New report shows, yet again, massive destruction of Romanian forests

Radolfzell/Bucharest. Between 2021 and 2024, over 4.7 million cubic meters of wood were extracted from nearly 140,000 hectares of primary and old-growth forests in Romania. Almost half of these areas are Natura 2000 sites. EuroNatur, Agent Green and the Environment Investigation Agency (EIA) detail these shocking findings in their new report. “The 4.7 million cubic metres of precious wood cut from the last primary and old-growth forests is the equivalent of a line of trucks from Bucharest to Brussels, loaded to the brim with logs,” says Agent Green’s Executive Director Gabriel Paun. 

The most prominent logging practices found throughout the Romanian Carpathians, also in and around national and natural parks, were large-scale 'sanitary logging' and rapid 'progressive logging', often resulting in vast barren landscapes. This is a clear breach of EU legislation such as the Habitats Directive, and it contradicts the EU Biodiversity Strategy, which requires strict protection of Europe's remaining ancient forests. The European Commission has recently sent a reasoned opinion to Romania for failing to fully implement the Habitats Directive and required the authorities to take the necessary measures by yesterday.

"As far back as 2020, the EU Commission stated in three separate infringement procedures that Romanian forestry practices were in breach of the Habitats Directive (under which the Natura 2000 forest areas are protected) and demanded immediate corrections from the Romanian government. But our new report shows that the relentless destruction of primary and old-growth forests has continued ever since. Therefore, we expect from the new European Commission to push for effective protection of these very valuable forests and to speed up the process," says Siegmund Missall, EuroNatur's Forest Programme Manager.

In February 2020, the European Commission opened its first infringement procedure against the Romanian government in response to a complaint filed by EuroNatur, Agent Green and Client Earth about illegal logging of primary and old-growth forests in Natura 2000 sites. Despite the overwhelming evidence presented, the European Commission didn't refer the case to the European Court of Justice, and the destruction has continued unabated. 

With the new European Commission in place, we are calling on EU Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall to take decisive action against logging in Romania's primary and old-growth forests before it is too late.

Background information:

• Romania has over 500,000 hectares of potential primary and old-growth forests, more than any other EU Member State except Scandinavia. About 300,000 hectares of these forests are protected under European laws as Natura 2000 sites. These forests are crucial for many protected species, including bears, wolves, black storks, owls, woodpeckers, bats, and beetles, as well as for humans, serving as the "lungs of Europe."

• In April 2024, the NGOs EuroNatur and Agent Green, together with over 106,000 concerned EU citizens, called on former EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius to "Stop the illegal logging of Romania's ancient forests. Save our natural heritage" with a protest action in front of the Berlaymont building in Brussels. 

• EuroNatur and Agent Green (Romania) are advocating for the strict protection of primary and old-growth forests in the Romanian Carpathians. They collaborated with the EIA on their latest report on logging in Romania’s forests, which has been given to the Commission.

Contact:
Anika Konsek, EuroNatur: anika.konsek(at)euronatur.org, phone: (+49) 7732 9272 26
Raluca Nicolae, Agent Green: raluca.nicolae(at)agentgreen.org, phone: (+40) 721 51 11 25