INTBAU Laslea Eco-Tourism Final Report

8/2/2019 INTBAU Laslea Eco-Tourism Final Report

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Work shop on eco-t ourism and cultur al heri tage

Held in Laslea, Transylvania, Romania, 1-8 May 2005


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Summary

The s tudy area

The purpose of t he Work shop

Groups o f wor k

Conc lus ions

Data c o l lec t ion

p. 2

pp. 3-4

pp. 5

pp. 6

Laslea Commune and the villages around

Flora and Fauna

Four Work Groups

Who, where, with what purpose, main tasks, the team

pp. 7-22

pp. 23-25

A detailed description of what each group has done

The three main categories of habitat

Act iv i t ies p lanned for 2005pp. 27

pp. 26

1

CONTENTS

The l i s t o f par t i c ipants

pp. 28


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SUMMARY

Laslea, Transylvania 2005. photo Carmen Tanase

Laslea, Transylvania 2005. photo Catalin Rata 2

The second Transylvania Village Development Workshop organized byINTBAU took place in the medieval village of Laslea, the administrative

centre of the Commune of Laslea , from 1- 8 May 2005.The workshop was organized by INTBAU and the Norwegian Foundationfor Urban Renewal and funded by The Norwegian Ministry of ForeignAffairs, The Norwegian Directorate for Heritage, The Norwegian Foundationfor Urban Renewal and private sponsors.

The beautiful architectural and natural landscape of the Saxon villagesfrom Transylvania, the way of life which seems to balance the settlement,nature and culture (a balance toppled in western Europe during the XIXth-

XXth centuries),and the uniqueness of the pattern of settlements are arisinga force of attraction to which it is impossible to resist.The landscape depends on the communities and centuries-old farmingtradition which created form and rhythm of the land.The main challenge for these villages is to carry this beautiful and balancedlandscape (which seems to be almost unchanged since the middle-ages)into the twenty-first century , preserving the build and natural Heritage whileallowing the full and healthy development of the communities that give lifeto these places.

This workshop is seen as a continuation of the previous, when the maintask was to analyse the qualities of the villages and to produce NewUrbanism based proposals for future development of Laslea, including aMasterplan with strategic objectives regarding a sustainable developmentof the village and design guidance for new traditional buildings inside thevillage and in any future sustainable urban extension.


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PURPOSE main tasks

Laslea, 2005. the team in f ront o f the in format ion cent re 4

More specific Tasks that the participants considered were:

1. To discover the old routes of horse-carriages and to create a map withall this routes.2. To identify all points of interest in the Commune of Laslea and in thevillages around, in order to establish what can attract tourism here, andespecially, tourists interested in Heritage and in local traditions.3. To identify the events and traditions which still exist.4. To identify the character of architecture, the type which is unique in thecase of the Saxon villages of Transylvania.5. To make a clear description of the villages.

Considering all these tasks from the very beginning of the workshop, theteam started to gather information in order to establish the actual conditionsof the villages and the facts that can become advantages in the futuredevelopment.The main idea is to raise the awareness about the cultural Heritage ofTransylvania, about the rarity and the value of the place, both in theconsciousness of tourists and locals.

If tourism is developing fast in larger towns and cities of Transylvania, in themore remote Saxon villages it is yet largely undeveloped.The day tourists tend to pass through quickly, having as a result littleeconomic benefit for the local communities.The target is ,in this case, to minimize the impact of a possible masstourism but to bring benefit direct to the community, so the short termgain does not destroy the long term future.


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STUDY AREAThe study area covers the Commune of Laslea(150sq.km. and population 3000 people) with its fivevillages: L a s l e a , M a l a n c r a v , F l o r e s t i ,Roandola and Noul Sasesc (with their oldSaxon names of: Lasslen, Malmkrog, Felsendorf,Rauthal and Neudorf ).Laslea is the site of the Town Hall of the Communeand it was chosen by INTBAU as headquarters fortheir actions in this area ,partly because it is closerto the main road which links Medias and Sighisoara,and because it is like a gateway to the other vil-lages.Malancrav is a particularly interesting village havinga well preserved architecture owing to its isolationdown 13 km of dirt track, rare 15th century frescoesand a1520 altarpiece in the church. It has as well

the highest proportion of remaining Saxons inTransylvania, 170, a resident Evangelical priest anda German language primary school.

In a plan of ecotourism development of this area,Laslea can not be considered apart from the othervillages in the area. The workshop team has triedto create a network of interesting points, includingvillages like : B i e r t a n (from 1993 on theUNESCO list of monuments), Dumbraveni (withthe Apaffy castle from 1661), Saros, Richis ,Copsa Mare, Valchid and Cris.

5f o r t i f i ed chu rch

charac te r i s t i c fo r t i f i ed

churchmiddle age church

only saxon v i l lage


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WORKGROUPS

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Arne Sodal organising the groups the skil led draughtsmen

Raluca enjoying hiking

hard

with passion

with joy

with talent

the way of working

Viscri sketch

The participants organised themselves, according to the tasks, in fourmain groups:

1. Hik ing group - The group had the task of finding the old routes ofcarriages between the villages in Laslea and the other villages around andto draw a map. They also had the task of finding the possibilities of horseriding in the area.People involved in this group were: Raluca Elena Mocanu (murals restorator)Katia Moldoveanu (archaeologist), Bjorn-Are Vollstad (architect student), Ragnhild

Bakkevig (architect student ).

2. Points of interest group - The group had the task to identify themost interesting buildings, landscapes, fortified churches in the area andother objects that can become tourist attractions. They also had the missionof finding out about the possibilities of accommodation and of investigatingEcological farming and food as a tourism attraction.People involved in this group were: Claus Zapffe (architect), Carmen Tanase (architect),Ioana Cristina Bitu (architect), Simina Stan (historian), Catalin Rata (tourism agent).

3. Social and Cultur al Events group - The group had the task offinding out about the traditions and events that still exist in these villages.

