Romfilatelia dedicates, as première, an issue of postage stamps to the Văcărești Natural Park. The issue, consisting of 4 stamps, a First Day Cover, a special philatelic folder and a set of 4 maxicards for philatelic enthusiasts, will be introduced into circulation on Wednesday, September 6, this year.
Văcărești Natural Park defines an area in the south-east of Bucharest, where an existing man-made lake was included as part of the complex development of the Dâmbovița River. It was a part of a hydrological system to defend the capital against floods. The works started in 1986, which justified the demolition of the Văcărești Monastery, were stopped after 1989.
In the absence of human intervention, the area has been renaturated and gradually populated by numerous species of animals and plants. Having noted the existence of an impressive number of bird species, some of which are listed as rare species, in 2012, the future Văcărești Park Association undertook the mission of establishing a nature park.
Following a meticulous research and documentation effort, in 2016, by government decision, the natural area “Văcărești Dam” was declared Văcărești Natural Park. The protected natural area regime was established for an area that became the first urban natural park in Romania and the first protected natural area of the city of Bucharest.
It is regrettable that since July 2016 several fires have also partially destroyed stable vegetation consisting of mature trees. Fortunately, the impact on wildlife has been mitigated due to the timing of the fires, which occurred outside the bird migration and nesting season and the hibernation time of sedentary animals.
Văcărești Natural Park, covering approximately 180 hectares, includes compact reed beds, lakes, meadows, miniature forests, a conglomerate of habitats that favour the presence of otter – Lutra lutra (face value of Lei 2.30), European pond turtle – Emys orbicularis (face value of Lei 22), fire-bellied toad, European tree frog, newts or more than 190 species of wild birds, including the whiskered tern – Chlidonias hybrida (face value of Lei 9), ferruginous duck, little bittern or pygmy cormorant.
It should be noted the presence of fish species such as the Prussian carp, the perch, common rudd, the stone moroko, the common bleak, the pike.
Of the 190 bird species identified so far, most are declared protected at national level, amongst which we mention: the mute swan, the tit, the grebe, the egret, the harrier, the gull. Among the mammals, along with the otter, are the muskrat, the pygmy shrew, the fox and the bat.
The beauty of the park is completed by the presence of tree species among which willow species (Salix alba, Salix fragolis, Salix cinerea), poplar, as well as exotic species such as ash, American ash, Siberian elm. Among the shrubs are the honey locust, the dog rose, the hawthorn, the elder and the blackberry. The floristic inventory of the park includes more than 330 species and subspecies, of which over 260 are native.
In the Văcărești Natural Park we also meet the Common Glider butterfly – Neptis sappho (face value of Lei 3.50).
In the event that a project conceived by the Capital City Hall and the Ministry of the Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests were to materialize, an extensive development in which, next to the Văcărești Natural Park, there is the Lacul Morii (Mill Lake), would transform the area into an exceptional urban Park, dedicated to recreation and preservation of flora and fauna.
Romfilatelia thanks the representatives of the Văcărești Natural Park Administration and the “Grigore Antipa” National Museum of Natural History for their collaboration in the development of this issue of postage stamps.
