The Current Status and Development Strategies of the National Forest Fund

Abstract

The forests of the Republic of Moldova are part of the national natural patrimony and are among the few renewable sources that offer the possibility to influence and improve the quality of the environment. The forest resources of the Republic of Moldova consist of the resources of the forest floor and forest vegetation in the forest environment. The Republic of Moldova has a forest fund which, on January 1, 1999, covered an area of 394 thousand ha (11.6% of the country's territory), including forests - 325.4 thousand ha (the degree of afforestation of the territory is 9.6%, or 0.075 ha of forest per capita). The forestry fund also includes the areas intended for the cultivation, production and administration needs of the forestry sector, land intended for afforestation and included with forestry planning. These lands are an integral part of forest ecosystems and are managed and protected in accordance with the legislation in force. At the same time, Moldova has 46.7 thousand ha of forest vegetation outside the forest fund. The forestry authorities manage 349.2 thousand ha, or 88.6% of the national forest fund, of which forests occupy 311.8 thousand ha. The rest of the forest land - 44.8 thousand ha, or 11.4% - is managed by municipalities, agricultural units and other forest beneficiaries. Forests (325.4 thousand ha) are extremely unevenly distributed: the Central Zone is responsible for about 60% (afforestation rate of 13.5%), the Northern Zone - about 26% (with an afforestation rate of 7.2%), and the Southern Zone (with an afforestation rate of 6.7%), which is particularly affected by drought and erosion, with a deficit of water resources, only 16%.