A multiannual project developed by the Association of Forest Administrators (AFA) and the “Ștefan cel Mare” University of Suceava with the support of Holzindustrie Schweighofer:
•7 years of planting and aftercare (from 2017 to 2024)
•One million trees to be planted
•Over one million euros invested
•The first planting operation will take place in November 2017
•An initiative open to private & community forest owners, and to the general public
The Association of Forest Administrators (AFA) and ”Ștefan cel Mare” University of Suceava, with the support of Holzindustrie Schweighofer, will help private and community forest owners regenerate degraded forest surfaces all over Romania in the next 7 years. Tomorrow`s Forest replanting project will have a strong positive impact on local communities actively involved in it, by substantially contributing to the conservation of forest resources, to the prevention of erosion, landslides and floods in the respective areas.
Tomorrow’s Forest responds to an urgent need for reforestation on private or local administrations’ properties. Forest lands were restituted in several stages and various situations have led to forest degradation in some cases. Subsidies are in place for afforestation of degraded agricultural land but not for replanting on such areas.
AAP will manage the replanting and aftercare works and University of Suceava will support the selection and replanting process on a scientific basis. Holzindustrie Schweighofer will provide project management, funding, volunteers, community outreach, and the educational component of the project and will contribute over 1 million euro for the flawless implementation of the project.
The replanting project is open to any private forest owner and village/city hall. Proposals can be submitted via www.padureademaine.ro, a platform where potential applicants and any stakeholders can find detailed information, the methodology and progress.
Replanting in forests administered by private forest management units takes place on about four thousand hectares each year. We’re launching Tomorrow`s Forest to address particular situations encountered in our activity, where forest owners, for various reasons, lack the capacity to regenerate their forests. – Dorel Fechete, Executive Director of AAP
I believe that if we want to change something and it is in our power to do so, not only we should do it, we have to do it. This is what responsibility is about and we have to start somewhere. What better start than planting seedlings, new lives that will shape future forests. It is our duty towards today’s forest and tomorrow’s generation. – Ciprian Palaghianu, Project Director from the “Ștefan cel Mare” University of Suceava, Forestry Faculty.
We need to replant now so that future generations get the environmental, social and economic benefits from those forests that will take decades to mature. Tomorrow’s Forest will cover all Romanian regions and planting will be done in order to restore natural forest vegetation in the selected areas. – said Ionuț Apostol, project manager.
We are committed to sustainable forestry in Romania and therefore actively support Tomorrow`s Forest, as a project that will help degraded land become forests again – says Dan Bănacu, General Manager, Holzindustrie Schweighofer Romania.
Replanting will take place in spring and/or autumn each year depending on locations, species an weather conditions while aftercare operations will continue for several years in all selected locations.
AAP background information
AAP is a non-governmental, apolitical, non-profit organization, the professional association of the forest administrators. The association was established in 2004 and it was granted public utility status in 2015. The members of the association are 104 private forest management units. The forest districts in the Association manage 1.5 million hectares of forest fund, property of local administrations (64%), legal persons (30%) and individuals (6%).
The “Stefan cel Mare” University of Suceava background information
The Forestry Faculty at the Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava has forestry science and research as its main fields of activity. The institution prepares forestry engineers for forest management, wood exploitation and transportation, primary industrialization and wood harvesting. The Forestry Faculty in Suceava is very active in scientific research and it develops numerous research projects on a national and European level, acting as a founding member of the European Forest Institute’s Regional Center for Central and Eastern Europe
Holzindustrie Schweighofer background information
The Schweighofer Group has its roots in a traditional Austrian family company with over 400 years of experience in wood processing. Today, the Group is primarily active in the wood processing industry, forest management, energy production from biomass and real estate. The industry division of the Schweighofer Group operates three sawmills and two wooden panel productions in Romania and a saw mill in Germany. It takes a leading role in the European timber-processing industry, currently employing around 3,500 employees. Holzindustrie Schweighofer exports products to over 70 countries worldwide.
For further information, please contact:
Ionuț Apostol, Project Manager
T: +40 372 422 717
M: +40 729 440 999
contact@padureademaine.ro
