Straseni district of Moldova among top settlements with most forest land: 600 hectares for afforestation

Minister of Environment Sergiu Lazarencu has visited the Capriana Forest District from the central Straseni district and several young plantations of 2, 5, and 12 years old, which have a very good survival rate of over 80 per cent.

These areas have been regenerated through direct sowing with oak acorns. As the young seedlings grew, the mature ones were removed to create optimal development conditions for the new plants.

“Silvicultural works are planned processes, essential for the health and regeneration of forests. Removing dry or diseased trees, strategically thinning of areas and other care measures contribute to the growth and development of new generations of trees. In addition to these works, more and more trees are being planted in Moldova; in fact, for every tree cut today, 12 others are planted in its place,” the Ministry of Environment informed.

Since the launch of the National Programme for Forest Expansion and Rehabilitation, the Straseni district has allocated about 600 hectares of land for afforestation, of which almost 400 hectares have already been planted. The Ministry of Environment assures that it will continue to support afforestation initiatives and will collaborate with foresters and local authorities for a greener and cleaner environment.

The government has allocated 416 million lei to increase the afforestation rate, representing the largest investment ever made in the forestry sector by the state. As much as 316 million lei of this amount was directed for expanding and rehabilitating forests, while 100 million lei was for purchasing modern equipment, including excavators, modern tractors, mulchers, rotavators, tree-planting machines, cultivators and motor-cultivators, among other tools. This equipment allows for better soil processing, enhancing the efficiency of works and the seedlings' survival rate.

Significant progress has also been made locally, where over 460 mayors have allocated land for expanding forested areas. In total, 26,670 hectares were  allocated for planting, a remarkable result, considering that, before the programme's initiation, no new acre of land had been planted for five years.

Among the districts that allocated the most land for afforestation, there are Ocnita with 2,281 hectares, Hancesti - 1,570 hectares, Comrat/UTA - 1,505 hectares, Ungheni - 1,232 hectares, and Causeni - 1,131 hectares. At the same time, the most forested districts of Moldova are Straseni, Calarasi, Hancesti, Nisporeni and Ungheni, with a forestation rate between 20% and 35%. A forestation rate of less than 7 per cent is recorded in the districts of Drochia, Floresti, Taraclia, Gagauzia, Sangerei, Basarabeasca, Rascani and Stefan Voda.

The main goal of the National Programme for Forest Expansion and Rehabilitation is to increase the afforested area by 145,000 hectares over the next 10 years. These efforts are fundamental for the protection of soil, increasing precipitation, enhancing climate change resilience, and, consequently, improving residents’ health.