Valea Saulei becomes Bucharest’s third protected natural area

Romania Insider · 27.10.2026, 13:22:39

Bucharest’s General Council approved on Tuesday, October 27, the creation of the Valea Saulei (Saulei Valley) Protected Natural Area of Local Interest with 45 votes in favor and one abstention. The site joins Văcărești Natural Park and Petricani Meadow as the Romanian capital’s third officially protected natural area. The decision followed five years of field research conducted by the Bucharest Natural Park Association (APNB), in partnership with the District 2 City Hall and local communities. Valea Saulei is a former tributary of the Colentina River that once originated in Băneasa Forest. It is now a network of abandoned fishponds located near the Andronache, Gherghiței, and Doamna Ghica neighborhoods, which the association says have a chronic shortage of green spaces. Aerial view of Valea Saulei; by Daniel Mirlea “[Valea Saulei] is further proof that nature is gradually being integrated into Bucharest’s development plans,” APNB director Dan Bărbulescu said. “The quality of life in the city depends on nature thriving in these places. Protecting them means protecting ourselves.” The area includes water, woodland, and meadow habitats and is home to more than 350 wild species, including 12 protected species. Wildlife recorded there includes otters, European pond turtles, kingfishers, gray herons, little egrets, and lizards, according to APNB. Wildlife in Valea Saulei; by Alex Preoteasa Recent monitoring also identified the marbled white butterfly, the 21st species of daytime butterfly recorded at the site. The species is sensitive to pollution, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides, and its presence indicates a healthy meadow habitat, the association said. The protected status will be followed by work to clean, manage, and conserve the site and make it safer and more accessible for recreation, environmental information, and wildlife observation. The plans will also be incorporated into the winning project from an international design competition for the Colentina River