People involved in this group were: Irina Neacsu (architect student), Anca Danilescu(art historian student).

4. Bui ld ing Her itage and Cul tural Landsca pe group - The grouphad the task of identifying the monuments and the buildings with historicaland architectural value and the landscapes with the most interesting Floraand Fauna.People involved in this group were: Andreas Fadum Haugstad (architecture student),

Alexandru Marinel (architect), Cetina Samoila (architecture student).


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DATA COLLECTION

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hik ing groupseven days h ik ing t r ip

oops, too many...

hiking boots on start on the way

what a good place to get a nap... is this the way?

so green.... lets milk the cows

a horses farm in the top of the hill

There are more and more tourists interested in active and adventurousholidays in the wild countryside of Transylvania, where they can get contact

with the locals and their way of life. These tourists are also very interestedin hiking trips , in riding horses or traveling by carriages like in old timesand why not, in milking cows.The hik ing group has tried to fancy a scenario of a seven days hikingtrip between Medias and Sighisoara, including the visit of the Saxon villages,camping and horse riding.They have imagined : - A h ik ing fami ly rout e -with shorter distances between villages

(2-3 hours) - A h ik ing sport y route -for trained people with camping equipment

The routes were planned for one week, the last day being reserved for thevisit of Sighisoara. These routes were tested with the routes: Copsa Mare-Roandola, Copsa Mare- Noul Sasesc, Noul Sasesc-Malancrav-Floresti.On this tested route they have marked the view points, the picnic spotsand the landmarks.The Spor ty route was: 1st day: Medias-Brateiu-Atel-halt and accommodation in Biertan 2-nd day: Biertan-Noul Sasesc 3-rd day: Noul Sasesc-Rondola-Valchid-Laslea 4-th day: Laslea-Floresti

5-th day: Malancrav-Apold 6-th day: Apold-Saes-Sighisoara 7-th day: SighisoaraT h e F a m i l y r o u t e could include more variations depending onpreferences ,the simplest routes being: Medias-Brateiu-Atel-Biertan-Noul Sasesc-Valchid-Rondola-Floresti-

Cris-Stejareni-Sighisoara Medias-Brateiu-Atel-Biertan-Noul Sasesc-Malincrav-Floresti-Cris-

Stejareni-Sighisoara

People involved:Raluca Elena Mocanu (murals restorator),Katia Moldoveanu (archaeologist),Bjorn-Are Vollstad (architect student),Ragnhild Bakkevig (architect student ).


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hik ing groupseven days h ik ing t r ip

GENERAL MAP OF THE ROUTS WHICH LINK S THE VIL LAGES BETWEEN SIGHI SOARA AND MEDIAS

DATA COLLECTION

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DATA COLLECTIONpo in ts o f i n te res tg r oup t ravel in t im e

People involved:Claus Zapffe (architect),Carmen Tanase (architect),Ioana Cristina Bitu (architect),Simina Stan (historian),Catalin Rata (tourism agent).

Tour is t At t rac t ions in Comuna Laslea and AroundThe research and f ie ld work a round the v i l lages tha t make up Las leahas y ie lded the fo l lowing resu l t s :

The po in ts o f in te res t g roup have discovered and made a list of the tourist attrac-tions and facilities in the five villages of the Laslea Commune, i.e. Laslea/ Grosslasseln,Floresti/, Roandola/ Rauthal, Nou Sasesc / Neudorf and Malancrav / Malmkrog.The attractions they have researched include the most important heritage points, such ast he fo r t i f i ed Sax on c hu r c hes and the o the r c hu r c hes , the t r a i l s / h i k i ng

paths that connect the five villages with one another and with villages of neighboringcommunes, the scen ic v iewpo in ts . In the same time, they have researched and addedto the list the towns and villages that are situated within close range, because they can onlywork as a complex, a coherent network of settlements. The attractions one can encounter

in these different towns and villages complete one another and make a puzzle that can beillustrative for Transylvania. Laslea Commune can not operate alone in this competi-tive environment. Not only it is too little and deprived of important basic features (accom-modation, info center , crafts shop) that are present in the neighboring towns, but it alsolacks the prime attractions its neighboring towns can pride on. (the fortified seat of theSaxon bishop in Biertan / Birthaelm or the whole fortified towns, like in Medias andSighisoara)Therefore, Laslea can only address (at least at this stage of tourism develop-

ment) a different and much smaller segment of tourism. The tourist infrastructure and theprecarious roads do not allow for large flows of tourists. The fact that some of the attrac-tions are at least temporarily closed (one has to look for the caretaker of the church, which

may prove quite difficult in an isolated village in a foreign country) may also act as a kind ofbarrier for those wishing to visit the area. However, Laslea has a favourable geographiclocation. The village of Laslea lies less than half an hour by car from the three importantattractions of the area, i.e. Medias, Biertan and Sighisoara. If we calculate an one hour

driving time after departure from the above towns, this allows to get to all of the villages ofLaslea Commune. This means that in half a day, with a car, one can do a quick tour of thefive villages. Alternatively, hiking or riding a horse (which should prove easier after mapsare drawn and published) from Laslea to Nou Sasesc or from Copsa Mare to Nou Sasescto Malancrav may make a very scenic full day tour.

stork nest on the roof top of Las lea church

houses f ront in Medias main square 9


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DATA COLLECTIONpo in ts o f i n te res tg r oup t ravel in t im e

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Laslea or thodox church .. .Laslea dwel l ings pattern .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Natural Landscape with hi l ls in teraces... . . . . . .or thodox graveyard .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Laslea for t i f ied tower

Below is a short presentation of the Commune and its five villages and

the most important tourist attractions that are accessible within a halfan hour drive.

Las lea vi l lage and the ma in po in ts o f in te res t- Las lea fo r t i f ied c hurch . Built in the 19th century on the siteof the former church. It is unique in that it has a north-south orientation,instead of the traditional position along an east-est axis. It is no longerused.

