Geographica Timisiensis, vol. 19, nr. 1, 2010 (pp. 363-370) ●

HUMAN AND NATURAL RESOURCES IN THE NORTH-WESTERN PART OF THE TRASCĂU MOUNTAINS. PREMISES FOR A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Gabriela Adina LAZĂR

Faculty of Geography, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Abstract. The current paper represents an analysis of the natural and human resources within the depressionary area where the Sălciua commune is located, as well as the existing possibilities for the revitalization of the local economy as a result of the development of tourism-related activities based on a spectacular and unique landscape. Within the analyzed region, different traditional architectural elements can be encountered, ecclesiastical monuments with an important historical significance as well as different natural elements capable of attracting a large number of tourists regardless of the time of the year. The development of the tourism – related activities as well as of the lodging facilities and communication infrastructure has to be taken into account when the social and economic revitalization of the region is to be considered. Rezumat: Resurse antropice şi naturale în partea nord-vestică a MunŃilor Trascău. Premise pentru o dezvoltare sustenabilă. Lucrarea de faŃă îşi propune să prezinte o analiză a resurselor antropice şi naturale din zona depresionară unde este localizată şi comuna Sălciua, precum şi a posibilităŃilor exsitente pentru revitalizarea economiei locale ca urmare a dezvoltării activităŃilor turistice bazate pe un cadru natural apropae unic. În arealul studiat, diferite elemenete de arhitectură tradiŃională pot fi regăsite, diferite lăcaşe de cult cu o mare importanŃă istorică, precum şi o mare varietate de elemente naturale capabile să atragă un număr mare de turişŃi, indifferent de perioada anului. Dezvoltarea activităŃilor turistice, a unităŃilor de cazare preum şi a infrastrcuturii de comunicaŃii trebuie luate în avute în vedere atunci când măsuri de revitalizare economică şi socială a regiunii sunt planificate a se implementa. Key words: sustainable development, Sălciua commune, Huda lui Păpară cavern, Vânătara pleateau Cuvinte cheie: dezvoltare durabilă, comuna Sălciua, peştera Huda lui Păpara, platoul Vânătara

1. INTRODUCTION

The Trascău Mountains represent one of the most unique and peculiar region within all Apuseni mountains, with a well individualized relief as a direct result of the interactions between the natural components among which the hydrography and the lithography play an important role. With a great variety of the relief forms and water resources, with an edaphical component capable of sustaining the development of the human settlements and activities, with a diverse flora and fauna, the region located between the Arieş River valley (in the north-western part) and the Mureş Corridor (towards the east) presents itself as an

● Human and natural resources in the north-western part of the Trascău mountains 364

interference region where tradition meets modern, where natural is still a way of life and where, in order to be able to exist one have to acknowledge the nature’s rights and obey its rules.

Throughout the history, nature has provided shelter, resources and even means of

development for the human communities offering its natural components in the service of humanity. And many times, the response given by the human communities wasn’t a positive one, especially if the inadequate and irresponsible exploitation of natural resources in taken into account. In the case of the human communities within the Trascău region, an almost natural symbiosis can be observed, the different natural and anthropic elements co-existing in a manner that rarely can be noticed in other parts of the Romanian territory.

The western part of the Trascău Mountains is dominated by the presence of the Arieş

River Valley and by the presence of the Ciumerna – Bedeleu plateau, with several human settlements located alongside the main water course as well as along the tributaries of the Arieş River, while the areas located at higher altitudes (on the steeper slopes or on the plateau) posses smaller settlements used mainly during late spring, summer and early autumn as a temporary dwellings. A great variety of natural components (different relief forms, water resources, soils, vegetation and a diverse fauna) can be encountered in this region, resulting in a most dynamic and invigorating landscape within all Apuseni Mountains.

2. THE TOURISTICAL POTENTIAL OF THE EXISTING NATURAL

ELEMENTS

The relief of the analyzed area is in fact an intramontaneous depressionary area, a bordering region between the Metaliferi and Trascău Mountains spread along the Arieş River and along its tributaries. Neighboring the Sălciua commune on the eastern part is the Bedeleu – Ciumerna Plateau, a calciferous Jurassic massif north-south oriented possessing a great variety of endocarstic and exocarstic forms, from pits, caves or underground water courses to different kettles located on the upper part of the massif sheltering a diverse fauna and flora.

The northern and western border of the analyzed microregion represents the eastern

limit of the Apuseni Mountains, consisting mainly of crystalline schist covered by diverse forestry vegetation. Dependent on the exposition and the declivity of the versants as well as of the degree of insolation, the slopes are covered with either anthropic or natural vegetation, while the less sunny ones are occupied with forestry vegetation (fig.1).

Gabriela-Adina LAZĂR ● 365

Fig.1. The land utilization within the Sălciua

commune Utilizarea terenului în comuna Sălciua

The versants with southern exposure are cultivated with different crops (mostly maize and wheat) or are used as hayfields or grass lands. In general, in the alluvial plain of the Arieş River the crops occupy the majority of the surfaces and the surrounding slopes are

mainly used as grasslands or for the development of orchards.

