Conservation and rural change in Valcea County

Valcea is one of Romania's Wallachian counties with landscapes which grade from the Carpathians through the Subcarpathians and Piedmont zone towards the plain. Agriculture plays a major role in the economy but there is also a long-established tourist industry and the industrial base (established through the processing of local raw materials: agricultural commodities, timber and salt) has been enlarged and diversified under communism. The tourist industry has also expanded with reference to the mineral waters. But agriculture still plays an important role. Environmental pressures on sensitive Carpathian ecosystems have increased over the years and under the transition conservation measures should include national park designations to provide a buffer for clusters of nature reserves. The paper discusses the nature of the environmental problems and the significance of national and ‘natural’ parks for the development of tourism in the area, with particular reference to Buila-Vanturarita area of the Capatina Mountains. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.