- The o ld be l f ry tower (from the former gothic church-15th

century)

- Las lea Romanian Or thodox church

- LodgingOnly available at Claudias guesthouse, which has somehow of animprovised character, lacking proper bathrooms for all the rooms. In the

near future, this may become inaccessible, as it is likely to be rented forseveral years by companies doing construction works in the commune.In the future, the parish priests house may open as a guesthouse andtraining centre for guesthouse owners, if the Lukas foundation, that is in

charge of it and the local hospital, manages to secure funding. At present,according to the director of the hospital, several beds areavailable for visitors in the attic. (the problem may be that people maynot find it attractive to be lodged in a hospital, along terminally ill patients.)


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DATA COLLECTION

Evangel i ca l t ower (15th century ) . ..Noul sasesc dw el l ings pat tern . ..Her r Schlager speak ing about o ld Saxon t rad i t ions . ..Evangel i ca l church . . .. . ..Tradi t ional Saxon cos t ume

po in ts o f i n te res tg r oup t ravel in t im e

Nou Sasesc v i l lage and po in ts o f in terest

- Noul Sasesc Evangel ical church.Built in 15th century

- A ca tho l ic and an or thodox church

- Lodg ingAvailable on request in the parish priest's house. This has two roomsthat can accommodate 4 persons and it also has a bathroom. The per-son in charge is Mr Johann Schlager, the caretaker of the Evangelical

Church.There are some 80 empty houses in the village, the ones in which theSaxons used to live. These are only partly occupied in summer, when

some of the Saxon owners come back to spend their holiday. Maybe inthe future some of them, at least, could be turned into guesthouses.Currently, they are maintained by the 63 Saxons who still live in thevillage.

- Youth campAfter several years of neglect (1998?-2005), the dorms for pupils in theyouth camp are being repaired again. They may accomodate up to 50pupils at once. The accompanying persons sleep in a separate building

and the facilities also include a kitchen/ canteen.

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DATA COLLECTION

po in ts o f i n te res tg r oup t rave l in t im e

Evangel ical for t i f ied church (14th century) . . . 1520 al tar piece... . . . . . . . . rare 15th century frescoes... . . . . . . . . . . . . .manor house Apaffy (17th century) .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .cathol ic church

Malancrav v i l lage and po in ts o f in terest

-Ma l inc rav church .Built in the first half of the 14th century, . It has outstanding frescoes,

which is twice remarkable, since it is one of the very few Lutheran churchesthat have preserved their frescoes, and since these frescoes display aninfluence of Byzantine art.

-Mal inc rav Manor House.Built by the Hungarian noble family of Apaffy in the Middle Ages, it is nowbeing restored by the MET. It will be converted into a library and will

comprise lodging facilities for specialist visitors.

-Mal inc rav Roman-Cathol ic Churc h.

There are almost no believers left, and the church is not used any longer.MET has plans to have it restored.

-Lodging

There is at least one guesthouse owned by the MET.

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The town o f Dumbraven i .This apparently common town prides on its large Armenian Roman-Cathol ic church from the 18thcentury. Built at a time when the town was the home of a thriving community of Armenian merchants, this

church still attracts large crowds for a yearly religious pilgrimage consecrated to the Assumption of theVirgin (August 15). Furthermore, just across the street there is a former Apaf fy cast le , which was partlydestroyed and converted after WWII into a local school. If this is at least partly restored on the outside andif the centre of Dumbraveni is taken care of, we think an itinerary connecting this castle to the other Apaffy

property in Malancrav and the Apaffy castle near Blaj, as well as the Bethlen Castles in Cris, Sanmiclausand Cetatea de Balta might prove interesting for a more in-depth presentation of the history and multi-cultural background of the area.

The v i l lages of Cr is , Valchid, Copsa Mare, Richis , Bratei , which all have fortifiedchurches are becoming more and more interesting for hikers and nature lovers.

In the surroundings of all these towns and villages and in between them, one can findseveral dozens of species of rare flowers along the pastures and haymeadows. Theterraced hills provide interesting points of view over the surroundings and integrate intothe general cultural landscape of the Saxon villages. One can also spot, at day or at night,various kinds of birds and animals such as foxes, rabbits, deer, bore, lynxes or hawks,falcons and plenty of storks which nest on the chimneys and roofs of the houses and

churches or on the upper part of lampposts.

The tow n o f S igh isoara .It is a municipality with over 30,000 inhabitants and important socialand economic functions. Above all, in the recent years it has developed as a major tourist attraction. Thepresence of a fortified town with evangelical churches, mediaeval streets, towers and bastions lis ted as

an UNESCO heritage site has been attracting increasing numbers of tourists. Consequently, the economy

of Sighisoara has developed a lot, with many new hotels, guesthouses and restaurants.

The town o f Med ias.Just like Sighisoara, a municipality with over 30,000 inhabitants. Its economicand industrial functions seem more important than those of Sighisoara, while it gets definitely less tourists.

The fortified town is no longer intact, but the impressive Church of St Margaret or the Castle, as the localscall it, is still a landmark of the area.

DATA COLLECTION

po in ts o f i n te res tg r oup t rave l in t im e

Dumbraveni and Saros

B i e r t a n

The v i l lage o f B ie r tan .This former seat of the bishop of the Saxons (16th to 19th centuries) with its massive hall-church sur-

rounded by three fortified walls has also become a leading tourist attraction of the area in the last years. Arestaurant and several guesthouses, some of which are operated by the MET, have opened in the lastyears. Furthermore, a craft shop which sells good quality artefacts operates now in the main square.

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FINAL RESULTS/PRESENTATIONDATA COLLECTION

in search o f o ld t rad i t ions

Soc ial and Cult ural Events groupPeople involved:

Irina Neacsu (architect student),Anca Danilescu (art historian student).

