This study of the variation process of the chemical properties of eutric Cambisols on altitudinal levels, forest station subclasses and geomorphologic units, was based on soil analyses from 847 soil horizons gathered from 379 profiles. These profiles were distributed on Romania's entire forest area. The average values of the eutric Cambisol's chemical properties fit were within the known limits for this type of soil, but there were slight variations based on altitude, forest station subclass and geomorphologic units. As expected, the most chemical properties decrease according to the altitudinal levels, from altitudes of over 900 metres to altitudes of under 300 metres. At the level of the Ao horizon, the pH has a value of 5.78 (the soils are slightly acid) at altitudes lower than 300 m and of 5.03 (the soils are mildly acid) at altitudes higher than 900 m.The saturation degree basis is 72% (the soils are mezobasic towards eubasic) at altitudes lower than 300 m, and 56.7% (the soils are mezobasic towards oligomezobasic) at altitudes higher than 900 m. The exchangeable hydrogen decreases from 16.95 me/100 g soil at altitudes higher than 900 m to 9.01 me/100 g soil at altitudes lower than 300 m.

The present paper reunites in an objective synthesis data from forest management plans realized in the West Plain during 1995-2008. The study focused on stands situated around cities and in their construction perimeter in order to emphasise their contribution to the area’s long lasting development. The paper’s importance derives from the fact that urban areas are in a continuous development that will incorporate heavily nearby forests. As such, through their functions, forests contribute to the long lasting development of the entire metropolitan area to which they belong. All forests from the West Plain were divided in stand elements (species of a certain age that belong to a forest’s composition). The study has taken into account all stand elements from the area that belongs to the forest category from around cities. The large number of these stand elements (2107) offers a solid base for the different realized analyses. The paper’s results show that from the entire surface of forests with recreation functions located in the West Plain, 4.670 ha are occupied by Forests from around counties, cities and villages as well as forests located in their construction perimeter. The most widespread species from this type of stand is pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.), which occupies 2072 ha. Forests from around cities from the West Plain are situated at altitudes between 80 and 400 m. The soils are predominantly common alvisol, while Arum-Pulmonaria is the most widespread flora. In the context of the long lasting development of urban areas with implications on nearby forests, the results and discussions of this article represent a first step towards knowing these forests and towards properly managing them in order to successfully fulfil their protection and recreational purposes.