The importance of biodiversity conservation, and also the underlining of the support mechanisms in the sustainable development of the Romanian rural area were the two premises in the elaboration of the present study. Consequently, its purpose was, in the first stage, the identification and quantification of High Natural Value grasslands and in the second stage, their multicriteria analysis, in accordance with other environmental factors. The area analyzed in the present paper is superimposed on the Romanian Banat, consisting of 199 administrative - territorial units, from five counties, totally or partially included (Timiş, Caraş-Severin, Arad, Mehedinţi and Hunedoara); historical-geographical and administrative criterion were considered for the delimitation of the study area. The working methodology comprises five stages: delimiting the area of interest, identifying the grassland surfaces, identifying the administrative-territorial units with High Natural Value lands, identifying the High Natural Value grasslands and finally, the regional, multicriteria analysis of the High Natural Value grasslands. Statistical analysis, interpretation of results and generation of cartographic materials was done by techniques and methods specific to Geographic Information Systems. The researches have shown that: in the territory of 46.23% of the ATUs from Banat we may find HNV lands, areas characterized by a high degree of biodiversity; from the total area of the Banat grasslands, 61% are HNV grasslands; the HNV grasslands represent 53.23% of the mountain area, although in their case the degree of biodiversity is very high, a series of physical-geographical factors (relief, climate) act upon them and become economic and organizational restrictions. Out of the total area of HNV grasslands, 40.98% are "unrestricted", located in areas with favorable physical-geographical conditions, in hilly or high plains and can be considered "balanced" with both high biodiversity and optimal conditions of exploitation and recovery. The largest areas are located in the administrative territories Fârliug, Oraviţa, Bogda, Secaş etc.

grasslands, High Natural Value, biodiversity, funding, Banat

field crops and pastures

Presentation: poster