The Social and Cultural Events Group had the task of making aresearch regarding the fo lk lo r ic and arch i tec tura l t rad i t ions that

still exist and discover the events (holidays, festivals, fairs...) and customsof the place, which define a very typical way of life.The idea was, on one hand, to propose an archive of the built environmentwhich can lead further to a code of regulations in the construction field,and, on the other hand, to discover the possibilities of maintaining thecommunities which gave the place life.The rapid exodus of the Saxons from the 1990s, after the Romanian revolution, has precipitated

sudden great change in the communities. The villages have emptied; the remaining communities

are elderly and impoverished. In 1990, the ethnic mix in the Saxon villages was 70% Saxons,

25% Romanian and 5% Rroma, with a Saxon population of 90.000. Today, the population standsat less than 20.000, from which, 5% are Saxons, 35% Romanian and 60% Rroma. The

Romanian and Rroma population brought their specific customs and traditions and only in few

places there are Saxon traditions which are still kept. (in Richis- the custom of hanging mistletoe

branches at the windows in may saying that there are girls at that house, is an old Saxon

tradition). The exodus of the Saxons had a big impact on the built environment. Since todays

population is mostly orthodox and catholic, the fortified evangelical churches are not anymore

used for service, and thats why they are kept in a very bad condition. The houses are mostly

owned by Romanians and Rroma who have a very different tradition in construction and do not

necessarily appreciate so much the appearance and identity of their villages. Those who canafford to invest are looking more for modern comfort and effects like pebble-dash, crazy paving,

tarmac and Alpine picture windows, statements of the modern world. To educate the locals and

to help them to appreciate the long-term economic benefit of conservation in terms of property

values and tourism could be more effective than State regulation and conservation.

In the next pages is presented a calendar with the major events and holidaysthat exist in the Saxon villages of Transylvania nowadays:

F lorest i w indows t ype

Las lea w indows t ype

st reet facade in Noul Sasesc and Viscr i

t he Saxon t rad i t i on o f cu t t i ng the roo f t o t he s t ree t f acade 15


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The un i ty and d ivers i ty o f se t t lements

Building Heritage and Cultural Landscape group

DATA COLLECTIONPeople involved:Andreas Fadum Haugstad (architecture student),Alexandru Marinel (architect),Cetina Samoila (architecture student).

The Bu i ld ing Her i tage and Cul tu ra l Landscape Group hadthe task of looking at the cultural and natural heritage sites and documenting

a village profile based on the findings. Their research tried to find thecommon and the particular features of the Saxon villages , their relationshipwith the landscape, the typical and equally, the unique which is significantfor the Saxon villages.The comm on fea tu res o f the Saxon v i l lages f rom Las lea Commune

are l i s ted be low :

they display a remarkable and unspoilt harmony between people andlandscape. linear street pattern with subsidiary cross-streets.

the villages are enclosed by steep valley sides (in Laslea and Roandola,where the landform is less steep , development follows a looser pattern). a stream typically runs down the street and pear trees are planted oneither side. the houses have a regular pattern: they end-on to the street , painted ina rich variety of colors with a typicall hipped roof, bringing unity and diversityto the villages a house unit has the common structure: house-courtyard-barn-vegetables garden - orchard-forest

the fortified churches the dancing circles-(tanzplatze) the centuries-old agriculture methods that survive today the daily rituals in the countryside village streets and squares are the focus of public life the use of natural materials like lime mortar and clay roof tiles ,of limewash colors

No ul Sas esc s tre et o ut lin e Vi ew f rom t he chu rc h in Fl ore st i

Noul Sasesc s t reet out l i ne Up on the h i l l s


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Building Heritage and Cult ural Landscape group

DATA COLLECTIONDATA COLLECTION

Cathol i c Church Malancrav

House Uni t in Las lea

The s ta te o f t he bu i lt her i tage: the s ta t e o f the houses:

Some of the houses have changed their decoration styles over the years(some getting influences from Art Nouveau and Art Deco) but morerecently the changes bring very strong, severe, and unfortunate effects.Materials like cement-mortars, crazy pavement and pebble dashedexteriors and Alpine-style windows are seen as signs of modern life.The locals, Romanians and Rroma mostly, do not appear to appreciatethe appearance of the Saxon houses which are, for them, old, andunsuitable for modern comfort.As the knowledge and the craftsmen needed for a proper restoration are

lacking, the one who have money to renovate their houses make appealto todays materials and cheap untrained workers. the s ta te o f the fo r t i f i ed churches :The Evangelical Saxon churches are mostly in a bad condition due thefact that the small Saxon congregation no longer has the means to maintainthem. The remaining Saxons are taking part at services in small improvisedrooms, or in parish houses or small Chapels. This is happening as welldue to the lack of heating in the old Evangelical churches.

I n conc lus ion , if there is no future potential for ecclesiastical use,alternative uses (community halls, concert halls) should be sought.To improve the state of the houses or to maintain them on a long-termdevelopment, means to make people understand the value of build heritageboth in cultural and economical terms and to make local workshops ofcrafts where locals should be trained in traditional methods of restoration.

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Building Heritage and Cultural Landscape group

DATA COLLECTIONDATA COLLECTION

Flores t i p lan and sec t ion

Flores t i Small village along the river

Not all the houses are built fallowing a Saxon tradition

Most of the population are gypsies Floresti church-is the oldest in the area. It is situated close by the waterfront; it is in

a very bad condition; only the roof was partly remade by METThe forest is very close to the village.

Noul Sasesc p lan and sec t ion

MAlancrav p lan and sec t ion

Noul Sasesc Village developed along the river- mainly on one side Village located in a valley

The landscape is interacting with the village

Typical Saxon housing

A small beautiful evangelical church and cemetery located up on a hill

The dwellings seem to be in a very good shape One catholic church on the hills

An orthodox church is located in the middle of the village

A great variety of wild plants and insects

A small Roma community

Malanc rav Village with houses on each part of the river The fortified church is located in top of a hill close to the village: The church and its

tower are in a good shape. It is a great view from the hill to the village

The second church is a Romano-catholic one , and it is in a bad state A regular pattern of houses which sit end-on to the street, painted in a rich variety of

colors like: ochre, green, blue.