The entire hydrographical network of the area is tributary to the Arieş River, the water courses of the region being represented by the Valea Muşcanilor, Sesei, Vidolm, Valea Mare on the western part and by the Valea Poienii, Valea Ponorului and Valea Seacă on the eastern part. These last three water courses combine in the proximity of the Dălbina cave, disappearing entirely in the cave only to reappear at the surface at the entrance in the Huda lui Păpară cavern.

Among the biotic component of the area, the forestry vegetation is dominant with the presence of several

species from different associations: Carpathian forests with fir and beech trees, or forests with durmast and hornbeam trees, spread mostly towards the upper parts of the slopes. The forestry vegetation is comprised by species like Fagus sylvatica and Abies alba, Quercus petraea, Carpinus betulus (in its arborescent stratum), Coryllus avelana, Lonicera xylosteum, Daphne mezereum, Rubus idaeus, Sorbus aucuparia şi Sambucus racemosa (in its arboreal stratum) and species like Galium odoratum, Oxalis acetosella, Luzula luzuloides, Dryopteris filix-mas şi Calamagrostis arundinacea (in its herbaceous stratum). The sunny slopes are covered with secondary grass lands species, while the versants are inhabited by casmophitic species, adapted to rocky, more isolated spaces.

The region’s most attracting element is represented by its unique relief forms, by the

caves and caverns of the Bedeleu massif, as well as by the Vânătara waterfall and pit, all

● Human and natural resources in the north-western part of the Trascău mountains 366

these elements combining in one most invigorating landscape within the Trascău Mountains.

In the proximity of the Sub Piatră village, the longest cavern within the Trascău

Mountain - the Huda lui Păpară cavern is located, a most spectacular endocarstic assembly comprised by several galleries with a total length of 2022 m. The cavern along with its formations constitutes a speleological reserve with a total surface of 4.5 ha. Its uniqueness among endocarstic formations as well as its touristical potential based on a spectacular landscape can be considered as important resources for the development of the adjacent rural areas.

From the Huda lui Păpară cavern, following the foot path through the forest, after 2.5

km one arrives to the Vânătara pit (with a total depth of 80 m), another important touristical attraction in the area. The limestone wall of the pit presents some purple – dark blue stripes as a result of the limestone’s reaction with the water from the precipitations, thus giving the name “Vânătara” to the pit’s wall. At the bottom of the Vânătara pit, the Dălbina cave is located, a cave where, three water courses combine only to reappear at the surface in the Huda lui Păpară cavern. Towards the upper part of the Vânătara pit, one finds the Vânătara waterfall, a spectacular natural component of the relief with most invigorating and refreshing properties.

Due to the sights offered by this complex of elements, the number of tourist is more and more increased throughout the year, many of the nature passionate spending their week-end in this spectacular landscape.

3. HUMAN SETTLEMENTS IN THE AREA

The human settlements from this part of the Trascău Mountains belong entirely to

the Sălciua commune with a total surface of 75 km2, located in the northern part of the Alba County and spread along the valley of the Arieş River. This commune comprises several smaller villages such as: Dealu Caselor, Dumeşti, Sălciua de Jos, Sălciua de Sus, Sub Piatră and Valea Largă. As a direct consequence of the terrain’s orography, the establishment and development of human settlements was possible, the middle part of the Arieş River hydrographic basin offering the proper natural conditions for the development of crops and orchards and as well as for different rearing activities.

Due to its location in a depressionary area and as a result of its development from an administrative and infrastructural point of view, the territorial unit of the Sălciua commune can be considered a small-sized polarizing center within the analyzed microregion, many inhabitants from other surrounding smaller villages arriving in this part for their basic needs, such as primary medical care, usage of the postal services or even small, basic acquisitions for different household requirements (such as basic food supplies, maintenance tools etc.).

Within the Sălciua commune, the total number of inhabitants is relatively high (1785 inhabitants), only two villages (Sălciua de Jos and Sălciua de Sus) recording a more increased number of the population, while the four others posses a more reduced one. At the last census in 2002, the number of inhabitants/village was the following: 113 inhabitants from the Dealu Caselor village, 142 inhabitants in the Valea Largă village, 180 inhabitants

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Fig.3. The numer of inhabitants per each

neighbouring commune Numărul de locuitori pe fiecare

comună învecinată

Fig.2. The percentage of population/ each village within the Sălciua commune

Procentul populaŃiei pe sate în comuna Sălciua

in the Sub Piatră village, 81 inhabitants in the case of the Dumeşti village, 585 inhabitants in the case of the Sălciua de Sus village and 684 inhabitants from the Sălciua de Jos village (fig.2).

The current situation can be explained by the fact that, the two villages, Sălciua de Jos and Sălciua de Sus are located in the alluvial plain of the Arieş River, an area more favorable for the development of households and settlements, while the Dumeşti, Valea Largă, Dealu Caselor and Sub Piatră villages are located on the slopes of the mountain area, less and accessible. Also, another naturally occurred element that influenced the spreading of the households is represented by the orography of the terrain, the slopes being used for the cultivation of different crops and orchards, than for the building of the houses, or used as hayfields or grass lands.

