The Muddy Volcanoes

The Mureș Meadow Natural Park is located in the west of Romania, in the counties of Arad and Timiş, downstream Arad city (the city center is 4 km from the eastern boundary of the area). The Mureş Meadow Natural Park stretches from Arad to the Hungarian border, along the Mureş River. It has a surface of ​​17,455 ha and includes the area with dams of ​​Mureş; it is a floodable area, located between the dams built on either side of the river and between the high terraces of the same river. The Meadow of Inferior Mureş river is a typical wetland ecosystem with flowing and standing waters, with alluvial forests, willows and poplars galleries, as well as agricultural fields, important nesting place and passage for approx. 200 bird species, many of them being under international protection. In recent years, the beavers have reappeared, a species that has disappeared since the first half of the 19th century. The Mureş River, which separates the northeast of Timiş county from Arad County, can be crossed on float bridge in Igris, Sânpetru Mare commune. Close to the crossing place is Igriş Island, with a surface of 3 ha, a protected natural area. Info source: http://www.luncamuresului.ro/

On the territory of Murani village, Pişchia commune, on a surface of 200 hectares, stretch out the Murani Swamps, a place that provides nesting and feeding conditions for many species of migratory or sedentary birds. Here the egrets and the wild ducks from northern Russia and the Baltic States find a place for hibernation, in their way to the Mediterranean Sea.

Bazoş Dendrological Park is located 20 km from Timişoara, in Bazoşu Nou, Bucovăţ commune, Timiş County. It occupies an area of ​​60 hectares and includes the Great Park, the American Park and several nurseries for the cultivation of exotic species. The park was arranged between 1909 and 1914 at the initiative of Count Ludovic Ambrozy, ambassador of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the United States of America. Originally populated with dozens of botanical species on the North American continent, the park now numbers more than 1100 species of trees on all continents. Bazoș Dendrological Park was declared a protected area in 1994 and is part of the International Association of Botanical Gardens. It has the most complete collection of American oak and carya in Romania. Also, here is the oldest oak in Timis county, with an age of more than 500 years, with a circumference of 6 m and a height of 30 m. Photo source: https://www.facebook.com/PARCUL.DENDROLOGIC.BAZOS/

It is a natural reserve of paleontological type located in the hills of Lipovei, on the administrative territory of Bara commune, 10 km from Lugoj. The reserve has a total area of ​​4 hectares. In the area in its perimeter the scientist T. Fuchs identified 52 species of molluscs. The fossil place Rădămăneşti is considered one of the most interesting deposits in the whole Black Sea basin, being rich in fossil fauna. Text and photo source: http://www.turismlugoj.ro/

Timișoara's Botanical Park is located behind the Municipal Hospital, occupying an area of about 9 hectares. Architect Silvia Grumeza first designed this botanical garden in 1966. 1,650 species of plants were planted here between 1986 and 1990, based on phytogeographical and aesthetic criteria, brought from other parks in the country, from private collections or international exchanges of seeds. Just a little over 200 collection species live here nowadays, and are all grouped into several sectors and subsectors, such as: Ornamental flora Romanian flora and vegetation Mediterranean flora American flora Asian flora The systematic plant sector The medicinal plants sector The tropical flora sector The Botanical Garden of Timișoara was opened to visitors on June 29, 1986. Free admission. Text and photo source: https://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The Daffodils' Meadow from Băteşti, also known as the Flower Garden of Banat, is a nature reserve of national interest since 1995, being the only one of its kind in Timiş county. Located between Făget and Margina, the reservation occupies an area of ​​20 hectares. Its purpose is to protect the Narcissus poeticus species. Also, here grows Iris Sibirica, a protected species of irises. In Romania there can also be seen daffodils' meadows in the nature reserves of Vad, Braşov County and Racâș-Hida, Sălaj County. Photo source: https://dumitrutoma.wordpress.com/

