We see certification as enhancing economic returns, since more and more companies are requiring certification. For countries like Romania, this means more value for our exports. The main demand for our timber is shifting away from the Arabian and Chinese markets toward Western Europe. And Western Europeans in particular are increasingly demanding FSC certified timber. Romania has the largest natural forested area maybe the largest remaining virgin forests in all Europe.
Many areas are important in terms of biodiversity, as habitats for mammals, carnivores.
The majority of the European bear population is in Romania. Also more than 40 percent of Europe's wolf and lynx populations are here, not to mention other species. So it is not just the economic value that is significant. The ecological value is huge. The change from a centrally-planned to market economy is posing a lot of threats to this rich environmental treasure.