Mureș Floodplain Natural Park

The Mureș Floodplain Natural Park, set aside by the Romanian government in 2005, is located in western Romania outside the city of Arad. The park covers 17,455 ha and follows the Mureş River westward from the city of Arad to the Hungarian border. The park is a typical ecosystem for wetlands, with running waters, lakes, swamps and floodplains, with forests, an important place for the passage and nesting of bird species and is subjected to periodical floods (a flood every three years). The forests (7,500 ha) in the park are made up primarily of common oak, narrow-leafed ash, black and white poplar, white willow, and American black walnut. This area is an important place for nesting and passage for nearly 200 species of birds, most of which are strictly protected internationally.The main purpose of the Mureș Floodplain Natural Park is to protect and preserve the habitats and landscape diversity from the region. The park has been designated a RAMSAR site, and under Natura 2000, the park was designated a SPA (Special Protection Area) for birds, and a SAC (Special Area of Conservation) for other species and habitats. Within the park, there are 4 strictly protected natural reserves: The Cenad Forest (310.5 ha), Big Isle of Cenad (2.1 ha), Igriș Islands (7 ha), and Prundul Mare (717.9 ha).The park is a sister park with the Körös-Maros National Park, in Hungary. The two parks border each other and have created a cross-border protected area with a future common management plan.