Nature's rarities
The Downy Oak Reserve
The Downy Oak Reserve is a forest reserve located in the vicinity of the village of Criș, at an altitude of 500 - 650 m, on an area of 11.9 ha. The downy oak is a relatively small local tree with a broad crown and a sinuous trunk, whose shoots are downy, hence its name. They are found almost everywhere in Romania, in the form of sparse forests, stands or thickets, in the lowland and forest-steppe region. The trees are 80 - 100 years old, with average diameters of 20-24 cm. The fauna is characteristic of the forests in the high hills, the most frequently observed species being deer, rabbit, wild boar and pheasant. Sometimes, hornbeam is also found around the downy oak, which has good fruit for food consumption (syrups, jams).
Learn more
Breite Secular Oak Nature Reserve
The "Breite Plateau" secular oaks nature reserve covers an area of 133 ha near the town of Sighisoara, and is the largest and best-preserved oak woodland habitat in Central and Eastern Europe. The trees are between 400 and 600 years old, with diameters of up to 1.8 m. Many species of plants and animals - woodpeckers, songbirds, lizards, bats and butterflies - can be seen here, depending on the season and time of day. At the edge of the forest there is one of the oldest oak trees in the reserve, over 7.1 m in circumference and estimated to be over 700 years old!
Learn more