Baia Mare
Post industrial open put mine

Baia Mare

Baia Mare City and the surrounding localities that form the first ring of the metropolitan area (Baia Sprie and Tăuții Măgherăuș Towns, Recea Commune) are located in the North-Western part of Romania, spreading over an area of approximately 500 km² and housing about 170,000 citizens. Historically, Baia Mare City, or Rivulus Dominarum in Latin (meaning "The River of Ladies" due to the Săsar River that still crosses it), was first documented in 1347 and developed as a gold mining center in the 14th and 15th centuries. The mining industry remained prevalent for the next centuries, with the city acting as an important trading center for the surrounding area.

The region also offers several tourist attractions, including the Izvoare Ski Resort, located 30 km from Baia Mare, and the Șuior Ski Resort, located 18 km away. Both are popular throughout the year, not only in winter. Another significant attraction is the Victor Gorduza Museum of Mineralogy, one of the largest geological museums in Romania, housing over 20,800 pieces from the region, primarily from the local mines.

A unique characteristic of the area is the mixt natural reserve with edible chestnuts, covering an area of approximately 500 hectares. This area, protected by law since 2000, is recognized internationally as a Site of Community Importance (Natura 2000) under the European Commission Habitats Directive.

Geographically, Baia Mare is a depression surrounded by a mountainous area rich in minerals and precious metals, which is why the mining industry was a significant source of wealth in the past. However, one of the downsides is the degraded soil left behind.

  • The region's historical mining industry has resulted in degraded soil in several areas.

  • There is a need to address these issues of soil degradation while considering urban planning requirements for the region.

  • Balancing the preservation of natural reserves and tourism with the need for urban and economic development.

  • The region must also comply with the European Commission objective for no net land take (NNLT) by 2050.

  • The Natura 2000 protected area (the chestnut reserve) offers an opportunity to combine biodiversity conservation with sustainable land use.

  • The presence of tourist attractions such as ski resorts and the Victor Gorduza Museum of Mineralogy provides an opportunity for sustainable tourism integration into urban planning.

  • The SPADES project provides an opportunity to develop a scenario of measures and recommendations to address degraded soils and incorporate these into the urban planning documents.

The SPADES project offers the Baia Mare Metropolitan Area Association the opportunity to develop a scenario of measures and recommendations for its members to consider when drafting urban planning documents. The project will focus on current issues related to degraded soils, in line with the European Commission’s NNLT objective for 2050.

  • A baseline study will identify degraded lands owned by Baia Mare City.

  • A few pilot sites will be selected for soil analysis to determine the level of degradation.

  • Based on these findings, specialised consultants will propose solutions for the reuse and re-introduction of the pilot sites into the social and economic circuit.

Baia Mare

Aerial view of Baia Mare.