Relief, Support for Rural Communities Development in the Upper and Middle Sectors of the Strei Valley

Ştefania MANEA1, Virgil SURDEANU2
1 “Decebal” National College, Deva, ROMANIA
2 Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Geography, Cluj-Napoca, ROMANIA
E-mail: anemaria_manea@yahoo.com, surdeanu_v@yahoo.com
Pages: 61-69

Abstract. The upper and middle sector of the Strei valley falls almost entirely within the Southern Carpathians area. With a general form of a triangle, bordered to the south by the Retezat – Godeanu - Ţarcu Mountains, to the west by the Poiana Ruscă Mountains and to the north-west by the Şureanu Mountains, and with an area of over 1,500 sq km, it stands out as a well individualised natural entity. From the geomorphologic point of view, it is a very complex one with landforms characterised by a diverse morphology, morphometry and morphodynamics. The predominantly rural population (10 communes polarized by one town) has properly assessed each site, using it according to the historical, cultural, economic, social and technological context, especially if we take into consideration the fact that it has been populated since ancient times. The relief has always been support for the development of the rural communities and the major objective of our paper is to reinforce this idea. As we deal with one environmental component which has to be analyzed in relation with the other environmental components, we suggest an investigation methodology. 

K e y w o r d s:  upper and middle sectors of the Strei valley, rural communities, morphology, morphometry, morphodynamics favourability, restrictivity