Journey to the haunted lands of Transylvania for educational purposes
ADEPT Transilvania: Preserving Transylvania's Nature-Rich Farmed Landscapes
ADEPT Transilvania, a conservation NGO based in Transylvania, Romania, is making significant strides in protecting the region's unique, biodiverse landscapes while supporting traditional farming communities.
The organisation's focus is on preserving the diverse habitats found in Transylvania's rural areas, recognised as biodiversity hotspots due to traditional agricultural practices that maintain a mosaic of meadows, pastures, and woodland patches.
ADEPT's approach involves supporting local farmers in continuing sustainable farming techniques, thereby maintaining both cultural heritage and environmental health. This support helps alleviate economic pressures that might otherwise lead farmers to abandon land or intensify farming in damaging ways.
One of ADEPT's flagship projects is a 200ha demonstration farm, where the introduction of cattle has led to a significant improvement in wildflower species and biodiversity. The farm, run by ADEPT, also grows and produces its own meat, eggs, vegetables, fruit, and alcohol.
The farm's herd consists of 60 Aberdeen Angus cows, a breed chosen due to its eligibility for annual support payments from Romania's Rural Development Programme and its hardiness, capable of withstanding winter temperatures as low as minus 20oC. Aberdeen Angus farming is growing rapidly in Romania due to increasing demand for beef. Calves are weaned at the end of the year, with males being sold as stores and females being sold at ten months.
ADEPT's agricultural practices are not just beneficial for the farm's profit, with the farm making a profit of approximately £68,000 per year, over half coming from Basic Payments and Agri-environment schemes. The farm's cows produce meat and breeding stock with good sale prices.
ADEPT's efforts extend beyond the farm, with the organisation renovating two buildings in Transylvania to create a Wildlife Centre and a house for the farm manager. The NGO also aims to work with local communities to help them build their own herds.
Eleven members recently visited Transylvania for a fact-finding mission, with the trip including a study of biodiversity, farming, culture, and food manufacturing. The region, with its traditional Saxon villages showing a strong resemblance to the past, has a high economic growth rate in the EU since 2010. Wildflower meadows in the region have been managed and cut for hay for decades.
In conclusion, ADEPT Transilvania is making a significant impact in preserving Transylvania's unique, biodiverse landscapes through strategies that integrate ecological protection with socio-economic support for traditional farmers, ensuring the viability of both the environment and local communities.
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