The ACCENT GeoEcological Organization signed a
custody agreement with the Ministry of Environment and Forest for the Lower Ciuc Basin Natura 2000 Site (contract nr. 0010 from 22/02/2010) and the Falcon Stone Nature Reserve (contract nr. 0011 from 22/02/2010).
The Lower Ciuc Basin Natura 2000 Site (ROSCI0007) extends on 2693 hectares and it is situated in the southeastern part of the county Harghita, touching the following communities: Sâncrăieni (with the village Sâncrăieni), Sântimbru (with the village Sântimbru), Sânsimion (with the village Sânsimion and Cetățuia) and Tușnad (with the villages Vrabia, Tușnad Sat and Tușnad Nou). This area is crossed by the river Olt. This site is very important in terms of protecting a big number of species of the nationally and internationally protected flora and fauna: 4 species of plant are protected by the Bern Convention and Habitats Directive, 19 plant species are on the national red list and as well there are 16 glacial relicts:
Betula humilis, Polemonium caeruleum, Ligularia sibirica, Cnidium dubium, Dryopteris cristata, Saxifraga hirculus, Drosera anglica, Carex dioica, Carex diandra, Carex elongata, Carex limosa, Carex appropinquata, Viola epipsila, Primula farinosa, Pedicularis sceptrum-carolinum, Euonymus nana. From the bird species listed in the Annex I of the Council Directive 79/409/CEE, on the territory of the Natura 2000 Site are about 30 pairs of
Crex crex (estimated number based on studies conducted in 2004), and it is also the feeding zone for about 60 pairs of Ciconia ciconia and 5-10 pairs of
Aquila pomarina. From the amphibians,
Bombina variegata is omnipresent, but
Hyla arborea has significant population too. From the invertebrates listed in the Annexes of the Habitats Directive, in the site the following species are present:
Vertigo angustior and
Vertigo moulinsiana. The site includes 6 protected nature reserves on the base of the Decision no 195/2005 of Harghita County Council, and the Law no 5/2000: Valea de Mijloc meadow - 4 ha, Benes meadow - 4 ha, Borsaros – Sâncrăieni meadow - 1 ha,, Csemo meadow – Vrabia - 5 ha, Nyirkert meadow - 4 ha, Nadas meadow - 4 ha. The territories from the project area are private properties, owned by individuals from the involved communities.
Regulation of organization and operation of the Lower Ciuc Basin Natura 2000 Site (draft/work material)
The Falcon Stone Nature Reserve extends on only 1 hectare and it is situated west from Tusnad Spa, on the right side of the river Olt, in the eruptive chain of the Mountains Harghita, at the base of the eastern slope of Mount Pilisca. This Reservation is part of a mountain landscape covered by mixed forest vegetation, deciduous - coniferous. The phytogeographical importance of the reservation is because in 1942 it was described the local endemism: hawkweed specie
(Hieracium telekianum).