Field trip on the Aries Valley, October 2022

On 14-15 October 2022 we continued our research with a new trip in the field in Campeni and Lupsa. Our purpose was to continue the network analysis for a more detailed understanding of both the flow of information about environmental problems in local communities and the dynamics of interventions initiated by local residents to solve these problems.

Moreover, on this occasion we also observed the Aries River in more details. The river represents an important ecological network in the area, connecting upstream communities with downstream ones, thus creating a complex local socio-ecological network. The ecosystem services provided by the Aries River are diverse, from water supply to communities adjacent to the river to leisure activities. Thus, it is important to maintain the integrity and ensure the sustainability of this network.

However, both the observations made along the Aries and the visit to the Mihoiesti Dam and Reservoir indicate a major problem: the contamination of the river with waste of all kinds, from plastic and textiles to organic ones.

This problem is one reported by almost all interviewees in the study so far, and is also one of the problems we will monitor through the EcoVoce app.