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Forest Restitution in Romania and Informal Economic Activities: Case Study –Chiojdu Commune. Author: Marioara Rusu Institute of Agricultural Economics e-mail: mara.r@xnet.ro. Optimistic official statistics…. …but the facts…. The specialists warn…. ... forests of Romania are in danger ...
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Forest Restitution in Romania and Informal Economic Activities: Case Study –Chiojdu Commune Author: Marioara Rusu Institute of Agricultural Economics e-mail: mara.r@xnet.ro
The specialists warn… ... forests of Romania are in danger... Inadequate and unreal information regarding forests - no real information about forested land - no real information about cut timber - no real information about exported timber and other wooden products (Giurgiu,2006)
Chiojdu commune • Total area – 12841ha • Total population – 3796 locuitori • Agricultural land – 4418ha • Forests – 7846ha • Share of poorerhouseholds – nearly25% Specific feature: Most of the villagers preserved their forest properties. They have not made significant cuttings as in other rural communities.
Informal activities • Cuttings without authorization - “cuttings for survival” • Extracting more timber than authorized • Underestimation of timber in forest planning area • Movement of illegally logged timber from forest to market • Processing timber without legal papers
Solidarity networks • Interests networks
Causes for informal activities • Lack of a settled and clear legislative framework(legal framework very often changed, laws issued too late, long time between laws and methodological rules, laws which were never enforced etc.) • Unclear ownership rights • Low level of control exerted by the institutions(low number of employees, bureaucracy, inefficient penalty system, poor collaboration between institutions etc.) • Low degree of information and education regarding the importance of forests • Poverty
Conclusion and Recommendations • Settled and clear legislative framework • Efficient institutions • Awareness campaigns • Economic alternatives for population in hilly and mountainous areas