Pădurea Brăniștea Catârilor

Braniștea Catârilor Forest is a protected area of ​​national importance, classified according to the IUCN category IV as a forest nature reserve. It is located in Olt County, on the territory of Obârșia and Ștefan cel Mare communes.

With a total area of ​​301.10 hectares, this natural area is located in the southwestern part of Olt County, in the region known as Câmpul Leu-Rotunda, located in the northwestern part of the Oltenia Plain, near the border with Dolj County.

The nature reserve, which is also part of the Natura 2000 site – Braniștea Catârilor, was designated as a protected area by Law no. 5 of 6 March 2000. This law approves the National Spatial Planning Plan, Section III – Protected Areas. The protected area includes a forested area in the southwest of the Romanți Plain and is intended to protect various tree species, especially the pedunculate oak (Quercus pedunculiflora), the downy oak (Quercus pubescens) and the Balkan oak (Quercus virgiliana), trees that can reach heights of between 25 and 28 meters.

Two main types of habitats are found within the reserve: the Eurosiberian forest-steppe vegetation, dominated by oak species (such as the pedunculate, downy and Balkan oaks), and the areas with deciduous shrubs specific to the Ponto-Sarmatian region.

The oaks grow in association with other tree species such as the black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), the maple (Acer pseudoplatanus), the linden (Tilia cordata) and the ash (Fraxinus). Various species of shrubs are also present, including hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), doveberry (Prunus spinosa) and rosehip (Rosa canina).

In the grassy layer, the vegetation is characteristic of the forest-steppe and includes species such as sand grass (Chrysopogon gryllus), bearded grass (Andropogon gerardii), red fescue (Festuca rubra), grass (Poa pratensis), valerian (Valeriana officinalis), wormwood (Artemisia annua), timothy (Phleum pratense), as well as flowers such as yellow crocus (Crocus moesicus) and autumn crocus (Crocus banaticus).

Sursa: ro.wikipedia.org