Senate President Mircea Abrudean announced that he will initiate steps to amend legislation in order to protect forests from bark beetle infestations, noting that dead trees are also at risk of catching fire.
‘Thousands of hectares of forest in Romania are drying out, and nothing can be done due to a legislative vacuum. Essentially, dead wood cannot be felled, cannot be replaced with new and healthy saplings, nor can it be distributed to people in need of firewood for household use or for exploitation. Meanwhile, healthy trees are being cut down. The Apuseni Natural Park, located in western Romania, spans approximately 76,000 hectares, of which around 40% lies in Cluj County, across seven communes – Belis, Calatele, Margau, Marisel, Rasca, Sacuieu and Poieni,’ Abrudean wrote in a Facebook post.
He pointed out that currently, in these areas, thousands of hectares of coniferous forest are affected by a pest – the bark beetle – and have dried out. The affected areas continue to expand rapidly, and the dry trees are increasingly at risk of wildfires.
According to the Senate President, the current legislation, Emergency Ordinance No. 57/2007 on the regime of protected natural areas, the conservation of natural habitats, wild flora and fauna, although amended, is outdated and does not reflect current needs. Moreover, in the decision-making process, local councils, county councils and private landowners are not consulted.
‘What must be done to save Romania’s forests? The legislation needs to be changed. The current waiting periods exceed the optimal timeframes for interventions aimed at halting and mitigating infested outbreaks. The law must provide for the rapid issuance of permits to remove infested wood in a timely manner, preventing new generations of insects from attacking nearby healthy trees. As President of the Senate and a senator elected from Cluj, I will take steps to ensure Romania’s forests are protected and that we can enjoy nature’s riches, a healthy life and clean air. We need legislation that is new and adapted to today’s realities,’ Senate President Mircea Abrudean added.
AGERPRES
