A Transylvanian wood-pasture

摘要

Since at least Neolithic times, several parts of Europe have maintained a management tradition of trees in pasture. Wood-pasture, found in various guises, is living history and a special habitat for some plants and animals. JOHN AKEROYD admires a magnificent example in Romania. The last three years have taken me to Romania several times. In June 2002, while visiting the picturesque medieval fortress town of Sighisoara in Transylvania, Romania's trans-Carpathian province, Romanian colleagues urged meto visit a notable local stand of "old oak forest". There was concern locally that the large old trees were in poor condition, that the woodland was not regenerating, and that the habitat of the oaks was deteriorating and perhaps damaged or degraded. Sowe drove for a few minutes out of the walled town and suburbs up through woods of hornbeam, lime and oak, locally with beech, and a characteristic sub-Carpathian ground flora.