Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine

WWF and IKEA Partnership on Forest Projects in Eastern Europe

Europe's pristine forests at risk
Bulgaria and Romania both have large areas of pristine forests; Romania alone has 300,000 hectares.

These forests are important for the health of the whole of Europe. They provide important environmental services that go well beyond the national economic benefits of the two countries. They are also home for a significant part of Europe's large carnivore populations.

New opportunities, emerging threats
The forests of Bulgaria and Romania are threatened by new economic developments as both nations recently joined the EU. But we still have a chance to conserve these forests if sustainable management principles are implemented.

Keeping forests in the right places
National High Conservation Value Forest (HCVF) toolkits are being developed to help identify where forests with critical biological, environmental or social values exist.

These toolkits are being developed through a large consultative/participatory process in each country. The goal is to get these HCVF toolkits nationally accepted as management planning tools so that forests with the right biological, environmental and social values in the right places are kept.

Setting a standard in Romania
In Romania, the WWF and IKEA Partnership on Forest Projects also supports the development of a national FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) standard. The Romanian government has committed itself to FSC certification of 4 million hectares of forests.

Setting this national standard is therefore important in helping to understand the meaning of sustainable management practices for Romania's forests. Work on the standard is progressing well.

FSC-certification of privately owned forests
The Partnership also works with private forest owners - mainly communities and owners, grouped under associations who manage large areas of forests. The work focuses on encouraging and supporting them on the certification process.

In Romania, two private Forest Districts are undergoing FSC certification - the first example of group certification in the country. Education of private forest administrators and owners is also important, not only for spreading information on responsible forest management, but also in providing a networking platform for private forest administrators.

Spreading the word, increasing expertise
Two Forest Certification Information Centers are now operational in Romania and Bulgaria. These centers serve as a one-stop information source for forest certification.

Trained staff with local knowledge provide guidance and services to forest owners and companies on all they need to know about forest certification - from how to get certified to linking markets, as well as where in-country certified resources can be accessed, and companies within and outside the country with interest in certified timber. Training programmes are also held.