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.

"As a journalist specializing on subjects related to nature, and forests in particular, I very often use the studies conducted by FLEG – the Forest Law Enforcement and Governance Program – as sources of information, in order to collect accurate and reliable data for my topics" says Lucica Taut, journalist and author of the program. "Moreover, FLEG experts have always been available to collaborate with journalists. For us, they are a valuable resource as they not only provide information, but also put forward interesting ideas that stimulate our minds and result in better stories".

Fuelwood consumption is an issue of considerable importance for the Moldovan forest sector. According to FLEG data, 80% of the country’s local communities use wood as the primary source of energy.  It is less expensive than gas (imported mainly from Russia) and coal. Nevertheless, some households can’t even afford to pay for the necessary amount of fuelwood to heat their houses.

Because of the great demand for fuelwood, the national supply is not sufficient and prices per cubic meter are high compared with the average income of rural population. Even though Moldsilva, the central public authority for forestry and hunting, tries to guarantee fuelwood to the most vulnerable communities, these efforts are not enough. As a consequence, illegal logging and forest destruction are real threats, especially around the biggest settlements, where the pressure on forests is higher.

To watch the full interview in Romanian language, click here.