Even though there are villages

with an increased number of populations, in general, the Sălciua commune posses a moderate number of inhabitants, situation partially explained by the migration of the younger population towards more developed urban centers such as Cluj-Napoca or Alba-Iulia in search for a better quality of life offered by these polarizing urban areas. Also, if the poor and many times inexistent, communication infrastructure (roads, cable TV, internet access or even access to different information sources) is taken into account than the migration of the population can be somehow explanatory (especially in the case of the younger population attracted by the possibility of a better and more comfortable life offered

by the urban centers). As shown in figure 3

among the neighboring communes, the Sălciua commune occupies the second place regarding the total number of population, while Baia de Arieş records the highest number and the Ponor commune, the lowest.

One of the distinct features of this area is represented by the traditional architecture of the old settlements, authentic elements of cultural landscape within the

region. The traditional houses were initially built from wood in combination with clay and stone, having no more than two chambers while the roof was made from hey on a wooden

● Human and natural resources in the north-western part of the Trascău mountains 368

Fig.4. A traditional hey roof house

from the Vânătara plateau Casă tradiŃională cu acoperiş de paie

pe platoul Vânătara

Fig.5. The Sub Piatră wodden chuch and Monastery

Biserica şi Mănăstirea Sub Piatră

structure (fig.4). Many hey roof wooden houses are dotted around the Apuseni Mountains, being an important anthropic part of a most unique and invigorating landscape.

Unfortunately, during the recent years, a replacement of the traditional architecture can be observed, the building materials of the local traditional architecture of settlements, households and of other buildings within the commune being replaced with newer ones (the wooden barns are replaced with different metal elements or bricks, the traditional hay roofs are replaced by metal-sheets) resulting in a loss of the distinctiveness of these settlements. As a direct consequence of the aging of the population the traditional craft of hay roof building is more and more forgotten, the younger population reorienting itself for other activities, more money providing, a situation that can be extrapolated for other regions within the Apuseni Mountains. During springtime, summertime and early autumn time the local inhabitants from the Dumeşti, Dealu Caselor, Sub Piatră and Valea Largă villages take their sheep or cattle herds on the steeper slopes to graze, thus making usage of these traditional small houses as temporary residences.

Besides these hey roof houses, one other architectural element important for the local

inhabitants is represented by the Sub Piatră wooden church (fig. 5), one of the oldest in the area, built around the year 1300 with a history often uproarious; several attempts of destroying the edifice have taken place throughout the history, each time the inhabitants rebuilding it. The current architecture of the church preserved itself since the year 1770, when the last reconstruction of the

establishment was accomplished. In the nearness of this small wooden church, the Sub Piatră Monastery was built around the year 2000, becoming an important ecclesiastical element in the area.

In the proximity of the Sub Piatră Church and Monastery, an agro-touristical

boarding house is located with a total of 20 rooms, offering to the passing by tourists the

Gabriela-Adina LAZĂR ● 369

possibility of boarding and lodging for different periods. In order to arrive to the Sub Piatră boarding house, one has to follow the 75 national road Turda – Câmpeni and from the Sălciua village, the communal road has to be followed on a distance of approximate 5 km on a modernized communal road.

CONCLUSIONS

The analyzed region, by means of its natural and anthropic components can be

considered an important element in the social and economic revitalization of the local communities. As a result of its historical background and heritage, the entire territory of the Sălciua commune along with its natural elements has the capability of attracting a larger number of tourists if, an appropriate publicity of the region is made.

The fact that the region is very well known among specialists from different fields of study (such as geologists, speleologists, geographers, rock-climbing passionate or from other domains) is to be mentioned; as such and as a result of the implementation as a natural reserve, different touristical panels are dotted around offering a great variety of information regarding the existing natural elements of the area.

If a preservation of the anthropic traditional elements as well as of the nature’s gifts offered to mankind, is to be made, the undertaken measures have to take into consideration not only the economical development of the area, but also the cultural one. And, in order to do so, the local and county authorities have to induce to the local communities the importance of preservations of their local traditional values, have to encourage and sustain the traditional handicraft. Only by means of conservation and preservation of the traditional elements, a sustainable development in the region can be accomplished, resulting in a long term existence of the local communities.

Also due to the fact that, within the area, nature has provided it’s most adequate, wonderful and diverse landscape, with a great variety of the relief forms, water sources and biotic component, a revitalization of the area and indirectly an augmentation of the population’s number can be easily accomplished by means of proper management measures.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The author wish to thank for the financial support provided from programs co-

financed by The SECTORAL OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT, Contract POSDRU 6/1.5/S/3 – „Doctoral studies: through science towards society".

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Popiu Paula, (2007), Etnologie, Edit. Mega, Cluj-Napoca (392 pag.) Ştef, V. (1998), MunŃii Trascău, studiu hidrologic, Edit. Institutului NaŃional de Meteorologie şi

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● Human and natural resources in the north-western part of the Trascău mountains 370

Varga, Á. (2002), Feher megye telepuleseinek etnikai (anyanyelvi/nemzetisegi) adatai 1850-2002 published on www.kia.hu/konyvtar/erdely/erd2002/abetn02.pdf.

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