“Padurea Domneasca” (Royal Forest) Reserve was created in 1993 and covers an area of about 6032 ha. Geographically, it is located 185 km far from Chisinau city , in the Prut River bottomland, on the territory of the forest farms of Glodeniand Falesti districts, within Cobani, Balatina, Bisericani, Cuhnesti, Moara Domneasca, Chetris, Calinesti, Drujineni and Pruteni localities. It is unique by its biodiversity, including one of the oldest bottomland forests in Europe. The main purpose of the reserve is the preservation of the most representative bottomland forests and the conservation of some rare species of plants and animals. Within the reserve, near Moara Domneasca village, there is an area of 60 ha covered with oak trees the age of which reaches 300 years. The most vigorous oak tree is 450 years old, having a height of over 35 meters and a trunk circumference of over 9 meters at human height level. The flora of the reserve is rich and diverse. Over 700 species of local flora out of the 1300 registered in the country can be found here. The reserve includes a lot of rare fauna species: red deer, otter, wildcat, pine marten, stone marten, weasel, great egret, etc. Among other fauna species of the reserve from Poland in 2005, represent its pride. They used to live on these lands in older times, however, in the early 20th centrury they disappeared.