Distinctive hipped roofs

Be low a re l i s ted the p lans and sec t ions o f some o f the v i l l ages f romLas lea Commune showing t he i r pa r t i cu la r and c ommon fea tu res :

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The natura l landscapeFlora and FaunaDATA COLLECTIONDATA COLLECTION

The natura l landscape:

The natural landscape of this Saxon Villages proved to be extremely richin terms of relief and of biodiversity, encountering here some rare speciesof plants and animals.Very important research work in this field is being done hereby TheADEPT Founda t i on , a registered charity working to promote theconservation of Romanias internationally important natural heritage, tocreate local economic incentives for conservation, and to provideenvironmental education. Measures will be designed and implementedwith full community participation, to ensure that they are practical, bring

local economic benefits, and enjoy local support. Their aim is to create avirtuous circle between conservation of the environment and the well-beingof the inhabitants.In the Saxon villages of Transylvania, low intensity agriculture coexistswith spectacular flora and fauna, including many endangered species.The landscape is threatened by rural poverty, loss of traditional land andforest management, and lack of awareness at both local and national levelsof the biodiversity value of the area.Dr John Akeroyd and Owen Mountford of the Centre for Ecology and

Hydrology have made a detailed study of the wild habitats of the Saxonvillages in Transylvania. They have found here th ree main c a tegor iesof hab i ta t :Nat ive dec iduous wood landDry GrasslandsWet Grasslands, marshes, f lushes, stream sidesFor the most passionate , on the next pages are listed the most importantspecies of plants: 23


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T r e e s a n d s h r u b s :T r e e s a n d s h r u b s :T r e e s a n d s h r u b s :T r e e s a n d s h r u b s :T r e e s a n d s h r u b s :The most frequent broadleaved deciduous trees in the Saxon Villages region are: Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea and Carpinusbetulus, followed by Quercus robur, Q.. pubescensand Q. pedunculiflora.Conifers are dominated by Pinus sylvestris, P. nigra, P. strobus, Picea abiesand Larix decidua. A feature of Laslea Commune is woods of Downy Oak (Quercus pubescens), a Mediterranean tree associatedwith sub-steppic conditions in Central Europe.

Of the shrubs, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosaand Ligustrum vulgareare particularly frequent (Peri-Pannonic hawthorn-blackthorn scrub). In deforested areas, Rosa canina, Viburnum opulus andEuonimus europaeusare locally dominant, often with Corylus avellana.TTTTTrrrrrees (40 spec ies) :ees (40 spec ies) :ees (40 spec ies) :ees (40 spec ies) :ees (40 spec ies) :Silver Fir (Abies alba) Field Maple (Acer campestre)Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) Tatarian Maple (Acer tataricum) Silver Birch (Betula pendula)Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) Chestnut (Castanea sativa) *Quince (Cydonia oblonga) Beech (Fagus sylvatica) Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) *Walnut (Juglans regia) Larch (Larix decidua subsp. carpatica) *Apple(Malus sylvestris) Bird Cherry (Prunus padus, Padus avium) Norway Spruce (Picea abies) *Austrian Pine (Pinus nigrasubsp. nigra) *Weymouth Pine (Pinus strobus) Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris)*London Plane(Platanus hispanica) White Poplar (Populus alba)White Poplar (Populus nigra) Aspen (Populus tremula) Wild Cherry (Prunus avium) *Pear (Pyrus communis)Wild Pear (Pyrus pyraster) Quercus pedunculifloraSessile Oak (Quercus petraea) Downy Oak (Quercus pubescens) Pedunculate Oak (Quercus robur) *False Acacia (Robinia pseudacacia) White Willow (Salix alba)Goat Willow (Salix capraea) Bay Willow (Salixpentandra)Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) Wild Service-tree (Sorbus torminalis) Small-leaved Lime (Tilia cordata)Large-leaved Lime (Tilia platyphyllos)Silver Lime (Tilia tomentosa) ,European White Elm (Ulmus laevis)Sh rSh rSh rSh rSh r ubs ( 36 s pec i es ) :ubs ( 36 s pec i es ) :ubs ( 36 s pec i es ) :ubs ( 36 s pec i es ) :ubs ( 36 s pec i es ) :Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas)Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea)Hazel (Corylus avellana) Woodland Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata) Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) Spindle(Euonymus europaea) Evonymus verrucosa Alder Buckthorn (Frangula alnus) Privet (Ligustrum vulgare) Steppe Cherry (Prunus fruticosa)Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) Prunus tenellaBuckthorn (Rhamnuscathartica) Mountain Buckthorn (Rhamnus saxatilis) Black Currant (Ribes nigrum) Dog-rose (Rosa canina) Downy Dog-rose (Rosa corymbifera) Provence Rose (Rosa gallica) Small-flowered Sweet-briar (Rosamicrantha)Harsh Downy-rose (Rosa tomentosa) Dewberry (Rubus caesius)Bramble (Rubus fruticosus) Rubus glandulosusRubus hir tusRaspberry (Rubus idaeus)Grey Willow (Salix cinerea) Salix daphnoidesSalixrosmarinifoliaAlmond Willow (Salix triandra)Osier (Salix viminalis) Elder (Sambucus nigra)Elm-leaved Spiraea (Spiraea chamaedryfolia) Bladdernut (Staphylea pinnata) Guelder-rose (Viburnum opulus)*introduced

D R Y G R A S S L A N DD R Y G R A S S L A N DD R Y G R A S S L A N DD R Y G R A S S L A N DD R Y G R A S S L A N D

The grasslands, managed as meadows(mown or scythed) or pastures (grazed), probably derive from wood-steppe and fragments of grassland and scrub on steep slopes, river-banks and other naturally openground. The drier grasslands contain at least 21 species on the Romanian Red Data List and one species (Red Vipers-bugloss, Echium russicum) listed under the EU Habitats Directive.