The Pogăniş Meadow is a natural reserve located 27 km from Timişoara, in the area of ​​Sacoşu Turcesc, but also of nearby villages such as Berini, Blajova, Cadar, Niţchidorf. The purpose of the reservation is to protect the habitat of the motley tulip (Fritillaria meleagris), a species protected by the Berne Convention. The motley tulip grows on an area of ​​75.5 hectares in the Pogăniş Meadow, in a rare oak forest (Querqus robur), with ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and maple (Acer campestre) as main species in the mixture of hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), elm (Ulmus foliacea), wild pear (Pirus piraster ), cherry (Cerasus avium), wild apple (Malus silvestris). In addition Pogănişului Meadow in Romania variegated tulip can be seen in Turzii Keys, Tuşnad, on the bank of the Olt, Hărman, the Reserve Domogled-Cerna Valley.

The Green Forest is located in the North-East part of Timișoara, stretching over a surface area of 724 hectares. It plays an important ecological role, helping balance the climate of the area. In the eighteenth century, the forest occupied a much larger area, but the deforestation started in early nineteenth century, in order to establish Dumbrăvița. The current forest is artificial, as it was first laid out in 1860 by the Hungarian Forestry Service. Two other developments occurred between 1894 and 1908. In 1947 the forest was organized by the Forestry Department of Arad and included in the Forest Range of Timișoara, intended for hunting. The Green Forest is crossed by a tributary of the Bega Canal, the Behela Creek, over of distance of 2.6 km, feeding the lake in Dumbrăvița, an important tourist and recreational area. The tree species found in the Green Forest include: the Austrian oak, the ash, the maple, the horn, the oak, the field maple, the Tartar maple, the field elm. Oak trees predominate and some have been here for 101 to 120 years. The Green Forest attractions are: the monument of anti-communist resistance in Banat, the Village Museum and the Zoo. Various festivals, fairs, parties, as well as picnics are organised here. The Hunters' Festival, the Harvest Fair, the Traditional, Ecological and Crafts Fair in Banat are just some of the events that bring fun lovers together in nature. Text source: http://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The Rose Park is located in the downtown area, next to the Metropolitan Orthodox Cathedral, representing one of the tourist attractions of Timișoara. Over 10,000 red, pink, white, yellow and purple roses are grouped according to variety, and separated by hedges of buxus. The Park was landscaped in late nineteenth century by renowned landscape architects, growers and exporters of ornamental plants, Wilhelm Mühle and Wenceslas Franz Niemitz. The Park was designed in French and English style and was inaugurated on July 19, 1891 upon the Universal Industry and Agricultural Exhibition of Timișoara. On September 16, 1891, Emperor Franz Josef himself visited this Royal Rose Garden of Timișoara, which drew the town's fame as "town of roses". Over time, the Park bore different names: Franz Josef Park, the Queen Mary Rosary (Königin-Maria-Rosarium), Rose Garden (Rosengarten), the Culture and Leisure Park, Ștefan Plăvăț Park, and currently it is called the Rose Park. The Rose Park was remodelled several times, as it was completely destroyed in both world wars. In 1934, the park covered an area of 25,000 m², which made it the largest rosary in Southeast Europe at the time. The rosary comprised over 1,200 varieties and species of roses, some of which were considered rare or new worldwide. The summer theatre of Timișoara was built inside the park in the interwar period. In 1965 the catalogue of rose varieties available in the Rose Park was put together. The park underwent extensive modernization between 2011 and 2012, when new roses were planted, the number of varieties now being back at over 1,200. Currently, the park is spread over a surface of 37,000 m² and is bordered on its southern side by numerous willows on the banks of the Bega Canal. If you plan to visit Timișoara, do not miss Rose Park and the famous annual festivals taking place in the summer theatre: the Festival of the Hearts in July, the Opera and Operetta Festival in late August, the local holiday in mid-September. The Rose Day is celebrated every last Thursday in May of every year. Text source: https://timisoara.eventya.eu/