First Biosphere Reserve created in Moldova

Chisinau, 20 July /MOLDPRES/ - The first Biosphere Reserve, Lower Prut, has been created in Moldova. It will have an area of 14,771.04 hectares and will include nine settlements from the southern Cahul district.   

The Reserve will include 824 hectares of forest lands of the Slobozia forestry farm: the state enterprise for Forestry Silva-Sud Cahul, the cynegetic state enterprise Manta-V and the Lower Prut scientific reserve.     

The acts needed for the Lower Prut Biosphere Reserve were adopted by the parliament on the last days. According to the documents, the reserve was set up to conserve the biodiversity, maintain the genetic activity of plants, promote ecological agriculture, re-establish woods, pastures, meadows and conserve the water resources, reduce the emissions of gases and chemical pollutants, turn to good account the tourism potential, improve the infrastructure and ensure the social and economic development of the region.   

The creation of the first biosphere reserve in the Lower Prut meadow is backed by the European Union through European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument. The Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment Ministry said that the project’s implementation was aimed at reducing losses of biodiversity and improving the living standards of the residents from the concerned region.  

According to the UNESCO principles, the procedure on the foundation of the biosphere reserve is to be officialized in Moldova, in order to subsequently integrate it into the tripartite Biosphere Reserve, Danube Delta - Lower Prut (Romania-Moldova-Ukraine).

(Reporter N. Sandu, editor L. Alcaza)