Mestecăniș Bike Tour

The place is a Natura 2000 site since 2007. The area is located in the Nemira Mountains, in the Apa Roșie creek (Red Water creek) basin, at an altitude of 990-1030 m, on a substrate of flysch (sandstone).  The peat bog from this site preserves three peatland habitats of Community interest, two of which are a priority for conservation, given their very good state of preservation due to isolation.  The site has very well preserved natural structures of forest habitats represented by a great diversity of ages and dimensions, with the presence of a massive natural regeneration of the tree species important for the habitat, as well as the vigorous growing of the scots pine and the moor birch. The site is complex, in its composition we can find peat glades with scots pine, norway spruce and moor birch alternating with oligotrophic and meso-oligotrophic peat bogs.  On the higher places, one could encounter small areas of acidophilous spruce. The trees are characterized by a high dimensional variability, the natural regeneration being active. The associations of herbaceous plants have a high floral diversity. The peatlands shelter populations from two species of community interest, Ligularia sibirica and Angelica palustris, both of which have a good conservation status.

🌿 Natura 2000 protected area since 2007 and a nature reserve of national importance. It covers an area of 977 ha, 90% of which belongs to Covasna County and 10% to Brasov County.  The site hosts numerous steppe species in a region of high and mountainous hills. The species of steppe plants are located on the southern and western slopes of the Ciocas, Beldie and Viţel hills. An European priority interest habitat was identified in this site, as well as peri-panonic sub-continental hedges and six species of community interest. 🦉 The region overlaps with the bird protection area of the Bodoc and Baraolt Mountains, therefore it is very important for bird conservation (e.g. black stork, owl, red-footed falcon). The area offers a wide range of biological, geological and archaeological values. The archeological vestiges of the Aruișd culture were discovered on the Tyiszk hill.  📸 Nicu Farcas (via Wikimedia) 

The site fully covers the Baraolt Mountains and partially the Bodoc Mountains, 70% of its area being covered by ​compact forests with meadows and few farmlands. All these habitats are ideal nesting areas for raptors and black storks, but also for several species characteristic to the beech forests. The site preserves important populations from 21 species protected at European level, almost all of which are nesting, except for the red-footed falcon and the ferruginous duck which are only passing through the area. The corn crake, which is declared a species of global conservative interest, is present with significant populations. The site also preserves important populations of the following nine species threatened at the European Union level: lesser spotted eagle, european honey buzzard, ural owl, black stork, grey-headed woodpecker, white-backed woodpecker, black woodpecker, collared flycatcher and red-breasted flycatcher. Other important species from other groups: yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata), northern crested newt (Triturus cristatus), carpathian newt (Triturus montandoni)