Forest owners will be obliged to install video surveillance systems

Forest owners will be obliged to install video surveillance systems in order to prevent illegal tree cutting, according to a law promulgated by President Klaus Iohannis. The investments will be made with money from the Ministry of the Environment, and the Gendarmerie will monitor and intervene in case of illegal activities.

"The extension of the protocol between the Ministry of the Environment and the MAI will allow the implementation of a video monitoring system of the forest fund and the security of the forest with gendarmes. Video monitoring, as it is in other countries in Europe, does not necessarily aim at the theft of wood material. We, in the forest fund, also have many other problems, such as garbage, the dumping of all kinds of substances, waste, fires in places where citizens spend the weekend", explained the president of the Romanian Forestry Association, Ciprian Musca.

In Brasov, the Forestry Directorate already uses such systems at the wood exploitation ramps.

"I don't know if there will be difficulties in implementation, if the ministry grants the necessary funds. The measure can be applied very quickly. They will be applied through forest bypasses. Any forest owner has the obligation, according to the Forestry Code, to ensure the administration and protection of an authorized forest bypass, and it will be beneficial for forest protection", said the head of the department, Dan Runceanu.

The rules for applying the new law must be established within 60 days of its promulgation.

Translated by: Radu Matei