Forest Restitution in Romania Forest Restitution in Romania and and

Informal Economic Activities: Informal Economic Activities: Case Study –Chiojdu CommuneCase Study –Chiojdu Commune

Author: Marioara RusuAuthor: Marioara Rusu

Institute of Agricultural Institute of Agricultural EconomicsEconomics

e-mail: mara.r@xnet.roe-mail: mara.r@xnet.ro

Optimistic official Optimistic official statistics…statistics…

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Teren forestier Impaduriri Volum lemn recoltat

1990=100

……but the facts…but the facts…

The specialists warn…The specialists warn…

... ... forests of Romania are in dangerforests of Romania are in danger......

Inadequate and unreal information Inadequate and unreal information regarding forestsregarding forests

- - no real information about forested no real information about forested landland

- - no real information about cut timberno real information about cut timber- - no real information about exported no real information about exported

timber and other wooden productstimber and other wooden products

(Giurgiu,2006)(Giurgiu,2006)

ChiojduChiojdu commune commune

Total areaTotal area – 12841ha – 12841ha Total populationTotal population – 3796 locuitori – 3796 locuitori Agricultural landAgricultural land – 4418ha – 4418ha ForestsForests – 7846ha – 7846ha Share of poorerShare of poorer householdshouseholds

– – nearlynearly 225%5%

Specific feature: Most of the villagers preserved their forest properties. They have not made significant cuttings as in other rural communities.

Informal activitiesInformal activities Cuttings without authorizationCuttings without authorization - -

““cuttings for survivalcuttings for survival”” Extracting more timber than authorizedExtracting more timber than authorized Underestimation of timber in forest Underestimation of timber in forest

planning areaplanning area Movement of illegally logged timber Movement of illegally logged timber

from forest to marketfrom forest to market Processing timber without legal papersProcessing timber without legal papers

Solidarity networksSolidarity networks Interests networksInterests networks

Causes for informal Causes for informal activitiesactivities

Lack of a settled and clear legislative Lack of a settled and clear legislative frameworkframework ((legal framework very often changed, laws legal framework very often changed, laws issued too late, long time between laws and issued too late, long time between laws and methodological rules, laws which were never enforced etcmethodological rules, laws which were never enforced etc.).)

Unclear ownership rightsUnclear ownership rights Low level of control exerted by the Low level of control exerted by the

institutionsinstitutions ((low number of employeeslow number of employees, , bureaucracybureaucracy, , inefficient penalty system, poor collaboration between inefficient penalty system, poor collaboration between institutions etc.) institutions etc.)

Low degree of information and education Low degree of information and education regarding the importance of forestsregarding the importance of forests

PovertyPoverty

Conclusion and Conclusion and RecommendationsRecommendations

Settled and clear legislative Settled and clear legislative frameworkframework

Efficient institutionsEfficient institutions Awareness campaignsAwareness campaigns Economic alternatives for population Economic alternatives for population

in hilly and mountainous areasin hilly and mountainous areas