Location and Quantitative Evaluation of Grassland Resources in the Mountain Areas of Banat by Geomatic Methods

Abstract

In the Mountainous Banat, the grasslands have a decisive influence on the area, both due to the significant areas occupied at regional level and due to the role they had and have in the mountain economy of the area. The inhabitants of the area capitalized on the resources offered by them (fodder, honey plants, berries, firewood) laying the foundations of an original pastoral life. The purpose of the research can be defined by two objectives: (1) the location and spatial representation of the lands, depending on the use and especially of the surfaces used as grasslands, by GIS techniques and means; (2) quantitative assessment of grassland areas as the main resource of mountain areas, "multifunctional" resources, both in the traditional sense and in the context of sustainable development. The surface of the study area is 42619 ha and overlaps over four administrativeterritorial units (ATU): Anina, Goruia, Ciudanoviţa and Oraviţa. The land use maps were drawn up, in GIS environment, initially at ATU level, and later, in order to create an overview of the entire region, quantitative data reports were generated, by land use categories. The use categories "Pastures" and "Natural grasslands" were followed in particular, in accordance with the purpose of the research. In the land balance of the study area, the forest areas predominate, and the grasslands, with all their subcategories, are on the second place in the ranking in most of the analyzed ATUs. From the total area of the analyzed territory, the grasslands were identified on an area of 5934.39 ha, of which 5338.41 ha of pastures and 595.98 ha of natural grasslands. The grasslands in the analyzed area are used extensively, dominating the traditional practices of free-range animals.