Bălţi Steppe

Balti steppe (also referred to as Beltsy steppe, _mo. Stepa Bălţului, _ru. Бельцкая степь) is a hilly area without trees (apart from those near rivers Dniestr, Răut and numerous lakes and creeks), dominated by grasses and shrubs, located in the Northern part of Moldova characterised by unstable seasons, generally hot summers and cold winters.

The Bălţi Steppe has a total surface of 1,920 sq. km, 2.7 per cent (51 km²) are forests. [cite web| title=Concept of National Ecological Network of the Republic of Moldova| publisher=Biotica Ecological Society| month=February| year=2004| url=http://www.biotica-moldova.org/ECO-NET/part6-2-2.htm| accessdate=2007-12-30] . The region, as the rest of Moldova, is traditionally an agricultural area, favored by several factors, such as the chernozem.

Crops, vegetables, commercial plants (such as tobacco), fruit trees (such as apple trees), livestock fodder, and occasionally grapes, potatoes, and berry shrubs are cultivated in the region. The agriculture overwhelmingly dominates traditional vegetation, (deciduous) forests, and occasionally the forest steppes. Region's wildlife includes rabbits, roes, storks, geese and ducks, however in the last half-century these species populations declined in numbers because there are only few remaining forest habitats remaining. A traditional horse breeding area, in the last century Bălţi Plains has specialized in livestock (cows, sheep), and poultry.

History

Balti steppe is a visually limitless plain, which inspired medieval scientists. Nevertheless, the untouched natural richness of the northern Moldavian region became known as "Balti steppe" only in the beginning of the last century.

In the Vth century B.C., Herodotus visited the countryside between two rivers Dnister and Prut and described these places as "a plain with deep chernozem, reach in grass and well irrigated".

Lithuanian Prince Jogaila spoke of Moldova as "a reach and fructiferous country". According to the testimony of Venetian Mateus de Murano, "the country was very well located, reach with cattle and all kinds of fruits, pastures are perfect".

Rich natural resources of Balti steppe always attracted nomads. Fleeing their devastating incursions, inhabitants of Balti steppe left the brooded places and hided in forests. French knight Guilbert de Lannoy, who visited these places in 1421, has mentioned insignficant population of the region and almost total absence of forests: "we moved through large deserts".

Counsellor of Hungarian King George Reihersdorf (middle of XVIth century) was complaining of travel through "empty, uninhabited lands". The scientist wrote the first geographical map, which was kept until today, of Moldavian Principality (1541) with rivers Dnister and Prut, cities and other localities as well as highlighted large steppes.

The map of Moldavian Principality was also written by German diplomat Sigismund von Herberstein. On his map one can see large woodless spaces, in the north - Balti steppe and in the south - Bugeac Steppe

In the XVIIth century, pilgrims Pavel Aleppskii (Syrian deacon) and Ioan Lukianov (Russian preast) traveled on their way to Holy land through Balti steppe. Travellers were striken by the disastrous state of the land that used to blossom: (from old Russian) "It better be not ravaged, as no other such can be found, it may yield any kind".

English traveller John Bell, who also visited Balti steppe, wrote about fecund soils and "small nice towns" - speaking of Balti and other localities situated next to Raut.

Russian geographer K. Laksman described Balti steppe in the beginning of the XIXth century: "To the north is located a steppe with almost no trees at all. To the north-west the steppe is not as woodless".

Scientist K. Arseniev mentioned that the north of Bessarabia is "a genuine mix of of arid steppes with most fertile pastures, rich meadows and gardens".

Travellers and scientists were always amazed by the contrast between rich natiral resources of Balti steppe and its almost absent population, pitiful state of agriculture, poverty of local population.

"Desert", "waste", "naked steppe"... The settling among limitless expanses of Balti steppe happened not "in accordnace" with logic, but "against" it. The life of remote ancestors of Baltiers was full of difficulties and crosses, but they managed to resist.

Poets and personalities about Beltsy steppe

*"Moldavian fields, as described by both ancient and contemporary writers, are great in their fertility, by far surpassing the richess of the mountains" - "Description of Moldavia", by Dimitrie Cantemir

*"Will someone describe Bessarabian steppes, indeed, they do merit a description. However for this, one needs the talent of unforgettable Gogol, who has so beautifully depicted us the steppes of his homeland. And Bessarabian steppes are not less beautiful." - by Constantin Stamati-Ciurea

Archaeological excavations in Balti steppe

First human settlements appeared on the territory of Balti steppe in deep ancent times. Archaeological excavations witness that the humans settled here as early as Stone Age.

Barrows and legends about them

cientific research

Two varieties of winter barley "Auriu" and "Sokor", produced by the Balti Research Institute of Field Crops, are the most productive in the conditions of unstable moistening of Balti steppe. [cite web| title= The productivity of winter barley varieties in the conditions of unstable moistening of Beltsy steppe| publisher="Selectia", Research Institute of Field Crops/Personal Authors Staver, L.P.; Corporate Authors Research Institute of Field Crops, Beltsy (Republic of Moldova) Publisher Institute of Technical and Economical Information| month=December| year=2007| url=http://www.agriculture.md/selectia/eng/realizari2.html| accessdate=2007-12-31]

References

External links

* [http://www.photius.com/countries/moldova/geography/moldova_geography_topography_and_drain~264.html Moldova Topography and Drainage]