A one of a kind experience in preserving and protecting landscapes and biodiversity
From the 21st of June 2016 to the 6th of July 2016, we had the opportunity to visit the picturesque region of Tarnava Mare in Transylvania, Romania. This region contains about 44% of all the biodiversity found in Europe. We worked in cooperation with Fundatia ADEPT (Agricultural Development and Environmental Protection in Transylvania), a Romanian based non-profit organisation, together with Opwall (Operation Wallacea), another non-profit organisation originating from the UK.
ADEPT is responsible for protecting Transylvania’s unique farmed landscapes, their rich biodiversity and the traditional farming communities which live within them. ADEPT, along with its partner Orange Foundation, are responsible for conducting surveys to obtain information about the biodiversity found in this region to provide proof as to why the Romanian government needs to protect this area. ADEPT works with farmers, NGOs, governmental institutions and universities to solve threats to the biodiversity present. Threats include abondonment of management practices, lack of education, intensifiaction (fertilisers over-grazing) and many more. Warnings concerning the biodiversity in this region are constantly increasing since 5000 grasslands are already considered dry.
ADEPT also works with Opwall, an organisation which works with a team of ecologists, academics, and under- and post-graduates, which by working together, identify areas needing protection and thus implement conservation management programs. Opwall’s main goal is to carry out a number of surveys in remote locations all over the world, including Transylvania, in order to produce a large number of publications in peer-reviewed journals each year.
During our expedition, we conducted surveys in different ecosystems and ecological niches in order to obtain data in population changes of different species over the years and how they are being affected by the current farming techniques. To name a few, we conducted surveys in the fields of botany, herpetology (study of amphibians and reptiles), entomology (our main study was of butterflies, moths and grasshoppers), large and small mammals, ornithology (study of birds), chiropterology (study of bats), and in the areas of arable, pastoral and mixed farming.
We also had the opportunity to take part in statistical, ornithology, bird mist netting, entomology and chiropterology workshops. We also attended in fascinating and highly informative and instructive lectures about ADEPT, Transylvania and the biodiversity in Tarnava Mare region, sampling techniques, classification of birds, reptiles, Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), Orthopera (grasshoppers) and about the correct use of a Robinson moth trap and of a very interesting bat harp trap. Furthermore, we set up camera traps for large mammals and later on we carried out observations on the camera footage recorded.
Botany survey – Left: Laying belt transect to count indicator species. Right: Indicator species Lady’s Bedstraw – Galium verum.
Herpatology – Left: Grass Snake. Right: Yellow Bellied frog.
Entomology – Left: Moth. Middle: Bush Cricket. Right: Fritillary butterfly.
Entomology – Left: Meadow Brown butterfly. Middle: Cricket. Right: Hawk Moth caught from the Robinson moth trap.
Large/small mammals – Left: Releasing Grey vole. Middle: Bear footprint. Right: Setting up camera trap around a tree.
Large/small mammals – Left: Inside a camera trap. Middle: Small mammal trap with food and bedding inside. Right: Retrieving small mammal trap. Food is in the middle, on either side an ink pad is placed and an A4 paper so that any small mammal passing through leaves footprints.
Large mammals – Left: Inputting camera location into GPS for retrieval on another day. Right: Camera trap set and chained to a tree. It records for a set period of time when motion is detected.
Ornithology – Left: Releasing bird, after caught in mist net and ringed. (Ringing is a way of marking a bird with a light metal ring around their leg, this way if recaptured one could know where it came from.) Middle: Great Tit in ringer's grip. Right: Bird count survey, identifying birds.
Chiropterology – Left: Harp trap, bats do not notice the harp-like strings (not very visible in photo) and so get tangled and fall safely in the pouch below. Right: Batbox, to detect bat calls at different frequencies that the human ear cannot detect.
Farming
Farming – Left: Combine Harvestor. Middle: Horse and cart, very common in Romanian villages. Right: Machinery used to harvest crops.
The data that we obtained is part of a massive data collection project being carried out for 7 weeks during the summer months, over a period of 8 years. The report produced from this data will be used by ADEPT to determine how current conservation techniques are affecting the biodiversity present, and any conclusions deduced are used as evidence which ADEPT can use when discussing with the Romanian government to formulate new agricultural policies. Such examples include the preservation of the dangerously low numbers of corncrake species in Europe due to the use of heavy machinery such as tractors for harvesting, which can be replaced by using hand harvesting methods.
Volunteering in this experience opens up new windows and work opportunities in the area of conservation and ecosystem management. Work opportunities abroad in these study areas include forestry management, bear tracking in Scandinavian regions, preservation of the Carpathian wolf and its habitat and of other species of flora and fauna, some which may be on the brink of extinction.
In addition, the Maltese contingency took part in various cultural and traditional activities with our Romanian partners in order to encourage sharing of values withheld in each other’s different cultures and traditional heritage. We improved our linguistic skills by learning and practising the Romanian language, learned about the Romanian architecture and Orthodox views, compared the traditional Maltese and Romanian dances, produced traditional crafts, and last but not least, we taught the Maltese language to an eager Romanian audience.
Learning about each other's cultures – Left: Traditional folklore Maltese dance and music “Il-Maltija”, performed in front of the Romanian youths. Middle: Traditonal Romanian food. Right: Traditional Romanian dance and music preformed in front of the Maltese youths.
Personally, we feel that it was a highly enjoyable experience, and everyone will definitely keep in his/her own heart the values and memories of this adventure of a lifetime. This expedition was a break from the dull grey urban world to experience a different lifestyle in a pristine rural environment. All the experts on site were prodigious in their areas of specialisation, and highly patient with our never-ending questions.
On behalf of our team, we can freely say that it was an exceptionally enjoyable experience, and we would definitely do it again with all our hearts should such an opportunity arise again. We definitely encourage others to follow our footsteps and take part in such a memorable expedition, and to have first hand experience of what ADEPT and Opwall are working so hard for: conservation of biodiversity in an area in need of protection from human derived threats and development.
References:
- Fundatia ADEPT website, Available from: http://www.fundatia-adept.org/
- Operation Wallcea website, Available from: http://opwall.com/
