How illegal logging is threatening Romania's unique virgin forests

Romania is house to Europe's richest forests by way of biodiversity. However daily they're being diminished - by unlawful logging.

"That is occurring in plenty of locations in Romania which have been wiped off the face of the Earth," says Gabriel Păun, President of the Agent Inexperienced NGO. "Complete mountains are empty, bare. Locations the place erosion has begun and nature can’t heal itself. In Făgăraș, in Maramureș, within the Nationwide Park of Domogled. It’s a catastrophe."

Europe's largest virgin forests

Romania is house to over 500,000 hectares of virgin and old-growth forests - greater than some other nation within the European Union. In idea, 63% of those are protected as Natura 2000 websites, however the actuality on the bottom is totally completely different. Environmental legal guidelines from Romania will not be aligned with the EU necessities imposed by this undertaking.

The exploitation of timber is feasible, even inside Natura 2000 websites. However within the Cernica Forest, only a few kilometres away from the capital, rangers paid by the state lower the timber first and did the analysis research later.

EU infringement case

"The unlawful logging of previous years occurred in massive areas, sadly," says Barna Tánczos, Minister Of The Surroundings, Water And Forests. "Tons of of hectares of unlawful logging introduced the infringement case in opposition to Romania. However lately, there's been no large-scale unlawful logging."

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In relation to biodiversity, the worth of this tree is priceless. However from an financial perspective, it’s value no less than 10,000 euros.

Gabriel Păun

President, Agent Inexperienced

After years of chaos, solely a fifth of Romania's forests nonetheless has old-growth timber.

Păun exhibits me one: "In relation to biodiversity, the worth of this tree is priceless. However from an financial perspective, it’s value no less than 10,000 euros."

A social phenomenon

Romanian authorities admit that the unlawful felling of timber is a significant downside, however they imagine the scenario is below management.

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Individuals in villages who must hold heat with hearth don’t actually care whether or not the wooden delivered to them has all of the authorized papers or not.

Sorin Banciu

State Secretary, Ministry Of The Surroundings, Water And Forests, Romania

"It’s not essentially companies which are stealing invaluable wooden and promoting it," says Sorin Banciu, State Secretary on the Ministry Of The Surroundings, Water And Forests. "It’s a social phenomenon. In line with the most recent statistics, there are over three million properties the place folks must hold heat with hearth. Individuals in villages who must hold heat with hearth don’t actually care whether or not the wooden delivered to them has all of the authorized papers or not."

Romania's old-growth forests are distinctive in Europe. They're house to hundreds of species of animals and vegetation - and so they ease the impression of local weather change. For instance, within the forest close to Bucharest, the temperature is 10 levels under that of town.