Before 1990 Romanian forest policy was a very conservative one, strongly supporting the paradigm of multifunctional forest management, which had been effectively implemented since 1954, when some important hydropower plants were planned. After 1990, as actually happened in other ex-communist countries, forestlands and croplands have been restituted to the ones who had owned them before 1948, when the communist regime nationalized all means of production, including the land.

As a consequence Romania faces today substantial problems in terms of sustainable forest management caused by missing know how and awareness with regard to sustainable forest management, inappropriate forest management plans, illegal cuttings, low added value in small scale properties, frequent policy changes that are not taking into consideration the needs of forest owners.

PROGRAM KEY DATA

  • Initiated in 2011
  • 137 beneficiares last year
  • Closed Program
  • Total Budget: 312,986 EUR
  • Financed by: Heifer & Agency for Development and Cooperation

Nowadays there is a forested area of 6,515 million ha left, covering 29% of the country (European average is 35%). In order to meet the needs for wood and ecosystem services, the minimum percentage of forests for Romania must not be under 25% in order to face the current climate changes.

(data provided by the Forest Management and Research Institute, 2013)

This project aims to strengthen the capacities of forest owners associations in order to develop organizational strength, elaborate national PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) standards, so that they become more efficient and gain higher internal cohesion and to develop management skills that respect certification standard for sustainable forest management. This will increase incomes, natural growth and biodiversity of forests.