Location: The peat bog Tinovul Apa Roșie - Fagul Rotund is located in the north of Covasna County. North of Mereni commune, in the Apa Roșie valley, at an altitude of 1005 m, with GPS coordinates latitude (N) 46˚10'30.29 ”, respectively longitude (E) 26˚14'58.52”, with an area of 25.61 ha , being located on the ATU of Mereni and Estelnic communes. The area is superimposed with the buildings with cadastral number 24633, 24294 belonging to the Estelnic Compositional Association, and with non-cadastral lands owned by the State (administered by Ocolul Silvic Brețcu), and Mereni commune. The respective tinov is partially overlapped with the site of community interest Tinovul Apa Roșie ROSCI0242.
Conservation status: The main habitat type is 7110 - Active domed mudflats, and the secondary one 7120 - Degraded peatlands capable of regeneration, 7140 - Transitional peat bogs and 7230 - Alkaline swamps, next to which there are other important habitats respectively protected at European level: 91E0 * Alluvial forests of Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae), 91D0 * Peatlands with forest vegetation, 6410 Molinia meadows on carbonate, peat or loam-clay soils and 9410 Acidophilus spruce forests (Picea) from the mountain to the alpine floor. The conservation status of the main, secondary and other habitats included respectively: 7110, 7120, 7140, 7230 and 6410 are unfavorable with a continuous average degradation, which requires rehabilitation interventions. The conservation status of forest habitats, respectively: 91E0, 91D0 and 9410 are considered favorable as no rehabilitation interventions are introduced.
Identified pressures and threats. During the field inspections, the current pressures were identified, but also those that will threaten the habitats in the future. In addition to those identified in the restoration schemes in the PeatRO program, we also identified other disruptive factors, pressures and threats:
- intensification of the grazing effect with sheep and cattle, for which it is necessary to eliminate it by the intervention of building an electric fence (sub-activity A.2.1 and A.2.2);
- filled bridges (2 points) on the tributary of the Apa Roșie brook (from the West) that feeds the respective area. In order to restore the optimal water regime, these bridges must be cleaned and maintained (sub-activity A.3.2);
- invasion of woody vegetation, Salix sp. These species due to the dry years of the past began to invade as much as possible, occupying an area of 0.17 ha of peatland. Habitats 7110 and 7140 are affected, Requires sub activity 4.1;
- invasion of grassy vegetation, species of Deschampsia caespitosa, Epilobium angustifolium, Festuca rubra, Juncus conglomeratus, Nardus stricta, Veratrum album. At the edges of habitats 7140, 7110, 7220 due to droughts and the accumulation of biomass quantities, the invasion of non-characteristic species began, which required interventions on an area of 2 ha (sub-activity 4.2);
- the accumulation of the amount of biomass by the decomposition of the grassy vegetation, which contributes to the increase of the degree of mineralization and eutrophication of the peat bog. Requires interventions or mowing on an area of 21 ha (sub-activity A.6.1);
- the extinction of the characteristic species of habitats 7110, 7120 and 7140 was found, as a result of which the activity requires sub activity 5.2.
