Transylvania, Romania

Reforesting areas impacted by deforestation, land degradation, and monoculture reforestation.

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About Plant for the Future

In 2009, the Plant for the Future project was established in Transylvania to support landowners’ associations in sustainably reforesting areas impacted by deforestation, land degradation, and monoculture reforestation.

Overview

Local landowners often struggle to regenerate lands due to the high costs of maintenance as well as a lack of public support.

Coordinated locally by the Mihai Eminescu Trust (MET), this project in Transylvania was established in 2009 to address land erosion, biodiversity loss, and adaptation of forests to climate change by planting diverse native species. Local schools and communities have also been invited to participate in the first days of the planting activities to increase environmental awareness in the region.

Scaling The Project

The Plant for the Future project is on its way to reach 2,000,000 trees planted with PUR. To further increase the impact, MET and PUR are exploring the possibility of implementing a carbon certification plan within the project.

A feasibility study is underway with the objective of accounting for the carbon already sequestered, the potential for future sequestration, and the additionality of the project.

Potential of Carbon

In order to engage landowner associations and forest authorities in the carbon certification process, training was provided during a regular field visit in 2022.

Training Sessions

Collective training sessions on the carbon certification process with MET and PUR.

Community Involvement

Local schools and communities are invited to participate in the first days of planting activities to increase environmental awareness in the region.

Tree Nursery

Seedlings in a nursery inspected by forest authorities.

Monitoring Process

A forestry expert who works with MET, describes the monitoring process.

Harghita County

In Harghita County, several plots belonging to a local church were previously left empty as unused pastures.

In 2019, an initiative began to replant these fields and transform them into forested land. 20,000 trees were planted over 5 hectares; species planted were European Spruce, Sycamore, Larch and Wild Cherry.

The plots will be supervised by local forestry authorities, with yearly monitoring to assess the survival rate until “standalone status” is achieved. This status is declared when the average height of the tree is 1.2 meters and when 80% of the soil is covered.

"The project is a breath of fresh air. It helped us bring together 500 landowners to replant the area, and get the support of the community to plant the trees voluntarily."

Szentegyhazy Kozbirtokossag Association, Romania

"These orchards have been planted in 2014 thanks to the project, and now the community can benefit from the fruits."

Szentegyhazy Kozbirtokossag Association, Romania