Letea Forest

Infobox Protected area
name = Letea Forest
iucn_category =


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location = Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve
Romania
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area = convert|2825|ha|acre|abbr=on|lk=on
established = 1938
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Letea Forest is one of the oldest natural reservations in Romania established in 1938 when the Romanian Council of Ministers passed Decision No 645 declaring the "Letea Forest" a nature reserve. It is located between the Sulina and Chilia branches of Danube in the Danube Delta and it covers an area of aproximatively convert|2825|ha|acre|abbr=on.

This forest was the initial foundation of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve which has been declared a World Heritage Site and internationally recognized as a Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme in 1992. [http://www.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wh/danubed.html UNEP-WCMC Protected Areas Programme - Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve] . Retrieved on 2008-07-23.]

It has a subtropical aspect due to the presence of the tropical creeper named Periploca graeca. This is a Mediteranean plant which finds its most northern refuge in Danube Delta. Along with this type of liana, other climbing plants are woven on the branches of the trees: the wild vine, the hop plant, the ivy, etc. [http://www.ddbra.ro/en/general-presentation.php Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve - General Presentation] . Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Authority. Retrieved on 2008-07-23.]

Letea Forest is formed mainly from White Poplar, Black Poplar, Elm tree, English Oak, Silver Lime, Narrow-leafed Ash, Common Alder, etc. Along with these ones above it is completed by a rich scale of sub-shrub species.

It is also home for a rich fauna like Red-footed Falcon, White-tailed Eagle, Roller, Hoopoe, Vipera ursinii, Danube Delta horse, etc. - approximatively 1600 entomofauna species identified until today. [ [http://www.green-report.ro/dynamic/stiri/stiri/tulcea-animalele-semisalbatice-ameninta-padurea-letea---3313.htm Tulcea: Animalele semi-salbatice ameninta Padurea Letea] ro icon. greenreport.ro. Retrieved on 2008-07-23.]

Proposed extermination of the wildlife

The Romanian Parliament is currently (September 2008) discussing a bill aiming to open 13 National Parks to commercial hunting, in order to eliminate the wildlife from these areas. It is the first step toward the dismantling the National Parks in Romania and them transformation into human settled areas.Fact|date=September 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.ddbra.ro/en/general-presentation.php Danube Delta - Letea Forest]
* [http://www.rotravel.com/Places/Danube-Delta/Attractions Danube Delta Attractions]
* [http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/588 Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve - UNESCO World Heritage Center]