Ecological reconstruction represents one of the best methods to bring back into the agro-forestry circuit the terrains that have previously suffered from different forms of degradation. One of the main reasons that sustain the statement from above is that once installed on the fields the forest shrubs rehabilitate the area themselves, without any further negative impact on the environment and with low maintenance costs

GHEORGHE, Blaga

KOVAKS, Eniko

OPREA, Vlad

PACURAR, Ioan

English

Publicatii USAMV Cluj-Napoca (University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine / Universitatea de Ştiinţe Agricole şi Medicină Veterinară din Cluj-Napoca)

576  Bulletin UASVM Agriculture, 66 (1)/2009 Print ISSN 1843-5246; Electronic ISSN 1843-5386  The Ecological Reconstruction of the Degraded Terrains from the Transylvanian Hill area through the Cultivation of the Silvo-Ameliorative Shrubs  Vlad OPREA, Blaga GHEORGHE, Ioan PACURAR, Eniko KOVAKS  Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca  Abstract. Ecological reconstruction represents one of the best methods to bring back into the agro-forestry circuit the terrains that have previously suffered from different forms of degradation. One of the main reasons that sustain the statement from above is that once installed on the fields the forest shrubs rehabilitate the area themselves, without any further negative impact on the environment and with low maintenance costs.  Keywords: Degraded terrains, shrubs, soils, ecology, reconstruction.  INTRODUCTION  The degradation of soils represents a worldwide problem that humanity nowadays has to confront with. The fact that this phenomenon is expanding with a high speed brings up the necessity to find fast and long term solutions to slow down the process.  One of the most environment friendly methods to do is the ecological reconstruction.  The complexity of this type of solution reaches a very high level as one must always have to take into consideration the variety of factors that the future cultures have to face (climatic and soil conditions, the natural vegetation that is in the area and can invade and overwhelm etc.) We cannot neglect this problem in the Transylvania hill area because, according to I.C.P.A. Bucharest hundreds of thousands of agricultural and forestry terrains are affected by the different forms of erosion, and the phenomenon of gleisation and stagnogleisation. With the increasing of population the quality of soil decreases and soil functions are lost. However, once land becomes increasingly degraded and eventually sterile and toxic wasteland, it is abandoned and people are forced to move to other regions, accelerating the process of land degradation.  The only measure to break this vicious circle is the introduction of sustainable land management techniques and the reintegration of these areas in the agro-forest circuit by the implementation of different methods, including the culture of the sylvo-ameliorative shrubs.  MATERIALS AND METHODS  The soil analysis were made after currently used technologies in the soil sciences laboratories. The soil data is presented on the basis of the activity developed by the USAMV Cluj-Napoca in collaboration with ICPA Bucuresti. 577  The shrub types that are to be used were established after the normative elaborated by ICAS Bucharest, according to the natural fundamental forest types existing in the areas. We have made several experimentation polygons (Teaca, Tonciu, Coasta Mare) Teaca is situated in Bistrita-Nasaud county, on the range of the Ocolul Silvic Lechinta, Production Unit IV and it is under forestry operation system.  Taking into consideration the typical conditions of the degraded terrain from the amelioration perimeter were used for reforestation low-keyed species as: Pinus nigra, Acer pseudoplatanus, Cornus sanguinea, Hyppophae rhammnoides.   The afforestation composition for Teaca perimeter 50 Pinus 25 Acer 25 Cornus      0.10 ha     8.5 % 45Pinus 22 Acer 23 Cornus 10 Hyppophae   0.31 ha   24.7 % 55 Pinus 28 Acer 17 Cornus      0.45 ha   36.3 % 33 Pinus 67 Acer                   0.38 ha   30.5 % TOTAL effective planted surface     1.26 ha 100,0%  The total surface occupied by each species Pinus nigra       0.57 ha    46.8 % Acer pseudoplatanus      0.48 ha    18.4 % Cornus sanguinea       0.17 ha      11.9 % Hyppophae rhammnoides      0.03 ha    2.5 % TOTAL        1.26ha  100.0%  The plantation was made in spring, on a previously unprepared terrain in hearths of 60x80 cm and in holes of 30x30x30 cm on a surface of 1.26 ha. In order to know the status of the installed cultures  and the percentage of grasp and maintenance of the culture, in the first year after plantation, on the entire surface of the amelioration perimeter were placed 9 control surfaces of circular shape.       Table 1 Localisation of the control surfaces from Teaca perrimeter     Perimeter  A.u.  P.U. Annual regeneration control surfaces Surface a.u. -ha- % of surface from a.u. % Surf. m2 Pieces 1   Teaca 82A   IV 100 23 2,79 8,2 2 82B 100 9 1,08 8,3 3 82C 100 14 1,63 8,6 4 82D 200 13 3,12 8,3 5 82E 200 15 3,51 8,5 6 82F 100 19 2,31 8,2 TOTAL   93 14,44 8,4  In these control surfacesall the plants were numbered in september so that we can establish the influence of theused working technologies on the plants, after passing one vegetation season from plantation.  