Romania, Europe Brief News – Romanian authorities warned that the illegal felling of trees is threatening Romania’s unique virgin forests.
“This is happening in a lot of places in 23 that have been wiped off the face of the Earth,” says Gabriel Păun, President of the Agent Green NGO.
“Whole mountains are empty, naked. Places where erosion has begun and nature can’t heal itself. In Făgăraș, in Maramureș, in the National Park of Domogled. It’s a disaster.”
Romania is home to Europe’s richest forests in terms of biodiversity. But every day they’re being diminished – by illegal logging.
Romania is home to over 500,000 hectares of virgin and old-growth forests – more than any other country in the European Union.
In theory, 63% of these are protected as Natura 2000 sites, but the reality on the ground is completely different. Environmental laws from Romania are not aligned with the EU requirements imposed by this project.
Romania’s old-growth forests are unique in Europe. They are home to thousands of species of animals and plants – and they ease the impact of climate change. For example, in the forest near Bucharest, the temperature is 10 degrees below that of the city.
After years of chaos, only a fifth of Romania’s forests still has old-growth trees.
