Bucharest Council Designates Valea Saulei as City’s Third Protected Natural Area
The Bucharest General Council voted to grant protected-area status to the 5.3-hectare Valea Saulei site, adding a third local nature reserve to the capital.
On Tuesday, the Bucharest General Council adopted a resolution establishing Valea Saulei as a protected natural area of local interest, covering roughly 5.3 hectares in the city’s north-east. The measure passed with 45 affirmative votes and one abstention after a five-year field study by Asociația Parcul Natural București in partnership with the Primăria Sectorului 2. The site, formed on former fish-ponds from 1975, now supports more than 350 wild species, among them 12 protected ones such as the otter, water turtle, blue-winged teal and little egret.
Prior to the vote, volunteers and local families removed litter, though heavier construction waste could not be cleared. The supporting study highlights illegal waste dumping as a threat and recommends permanent sanitation measures and the creation of green-blue corridors to connect this area with Pajiștea Petricani, northern lakes, and the north shore of Lacul Plumbuita. The municipal administration must register the protection status in land records within 30 days and clarify water-management responsibilities.
Why it matters
Protecting Valea Saulei preserves urban biodiversity and creates green links that benefit both wildlife and city residents.
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