Table of content:

Acknowledgements & Authors

Summary

List of abbreviations

Introduction

1. Ecological Network of Moldova

1.1. Components of Eco-Network

1.2. Geographical Aspects of NENM

1.3. Levels of Components of the Eco-Network

1.4. Eco-Network as Informational System

2. System of Criteria for Estimate of Value of Components of Ecological Network

2.1. Criteria for Attribution of Particular Status to Core Areas with Natural and Semi-Natural Ecosystem Cover

2.2. Criteria for Ranking Areas of the Eco-Network which are Not Core Areas

2.3. Principles for Designating Areas Intended for Ecological Restoration and for Establishing Biological Corridors in Conditions of Excessive Economic Land Use

2.4. Use of Lands for Establishing Biological Corridors and Restoration, which Not Meet Criteria of Areas Intended for Ecological Restoration

3. Operational Checklists

3.1. Operational Checklist of Vascular Plants

3.2. Operational Checklist List of Endemic Vegetation Associations

3.3. Operational List of Insects

3.4. Operational List of Terrestrial Vertebrates

4. Objects of Eco-Network

5. Main Actions Concerning National Eco-Network of Moldova

6. Estimation of Potential and Some Recommendations for Establishing National Ecological Network of Moldova

6.1. Main Conditions for Establishing NENM

6.1.1. Elaborating the Concept of Eco-Network in Moldova

6.1.2. Ecological and Socio-Economical Conditions of Forming Eco-Network

6.1.3. Analysis of Legal Framework for Establishing National Eco-Network

6.2. Comment on Results of Area Estimations, Based on Main Components of Ecological Network of Moldova (by Biological Indicators)

6.2.1. Estimation of Core Areas

6.2.2. Designated Components of Eco-Network in the Structure of the Country’s Area

6.3. Recommendations

6.3.1. Concerning the Development of a System of Management for Natural Protected Areas

6.3.2. Priorities of scientific estimation of core areas

6.3.3. Law on Modification and Completion of some Legislative Acts (Draft)

Conclusion

References

Map of the Ecological Network

6.2.2. Designated Components of Eco-Network in The Structure of the Country's Area

In the current state of natural ecosystems in Moldova, two types of biocoenosa can be clearly distinguished – forests and pastures.

1. Forest areas, irrespective of their quality, mainly have stabilizing geo-systemic effects.

Under established structure of land-use, the areas of forest fund (irrespective of their ownership) comprise ca 12,5 % of the surface area of the country. They are distributed very unevenly (Table 4), comprising 27,5 % of the surface area of Codrii Forest district and 2,7 % of Balti Steppe district.

2. Commonly, pastures are covered with degraded herbaceous communities, where as a rule, species composition is extremely impoverished, soils are exhausted or washed away.

Table 3.

Distribution of forest area over natural districts

Table 4.

Saturation of biological corridors with core and buffer areas
(Int – International level, N - national, Z - zonal, L - local)

These areas present the centres of desertification. All should be restored under one or another procedure, and this is the only alternative to complete degradation. Potentially, the productivity of such areas (ca 11 % of the area of the country) can be significantly raised, but depends on the level of soil degradation. The main prerequisite is full change of grazing system. In the context of the issue under discussion, these are restoration areas, for which the need of designation for restoring should be preconditioned by the issue of ensuring unity of the Eco-Network. From this standpoint, especially eroded areas present another reserve.

At present, the surface areas of main biological corridors, covered with geo-systemic buffers and core areas, were identified (Table 5).

Surface areas of corridors, covered with the lands of restoration areas and water-protection bank strips, can be identified only in case of survey at a different scale.

Saturation of the country’s natural districts with main non-linear components of Eco-Network is very uneven (Table 5).

Table 5.

Distribution of core and buffer areas over natural districts
(Int – International level, N - national, Z - zonal, L - local)

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