Văcărești Nature Park
| Văcărești Nature Park | |
|---|---|
| Parcul Natural Văcărești | |
 Văcărești Park with Bucharest apartment buildings in the background | |
 | |
| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Sector 4, Bucharest, Romania |
| Coordinates | 44°23′59″N 26°08′03″E / 44.3996°N 26.1342°E |
| Area | 190 hectares (470 acres) |
| Established | 2016 |
| Status | Open year-round |
Văcărești Nature Park (Romanian: Parcul Natural Văcărești) is a nature park located in Sector 4 of Bucharest, Romania, containing the wetlands surrounding Lake Văcărești.
History
Having 190 hectares (470 acres),
Much of the swampy area surrounding the park was drained by Communist Romania, building a neighbourhood of apartment blocks, while the "valley of weeping" became Tineretului Park.[1]
In 2003, the Ministry of the Environment concessioned the area for 49 years to the Royal Romanian Corporation for USD 6 million.[1] The company was supposed to invest over a billion dollars in a sports-culture complex, however, it did not honor its part of the contract.[1]
Due to the area being unused for such a long period of time, plant-life and wildlife flourished within the confines of the dam. The biodiversity now encountered here is considered by some to be comparable to that of a small river delta. A 2013 study counted hundreds of species of plants and 96 different species of birds.[2]
On June 5, 2014, the Lake Văcărești zone was declared a protected nature area and named Văcărești Nature Park by the Government of Romania.[3]
Văcărești Nature Park was the setting for Radu Ciorniciuc's 2020 documentary Acasă, My Home, following a family that lived in the park for 20 years.[4][5]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Lascu, Cristian (May 2012). "Delta dintre blocuri". National Geographic România (in Romanian). No. 109.
- ^ a b Tribillon, Justinien (14 June 2016). "How nature turned a failed communist plan into Bucharest's unique urban park". The Guardian.
- ^ "2014-06-05:Government Decree Lacul Vacaresti" (PDF). Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
- ^ Moldovan, Ioana (30 October 2020). "Romanian film review – A Life of One's Own: My Home". romania-insider.com. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
- ^ Fodor, Simona (13 October 2020). "RO Radu Ciorniciuc's awarded first documentary available on HBO Go". romania-insider.com. Retrieved 23 October 2020.