Moldova

At the meeting of NPAC held in Chisinau on December 21, 2015, the participants presented new FLEG II reports, and discussed participation in regional activities, changes in the workplan, and sustainability of FLEG beyond the Program timeframe.

FLEG II program has developed and piloted a wood tracking system in Moldova. After successful development and implementation in a pilot area, the system was recognized by the authorities as a modern application useful for a better keeping and more accurate evidences of the harvested timber and its use

On November 8, 2015, Aurel Lozan, FLEG II Country Program Coordinator for IUCN Moldova, was interviewed on the TV channel “Moldova1” for the program “Nature on Focus” to discuss the topic of fuelwood availability, demand, and supply in the country.

ENPI FLEG II contributes to improving Moldsilva’s website to make it more user-friendly and transparent.

On June 1 FLEG II and Moldovan forest authorities brought 20 children from two orphanages and other schools to Nature Reserve “Codrii” in central Moldova to celebrate International Children’s Day. The pupils spent the whole day visiting the forests and learning about forest species, interconnections in forests, their management and conservation.

In frames of FLEG II a monitoring system of wood flow was developed in Moldova, Vatici Forest Management Unit from Orhei Forestry Enterprise, was selected as the pilot unit for the wood traceability system implementation.

FLEG II developed an educational toolkit “Forest in the context of sustainable development”, for teachers and students, in Moldova. Focused on forestry it provides collection of topics about forest functions and benefits, climate change and forests, sustainable development and forest certification as well as insight in non-formal educational methods: like outdoor and experiential education approaches.

FLEG II in cooperation with local stakeholders and partners who benefited from EU assistance (Agency Moldsilva, Forest  Research  and  Management Institute, Forest Enterprise and Nursery Telenesti, Antis-Media SRL), participated in the event,  where  preliminary  results  and  products  where presented to the public.

Beginning in April, the Moldova government’s forest management agency, Moldsilva, ceased main felling operations in 140 thousand hectares of oak forests while it reviews ways to improve leasing and sustainable forest management. The agency’s new director general made the decision to cease oak felling until the end of the year based on FLEG research, new findings of wood from dubious sources, and other information that shows current forest management systems are not doing enough to prevent the loss of Moldovan forests’ biological and economic potential.

The participants of the meeting confirmed that the governance of forests is being improved by the launch of the National Forestry Consultancy Office (NFCO), which aims at providing guidance and assistance to all forest owners and properties in order to improve forest management and promote sustainable development of natural resources.