Note that just a single application of fertilizer would have catastrophic effects on the survival of these remarkable grasslands and their special assemblages of plants and animals.

C h ar a c t e r i s t i c s p e c i e s i n c l u d e :C h ar a c t e r i s t i c s p e c i e s i n c l u d e :C h ar a c t e r i s t i c s p e c i e s i n c l u d e :C h ar a c t e r i s t i c s p e c i e s i n c l u d e :C h ar a c t e r i s t i c s p e c i e s i n c l u d e :

G r a s s e s a n d s e d g e s :G r a s s e s a n d s e d g e s :G r a s s e s a n d s e d g e s :G r a s s e s a n d s e d g e s :G r a s s e s a n d s e d g e s :Common Bent (Agrostis capillaris),Sweet Vernal-grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum),False Oat-grass (Arrhenatherum elatius),Tor-grass (Brachypodium pinnatum),Quaking Grass (Briza media)Chrysopogongryllus, Crested Dogs-tail (Cynosurus cristatus), Cocks-foot (Dactylis glomerata),Dichanthium ischaemum, Festuca rupicola, Festuca valesiaca, Grey Couch-grass (Elymus hispidus),Erect Brome-grass(Bromopsis erecta), Soft Brome-grass (Bromus hordeaceus),Bromus squarrosus, Dwarf Sedge (Carex humilis),Heath Sedge (Carex montana), False Sheeps Fescue (Festuca pseudovina),Valais Fescue(Festuca valesiana),Yorkshire Fog (Holcus lanatus),Crested Hair-grass (Koeleria macrantha), Transylvanian Melick (Melica transylvanica),Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass (Poa angustifolia),Smooth Meadow-grass (Poa pratensis),Purple-stemmed Timothy-grass (Phleum phleoides)L e g u m e s :L e g u m e s :L e g u m e s :L e g u m e s :L e g u m e s :Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulnerariasubsp. polyphylla),Stemless Milk-vetch (Astragalus dasyanthus),Montpellier Milk-vetch (Astragalus monspessulanum),Sainfoin Milk-vetch (Astragalus onobrychis),Chamaecytisusalbus,Crown Vetch (Coronilla varia),Dorycnium (Dorycnium pentaphyllum subsp. herbaceum),Black Broom (Lembotropis nigricans),,Birds-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus),Sickle medick (Medicago falcata),Black

medick (Medicago lupulina),Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia),Restharrow (Ononis arvensis),Hares-foot Clover (Trifolium arvense),Hop Trefoil (Trifolium campvestre),Zigzag Clover (Trifolium medium),UplandClover (Trifolium montanum),Sulphur Clover (Trifolium ochroleucon),Red Clover (Trifolium pratense),Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca),Hairy Tare (Vicia hirsuta),Common Vetch (Vicia sativa)O r c h i d s :O r c h i d s :O r c h i d s :O r c h i d s :O r c h i d s :Marsh Helleborine (Epipactis palustris) Fragrant Orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea),Twayblade (Listera ovata),Bug Orchid (Orchis coriophora),Military Orchid (Orchis militaris),Green-winged Orchid (Orchismorio) ,Three-toothed Orchid (Orchis tridentata),Perforate St Johns-wort (Hypericum perforatum),Inula ensifolia,Iris aphylla,Jurinea (Jurinea mollissubsp. transilvanicas),Yellow Garlic (Allium flavum),FieldScabious (Knautia arvensissubsp. pannonica),Ox-eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare),Purging Flax (Linum catharticum),Yellow Flax (Linum flavum),Perennial Flax (Linum perenne),Tasselled Hyacinth (Muscaricomosum),Purple Nonea (Nonea pulla),Spiked Star-of-Bethlehem (Ornithogalum pyramidale) ,Orlaya (Orlaya grandiflora),Pepper Saxifrage (Pimpinella saxifraga),Field Cow-wheat (Melampyrum arvense)Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata),Hoary Plantain (Plantago media),Large Milkwort (Polygala major),Sulphur Cinquefoil (Potentilla recta),Cut-leaved Self-heal (Prunella laciniata),Large-flowered Self-heal(Prunella grandiflora),,Rumelian Hay-rattle (Rhinanthus rumelica),Sorrel (Rumex acetosa),Nodding Sage (Salvia nutans),Meadow Clary (Salvia pratensis),Transylvanian Clary (Salvia transilvanica),Salad,Burnet(Sanguisorba minor),Yellow Scabious (Scabiosa ochroleuca),Purple Vipers-grass (Scorzonera purpurea),Orpine (Sedum telephium),Silene chlorantha,Austrian Woundwort (Stachys austriaca),DownyWoundwort (Stachys germanica),Red Germander (Teucrium chamaedrys),Small Meadow-rue (Thalictrum minus),Flax-leaved Bastard-toadflax (Thesium linophyllon),Goats-beard (Tragopogon pratensis),Large

Speedwell (Veronica austriaca),Spiked Speedwell (Veronica spicata),Purple Mullein (Verbascum phoeniceum),Swallow-wort (Vincetoxicum hirundinaria subsp. hirundinaria).


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All these dry and semi-dry grasslands are colourful from early May onwards, when several orchids a feature of this habitat - are in flower, for example Military Orchid, Green-winged Orchid and Three-toothed Orchid , also Yellow Adonis, Montpellier Milk-vetch, Purple Mullein, Purple Vipers-grass and the first sages.

By June the grasslands present a superb spectacle. The mix of colours derives from high species diversity, notably the suite of clovers, vetches and other legumes. From a distance the massed

cream heads of Dropwort, loose pink spikes of Sainfoin and blue splashes of Clary are particularly distinctive. At closer quarters the pale pink of Squinancywort, the yellow of Ladys Bedstraw and long-stalked pink-and-bronze heads of Charterhouse Pink, are conspicuous. Extensive patches are pale yellow with Rhinanthus rumelica.

