Swis Nature

Lower Prut Floodplain Natural Park

Traditional ways

Traditional ways of agriculture and fish cultivation still persisting

The Lower Prut Floodplain Natural Parkhas been created as a distinct zone with significant landscape value and great biological diversity, which is maintained through the interaction between man and nature. Habitats and landscape diversity are protected by traditional types of land. Parts of them are offered to the public for recreational activities.

The principal activities of rural people have been for decades crop agriculture on fertile clay-dominated soils of the floodplain, cattle grazing, fisheries activities and, only occasionally, game hunting.

Local people traditionally have used the natural resources, namely forest and mineral resources, and have made their living based on land cultivation, animal husbandry, fishing and merchandising of vegetal and animal products in local area markets. Many of traditional life and work forms are still conserved. The animals, bullocks and horses, are still used in a rudimentary way for carrying, for field and forest work. The houses, the tools, and the objects which are used in day to day life are made by using the local materials and a traditional technique.

As the area is lacking other building materials, locals have developed historically houses that have been mostly built from clay, common reed and willow, resulting in very picturesque buildings. Rural life as also developed original ethnic traditions, local (organically-produced) food and wines and sustainable fishing techniques.

Most of the larger stagnant waters (lakes, ponds) of the area have been transformed into fish farms, the biggest one being managed in Lake Brateş (presently about 2’400 ha). Thus, aquaculture represents an important income for local people of the village along the Prut river valley. The fish farms are managed by former state companies now converted into private companies.

Forestry is another major activity developed in the proper Prut floodplain, the main company being the state owner RN Romsilva SA.

Today, agriculture still consists the main economic activity in the proximity of the Prut floodplain, providing a food basis for the local population and offering some jobs and products to trade. Crops yield and small animal stocks ensures for the majority of the population the food and minimal financial resources for their life. In this area, most of the agriculture is still performed in a subsistence form, even if there are some small agricultural enterprises using intensive techniques.

Regrettably, such information on the natural and cultural highlights of the area is not presented so far in a special place, as the Lower Prut Floodplain Natural Park is still lacking a visitor centre (as for 2014). However, the Natural Sciences Museum Complex in Galati has conducted several research programmes, environmental non-formal education projects, exhibitions and workshops on the natural values Lower Prut Floodplain Natural Park.