RESULTS AND DISCUSSION  578  In table two is presented the rather severe situation of the terrains from the studied area affected by erosion. As one can easily observe the surfaces affected by erosion occupy a rather large percentage from the total area (over 15%), this fact being the main one that imposes the need for reconstruction by using the forest shrubs.  Moreover, when putting to application the plan we have to take into consideration the socio-economical impact that this will have over the area, as a plus to the ecological one, because one will employ the local work force, and the shrubs can be further put in valor by collecting the different parts ( fruits, leaves, roots etc.) and thus creating an extra income for the local population. In addition, the correct implementation of the shrubs and forest trees on degraded terrains will improve the esthetical  quality of the landscape and boost up the quality of air clearing it of dust, residual compounds and harmful gases, assuring a higher quality of life for the local population. Table 2 The situation of the terrains affected by erosion  Counties Degree of degr. through erosion 0% 0-25% 25-50% 50-75% 75-100% 100% ha % ha % ha % ha % ha % ha % Alba 1027902 85.60 15242 1.27 34810 2.90 85075 7.09 37684 3.13 158 0.01 Bistrita-Nasaud 681651 76.73 0 0 62088 6.99 124546 14.02 19704 2.21 475 0.05 Cluj 1333294 84.05 25441 1.60 58424 3.69 124152 7.83 39869 2.51 5145 0.32 Maramures 1124053 84.79 0 0 37325 2.82 83809 6.32 3186 0.24 77395 5.83 Mures 2010438 90.47 11550 0.51 49734 2.24 80902 3.64 69579 3.13 120 0.01 Salaj 589868 77.72 12023 1.59 48344 6.37 91688 12.08 16572 2.18 499 0.06 TOTAL 6767206 84.77 64256 0.80 290725 3.64 590172 7.40 186594 2.34 83792 1.05  Table 3 The maintanance of the saplings in Teaca amelioration perimeter after one season of vegetation from planting Critical number a.u. Number of probe surfaces Surface (m2 ) Planted saplings Species Acer Fraxinus Cornus Hyppophae Pinus Total Pieces Pieces Pieces Pieces Pieces Pieces 1 82A 2 100 - 351 - - 707 1058 2 82B 1 100 - 155 - - 297 452 3 82C 2 100 - 407 14 - 232 653 4 82D 1 200 226 148 167 221 542 1304 5 82E 1 200 315 358 45 - 295 1013 6 82F 2 100 240 41 192 - 488 961 Total 9  781 1460 418 221 2561 5441 Critical number a.u. Number of probe surfaces Surface (m2 ) Maintained saplings Species Acer Fraxinus Cornus Hyppop. Pinus Total Piec. % Piec. % Piec. % Piec. % Piec. % Piec. % 1 82A 2 100 - - 326 93 - - - - 665 94 991 94 2 82B 1 100 - - 144 93 - - - - 27 94 422 93 3 82C 2 100 - - 344 85 12 85 - - 181 78 537 82 579  4 82D 1 200 171 76 135 91 144 86 177 80 431 79 1058 81 5 82E 1 200 236 75 312 87 43 96 - - 202 68 793 78 6 82F 2 100 204 85 31 76 177 82 - - 361 74 773 80 Total 9  611 78 1292 88 376 90 177 80 1867 73 4574 84 The results of the experiments made in Teaca experimental polygon are presented in table 3.  Resuming, we can say that the experiment from Teaca was a success as the average maintaining sapling ratio was of 84%, thus we recommend that in the area with similar conditions the experiment to be repeated and expanded.  The fact that from the total 5441 saplings seeded 4574 resisted after the first season of vegetation, proves that the afforestation composition  was good and the planting technology, taking into consideration the existing natural conditions was appropriate too.  CONCLUSIONS  The surfaces affected by erosion occupy a rather large percentage from the total area (over 15% of the total terrain taken into consideration). Using for reforestation low-keyed species as: Pinus nigra, Acer pseudoplatanus, Cornus sanguinea, Hyppophae rhammnoides in different afforestation composition in  Teaca perimeter (50 Pinus 25 Acer 25 Cornus; 45Pinus 22 Acer 23 Cornus 10 Hyppophae;55 Pinus 28 Acer 17 Cornus) was a success as the average maintaining sapling ratio was of 84%. From the 221 Hyppophae rhammnoides saplings that were planted, 177 have accommodated to the natural conditions, fact which, if we take into consideration the rapid degree of spreading of this species can be considered a massive success, as in the next years it will expand and cover a massive area, correcting thus the acidity of the soil, and improving its qualities. The fruits of the above species can be harvested, having various pharmaceutical usages, fact which will generate an extra source of income for the local population. The future coppice will have a complex ecological, social, sanitation role for the area.  REFERENCES  1. Blaga Gheorhe, Filipov F., Rusu I., Udrescu S., Vasile D., (2005) “Pedologie”, Ed. AcademicPress, Cluj-Napoca; 2. * * * Îndrumări tehnice pentru amenajarea bazinelor hidrografice torenţiale (împădurirea terenurilor degradate, hidrologie forestieră şi hidrologia torenţilor), Ministerul Silviculturii, 1985. 3. * * * Îndrumări tehnice pentru cartarea şi împădurirea terenurilor degradate. Ministerul Apelor, Pădurilor şi Protecţiei Mediului Inconjurător, 1995. 4. * * * Amenajamentul Ocolului Silvic Lechinţa.   

The Ecological Reconstruction of the Degraded Terrains from the Transylvanian Hill area through the Cultivation of the Silvo-Ameliorative Shrubs

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The Ecological Reconstruction of the Degraded Terrains from the Transylvanian Hill area through the Cultivation of the Silvo-Ameliorative Shrubs

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