In late July the grasslands remain colourful, with splashes of blue Creeping Bellflower and Spiked Speedwell, purplish-pink knapweeds and Zigzag Clover, yellow Agrimony and Ladys Bedstraw, white WildCarrot, pale yellow and conspicuous greenish-cream clumps of the umbellifers Field Eryngo and Longleaf.

On some steeper slopes the clumps or stands of Blackthorn and Privet scrub, with some Wild Pear, supports a sub-Pannonian wood-steppe flora, with lusher grassland. The scrub shows evidence ofburning, presumably to clear land for grazing, and Wood Ant nests occur here and there. Growing in this community are two roses, French Rose ( Rosa gallica) and Small-flowered Sweet-briar (Rosamicrantha), and occasionally (for example, just south of Cris) the striking and scarce subshrub Burning Bush (Dictamnus albus).

M E S I C G R A S S L A N DM E S I C G R A S S L A N DM E S I C G R A S S L A N DM E S I C G R A S S L A N DM E S I C G R A S S L A N D

Some drier grasslands show an increasing influence of human management, with mesic habitat conditions neither markedly wet nor dry, moderately nutrient-rich (but not excessively fertilised) and neutral tomildly acid pH. Where such swards were managed by cutting and some aftermath grazing, communities could be ascribed to the order Molinio-Arrhenatheratalia to include permanent mesotrophic pasturesand aftermath-grazed meadows or coarse permanent grassland and tall herbs. These are usually mown but little grazed. Such communities are widespread throughout Europe, and have a generally similar

composition. These sort of grasslands are decreasig around villages, often resown with forage legumes such as alfalfa.

Species include -Yarrow (Achillea millefolium),Common Bent (Agrostis capillaris),False Oat-grass (Arrhenatherum elatius)Quaking Grass (Briza media),Autumn Crocus (Colchiucum officinale),Crown Vetch (Coronilla varia)Rough Hawks-beard (Crepis biennis),Ox-eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare),Crested Dogs-tail (Cynosurus cristatus),Cocks-foot (Dactylis glomerata),Wild Carrot (Daucus carota),Eyebright (Euphrasiaroskoviana),Birds-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) ,Meadow Fescue (Festuca pratensis),Red Fescue (Festuca rubra),Dropwort (Filipendula vulgaris),Ladys Bedstraw (Galium verum),Rough Hawkbit (Leontodonhispidus),Ox-eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare),,Field Woodrush (Luzula campestris),Green-winged Orchid (Orchis morio),Lambs-tongue Plantain (Plantago lanceolata),Smooth Meadow-grass (Poapratensis),Tormentil (Potentilla erecta),Cowslip (Primula veris),Sorrel (Rumex acetosa),Greater Burnet (Sanguisorba offficinalis),Lesser Stitchwort (Stellaria graminea),Alsike Clover (Trifolium

hybridum),Upland,Clover (Trifolium montanum),Red Clover (Trifolium pratense),White Clover (Trifolium repens),Yellow Oat-grass (Trisetum flavescens).


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DATA COLLECTIONFINAL PRESENTATI ONFinal Result s and Conc lusio ns

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The final presentation took part in the INTBAU info centre in Laslea and all the fourgroups presented their work and conclusions.

Conclusions about Walking:The footpaths are walkable, there is an absolute need for topographical maps to mark thepaths and in some places physical marking of the paths are necessary. There were notexperienced any great problems with stray dogs or wild animals . The flora contains over 1000species and over 100 are on the European red list. The walking group saw many animals;mostly fox and deer. A tour guide must be developed and the material from the workshop canbe used for this. At present, a Romanian-speaking tour guide is recommended. Horse ridingand using horse carts is unproblematic, but the logistics of organisation is at present an obstacle.Conclusions aboutAccommodation:A few guesthouses in the village are functional. The accommodations possibilities in the old

priest houses and other private homes need a serious upgrading. The major problem withaccommodation is the difficulty in finding the people who have the key and in booking suchaccommodation in advance. Here a major organisational effort must be made. For the momentwe can only recommend that such tours be organised for groups and that they be planned wellin advance. The information office in Laslea has an important role to play in this respect.Village profiles, cultural heritage landmarks and events:An event calendar has been made. The major problem here is that many of the traditionalevents are disappearing with the last remaining Saxon inhabitants. This should not pose agreat problem as the new Romanian population are introducing their own festivals, but theseare different.Village profiles and landmarks can be developed to a higher level of sophistication, if one wishes.

There are two major problems here:A: The need for maintenance and the falling into disrepair of many of these landmarksB:The ongoing dilapidation of many of the traditional Saxon houses and their typical elementand the change of village architecture which takes away much of the charm and therefore alsothe attraction.The strong sides are the continued rural life style with cows returning and leaving the villages totheir pastures, the ducks, geese and hens freely wandering in the villages, the large flock ofsheep grassing in the hills and the shepherds following them. And of course the nature and the

landscape itself, with is flora and fauna.

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DATA COLLECTIONAct iv i t ies planned for 2005OfOfOfOfOf fffff i c e a n d i n fi c e a n d i n fi c e a n d i n fi c e a n d i n fi c e a n d i n f o ro ro ro ro r m am am am am a t i o n c e n t rt i o n c e n t rt i o n c e n t rt i o n c e n t rt i o n c e n t r eeeee .....

With the special funding from the Norwegian Embassy in Bucharest the INTBAU (Ro) information office will be run. A permanent presence has been assured for 1 day pr. Week

through cooperation with village volunteers. Further, the local members of INTBAU (Ro) who are based in Medias will visit the office on a regular basis.

R e s t o r a t i o n a n d t r a i n i n g o n h o u s e 3 4 4R e s t o r a t i o n a n d t r a i n i n g o n h o u s e 3 4 4R e s t o r a t i o n a n d t r a i n i n g o n h o u s e 3 4 4R e s t o r a t i o n a n d t r a i n i n g o n h o u s e 3 4 4R e s t o r a t i o n a n d t r a i n i n g o n h o u s e 3 4 4

An agreement has been made between MET1 and INTBAU (Ro) to organise a cooperative venture to restore the house 344 in Laslea. This house was planned for demolition by theMunicipality. The order to demolish has now been cancelled. Work on the house has started with documentation, under the supervision of Master mason Mr. H. Rumboldt and ateam of English craftsmen. The work on the house will simultaneously function as a training opportunity for local craftsmen.

