorable conditions for temperature inversions. They are reflected by vegetation inversions (the resinous descend towards the lower part of the slopes and the deciduous are climbing towards the peaks).

DORNA CANDRENILOR CLIMATIC CHARACTERISTICS DORNA CANDRENILOR The settlement has a temperate continental climate, with hilly climate nuances; The average yearly temperature is of 8-10°C; The yearly precipitation average is of mm; The north-west winds blow less violently because of the shelter offered by the mountains; A special type of wind is formed, called the ‘foehn’, which determines vegetation inversions on the mountains slopes.

CHIOJDU DORNA CANDRENILOR HYDROGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS CHIOJDU DORNA CANDRENILOR The settlement is crossed by Bâsca Chiojdului River, which belongs to River Buzău hidrographic basin; Bâsca Chiojdului Basin includes numerous tributary rivers and springs; A county road and four secondary (communal) roads provide accessibility in the area. The settlement spreads along Dorna River Valley, river that belongs to Bistriţa hydrographic basin; There are approximately 40 mineral springs in the area, one of the most important being located in this commune, at Poiana Negri; The accessibility in the area is ensured by the river which is accompanied by a national road and a rail road.

SOIL CHARACTERISTICS Soil is influenced by various natural elements such as: relief, bed rock, climate, vegetation etc. Due to the fact that these factors are slightly different in the two studied areas, the soil characteristics could be traced for both settlements: Chiojdu and Dorna Candrenilor as follows: Generally there are brown soils, that favour the development of forests both of resinous and of deciduous species, but also of pastures and of orchards; On the river valleys river meadow soils are found; they are favorable for cereal and fodder plant crops.

VEGETATION CHARACTERISTICS Deciduous species are typical in Choijdu commune and resinous species in Dorna Candrenilor. The forest covers most part of the slopes in both settlements. Deciduous species are often mixed with resinous species such as the fir tree (Abies alba) and the spruce fir (Picea excelsa); The species with the widest spread is the beech tree (especially in Chiojdu commune) (Fagus silvestris) which extends, between 700 m and m. It also surpasses the limits in association with oak species (Quercus petraea) or, with the spruce fir (Picea excelsa).

ADMINISTRATIVE CHARACTERISTICS TOTAL AREA:  Chiojdu – ha,  Dorna Candrenilor – ha; Inhabited area:  Chiojdu – > sqm,  Dorna Candrenilor – > sqm; Agricultural area:  Chiojdu ~ 4400 ha,  Dorna Candrenilor ~ 9700 ha; Forested area:  Chiojdu – ha,  Dorna Candrenilor – ha;

DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS Total population (2002):  Chiojdu ~ 3850 inhabitants.  Dorna Candrenilor ~ 4600 inhabitants. The population of both communes are suffering a process of demographic regression. This is the combined result of a low birth rate and population movement from the area. People leave these settlements for the nearby towns (Nehoiu, Vatra Dornei) or to the big towns (Buzău, Suceava), and also to foreign countries. Typically this migration is economically driven Another demographic feature of these populations are population ageing and the growth of feminine population. They have visible effects on the socioeconomic structure of population.

CHIOJDU SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS CHIOJDU Traditional occupations: -Sheep breeding containing elements of pastoral culture; -Fruit growing; -Collecting forest fruits (mushrooms, forest fruits, medical plants); -Hunting and fishing; -Forestry exploitation (water saws usage); -Artistic wood working; -Textile manufacturing art. Traditional architecture: -Wooden houses, beautifully worked, usually having more than one level; -Often there are porches with wooden sculpted pillars.

DORNA CANDRENILOR SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS DORNA CANDRENILOR Traditional occupations: - Wood exploitation and its transport on water (“the rafters on Bistriţa”) – wood factories in Dorna Candrenilor and in Dealul Floreni; -Sheep breeding (dairy industry Dealul Floreni and La Dorna); -Exploitation of mineral springs (1898 – spa unit). There are 5 bottling units at Dorna Candrenilor, Poiana Negri, Dealul Floreni, Poiana Vinului, Poiana Coşnei. Traditional architecture: -The Bucovina style is characterized by large one floor wooden houses with numerous rooms and beautiful external decorations with stylized floral and geometric figures.