FORESTS TAKE TIME.
SO DOES REAL change.
How responsible forest management, public policies, conservation, and collaboration are transforming Romania's forests and forest governance
Change, especially when it involves institutions, systems, and mindsets, takes time.
Orieta Hulea
CEO WWF-România
From the very beginning, our work has been guided by the belief that lasting solutions cannot be built in isolation. Forest conservation affects a wide range of stakeholders and, for that very reason, it must be shaped together with those who depend on forests, manage them, or influence their future.
Through open dialogue and transparent collaboration, we have sought to reduce the pressures on forests while fostering a shared responsibility for the solutions needed to protect them. Not every effort has achieved the outcomes we had hoped for. Yet it is clear that sustained engagement has led to real progress -far beyond what would have been possible without collective action.
ROMANIA. A PLACE WHERE FORESTS STILL HAVE A STORY TO TELL.
Romania's forests are among the most valuable ecosystems in Europe. They provide habitat for thousands of species, protect water and soil, contribute to climate stability, and support entire communities.
But forests need more than protection. They need sound policies, strong institutions, science-based decision-making, and people willing to work together. Over the past 20 years, many of these foundations have begun to take root.
The result is not a final destination, but an ongoing process of transformation. The future of Romania's forests will depend on our ability to keep building on this foundation.
FROM PROBLEMS TO SOLUTIONS
Over the past 20 years, Romania's forests have gained stronger protection, greater transparency, and a stronger voice in society
When Change Takes Root
Europe's Last Wild Forests
Romania's old-growth forests are among the last truly natural forest ecosystems in Europe. WWF has contributed to their identification, recognition, and protection.
Timber, One Click Away
Through the Forest Inspector platform, anyone can verify timber transports and authorized forestry activities online. Technology has brought greater transparency and made it more difficult to conceal irregularities.
Nature Knows Best
Healthy forests depend not only on trees, but also on biodiversity, natural regeneration, and ecological processes that have been shaping them for thousands of years. Today, an increasing number of forest policies and management practices recognize the importance of close-to-nature forestry.
Supporting Local Communities
Conservation works best when it also takes into account the people who depend on forests. For the first time, forest-dependent communities are formally recognized in Romania's National Forest Strategy and the new Forestry Code.
1 million
Public Checks on the Forest Inspector Platform Every Year
Only a few years ago, it was almost impossible for most people to find out what happened to timber once it left the forest. Today, anyone can access information about timber transports and authorized forestry activities through the Forest Inspector platform, a tool that has brought transparency closer to citizens and turned forest monitoring into a shared effort.
More than one million checks are carried out through the platform every year, a clear sign that more and more people are choosing to get involved and keep track of what is happening in Romania's forests. Transparency is not only about access to information. It is also about building trust, strengthening accountability, and enabling society to play a more active role in protecting the country's forest heritage.
Old-growth forests are living witnesses to a world where nature has evolved undisturbed for centuries. Today, 84,000 hectares are under strict protection, helping preserve rare ecosystems and a natural heritage of exceptional value.
Protecting these forests means more than conserving ancient trees. It means safeguarding unique natural processes, habitats for thousands of species, and a natural legacy that, once lost, can never be recreated.
84.000 ha
of old-growth forests are now under strict protection
Looking Ahead
Romania's forests have endured centuries of change and continue to provide essential benefits for both nature and people. Today, the challenge is not only to protect what we have, but also to build a model that will preserve these values for future generations.
The future means more resilient forests, better protected biodiversity, more engaged local communities, and decisions grounded in science and collaboration. Because forests are not built in a single generation – and lasting change requires the same patience.