INTBAU will be responsable for restoring and equipping the interior of the house and to run the centre for five years after completion.

C ob b l e - s t o n e s o n t h e n e w w a t e r i n g e m p l a c e m e n t f o r l i v e s t o c kC ob b l e - s t o n e s o n t h e n e w w a t e r i n g e m p l a c e m e n t f o r l i v e s t o c kC ob b l e - s t o n e s o n t h e n e w w a t e r i n g e m p l a c e m e n t f o r l i v e s t o c kC ob b l e - s t o n e s o n t h e n e w w a t e r i n g e m p l a c e m e n t f o r l i v e s t o c kC ob b l e - s t o n e s o n t h e n e w w a t e r i n g e m p l a c e m e n t f o r l i v e s t o c k

This project, which was to be organised by INTBAU (Ro) and part financed by a special funding by the Norwegian Embassy in Bucharest, will be initiated during the summer 2005.

S u n d rS u n d rS u n d rS u n d rS u n d r y a c t iy a c t iy a c t iy a c t iy a c t i v i t i e sv i t i e sv i t i e sv i t i e sv i t i e s

A test tour for eco-tourism planned for the fall 2005.

INTBAU Ro has been invited to organise a week study seminar in Bran, which will be held first week of august 2005. The seminar is part of a summer university organised incooperation with the Bran Museum and the Ministry of Culture. The objective is to study how development inside Bran village and the surrounding countryside can be directed andmanaged to assure a more controlled development in Bran. Bran is presently experiencing a growing problem with uncontrolled construction in its surroundings and haphazardcentre development.

S u s t a i n a b i l i t yS u s t a i n a b i l i t yS u s t a i n a b i l i t yS u s t a i n a b i l i t yS u s t a i n a b i l i t y

By the establishment of the INTBAU office in Laslea a more permanent presence in the municipality has been assured.The work on House 344 in the centre of Laslea also assures a visible presence and reminder of the need and potential of maintaining the traditional architecture in the village. Thisis strengthened by the offices being next door to the Town hall and the close cooperation intended in the cobblestone project.In cooperation with the Municipality INTBAU will negotiate some specific restoration activities in Laslea during 2005.

1 Mihai Eminescu Trust2 Such is the case with the manor house in Malencrav, which, if finished by mid September 2005, would count as 3 houses.

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DATA COLLECTIONLis t o f par t ic ipants and contac t de ta i ls1.Claus Zapffe [email protected](+47) 91 114 117Schivesgate 10B0259 Oslo, Norway

2. Simina Stan [email protected](+40) 021-2321810Bd. Aerogarii nr. 2-8, bl II/1, sc. C, ap. 21sector 1, Bucuresti, Romania

3. Anca Danilescu [email protected](+40) o21 315 75 20(+40)0722 95 97 25Str. Episcopiei nr.6, etaj 4, apartament 9sector 1, Bucuresti , Romania

4. Raluca Elena [email protected](+40)021 778 37 18(+40)724 58 76 94Str. Drumul Taberei nr.92 Bl.C7 sc.E ap.187sector 6 Bucuresti, Romania

5. Catalin-Tudor Rata [email protected](+40) 21.346.31.80(+40) 744.37.31.35Calea Vitan 219, bl. 10, sc. 3, et. 4, ap. 140Bucuresti-3, 031291PO-Box 77-08, 033290

6. Ragnhild Bakkevig [email protected](+47) 92848085Postboks 1464 Bleikemyr,5518 Haugesund , Norway

7. Andreas Fadum Haugstad [email protected](+47) 92014116

Nordre Lokkevei 183120 Tonsberg , Norway

8. Irina Neacsu [email protected] / [email protected](+40)722134307Bd. Natiunile Unite, nr.5, bl.110,sc.B, ap.42,

10. Ioana Bitu [email protected](+40) 727707105Str. Vasile Milea nr. 7, bloc B1, apt. 14sector 6, Bucuresti, Romania

11. Alexandru Marinel [email protected](+40)0742904753Str. Turbinei, nr.5, ap. 1, sector 2Bucuresti, Romania

12. Samoila, Cetina [email protected](+40)0723.411.300Str. Gutuilor, nr. 14, Aradjud. Arad, Romania

13. Carmen Tanase [email protected](+40)0740030555

Str. Intrarea Dr. Felix, nr.2, bl.M4, sc.A, ap.79sector1, Bucuresti, Romania

14. Bjorn-Are Vollstad [email protected](+47)97140250Rennekleiva 17,6800 Forde, Norway

15. Aura Neag [email protected]+44 (0)207 613 853019-22 Charlotte RoadLondon EC2A 3SG, UK

16. Audun Engh [email protected]+47 98028911St. Olans Gate 90165 Oslo, Norway

17. Arne Sodal [email protected]

+47 92298996, +4722200924St. Alavset 70165 Oslo, Norway

18. Dorin Boila [email protected]+400723282450

19. Per Halvorsen [email protected]+4791702777

20. Carl Wilhelm Tyren [email protected](+47)91152271Angerstv. 38B, 1349, Rykkin, Norway

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9. Katia Moldoveanu [email protected](+40)0740.824.698Radu Popescu 17, bl.24A, sc.1, ap.24Bucuresti 1, RO

21. Oyvind Eikvam(+47)22492229Alaf Bullsvei 3A, 0765, Oslo, Norway

22. Olav Bjerve [email protected]

(+47)22203344,(+47)91776895St.Alavsat 7, 0165Oslo, Norway

INTBAU Laslea Eco-Tourism Final Report

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Transcript of INTBAU Laslea Eco-Tourism Final Report