Parliament Resolution No. 350 validating the Strategy for the sustainable development of the forestry sector in the Republic of Moldova.

The capacity of Moldova's forests to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is about 2230 thousand tons per year. Forests make a substantial contribution to reducing soil erosion processes and landslides. In the conditions of Moldova, with substantial alternations of temperatures, with frequent droughts, water deficit, land exposed to landslides and with the decrease of soil fertility, up to 40 - 50%, through the intensification of erosion processes, the protective role of forests becomes vitally important.
The forest fund managed by the forestry authorities includes 311.8 thousand ha of forests comprised of forestry facilities. The forests of the Republic of Moldova are included in functional group I, having exclusively environmental protection functions. In relation to the functions they perform, the following functional subgroups are distinguished: (a) forests with water protection functions - 4.9 thousand ha; (b) forests with land and soil protection functions - 21.9 thousand ha; (c) forests with protective functions against harmful climatic and industrial factors - 158.3 thousand ha; (d) forests with recreational functions - 95.9 thousand ha; and (e) forests of scientific interest and with functions of protecting the gene pool and forest eco-pool - 44.1 thousand ha. The forestry sector annually provides the national economy with around 360 thousand m3 of wood mass. However, the fuelwood needs of the population are satisfied in the proportion of 70-80%. Non-timber forest products are also underutilized. The annual potential of Moldova's forests for ancillary products, such as forest fruits and berries, nuts, mushrooms, medicinal plants, etc., amounts to about 4 thousand tons, in reality only about 3 thousand tons of such products are harvested per year.
The problems of the sustainable management of the forests of the Republic of Moldova can be successfully solved only in the case of promoting a forestry policy appropriate to the new requirements. New system of visions on the sector requires adoption of a new forestry mentality, the implementation of the provisions of the international conventions to which the Republic of Moldova is a party, the organization of the rational valorization of forest products in the context of ensuring the continuity of forests as structure and functions, in correlation with the growth conditions, contributing to maintaining the multifunctional potential of forests. Forestry management must be subordinated only to sustainable national interests, oriented towards national traditions and objectives of forestry and based on ecological principles. The problem of protection and sustainable development of forests is inseparable from the problem of ensuring the health of the country's population. In forestry policy it is necessary to emphasize the conservation of biological diversity all levels, on the training of personnel in the field of forestry, on the harmonization of the legislative framework, on international cooperation.
The key issues of national interest of the forestry sector are: (a) preservation of biological diversity of forests, including restoring the ecoprotective and bioproductive potential of forests; (b) rational use of forest resources, preventing the further degradation of forest ecosystems through their sustainable use, through the formation and maintenance of the optimal structure of stands; (c) expansion of areas with forest vegetation; and (d) guarding and protection of the forest fund, including protection of rare and endangered forest ecosystems (beech, oak, downy oak forests), prohibition of unjustified deforestation of forests.
The Strategy shall be implemented by means of: (a) an adequate institutional framework; (b) a solid scientific support; (c) a modern system of training and professional development of staff; (d) a system of education of ecoforestry awareness among the population; (e) a favorable social-economic framework; (f) increased productive capacities of forestry sector and financial support.