Image Source: Helmut Ignat
Vacaresti Nature Park is the largest urban park in Bucharest, stretching 470 acres. As of 2020, it is suspected to be home to nearly 350 species of animals and over 330 types of plants, including many species whose populations are severely threatened. Among the most prominent animal in the park are the roughly 170 species of birds, ranging in levels of protection and rarity. The Corncrake (Crex crex), Pygmy Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmaeus), Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca), and Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) are among some of the more protected birds. Wetland ecosystems are notoriously fragile, so proper management paired observation of its health is essential to its longevity. Many organizations have begun monitoring changes in the vegetation and species present in the park, however long-term observation is still needed.
In the past 20 years alone, shifts in the landscape of the park are clearly visible.
Satellite Imagery of the Park from 2000 (left) and 2019 (right) via Google Earth
But these changes are not limited to the park; since the 1990's, rapid urbanization in Bucharest has led to a loss of urban green space. Sector 4, which houses the park, as well as neighboring sector 5 have experienced the greatest loss of green space totaling at over 60% between 1990 and 2008. This overall loss of green space has been identified in many post-Communist cities.
Satellite Imagery of Bucharest Sectors 4 and 5 from October 2000 (left) and October 2019 (right) via Google Earth
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