The Ministry of Environment called on the local public authorities (LPAs) to assess the situation and present information about the amounts of firewood needed by each locality. The approach was made at the request of Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița so as to carry out a complex analysis and to work out a plan of measures to ensure access to firewood for the rural population, IPN reports, quoting a press release of the Ministry.

By such an initiative, the institution aims to avoid illegal tree felling. The requested amounts of firewood should be primarily sold for the 2022-2023 heating season.

“The Ministry of Environment banks on the support of mayor’s offices and representatives of Local Offices of the State Chancellery in collecting information about the amount of firewood so that the Ministry, together with “Moldsilva” Forestry Agency, takes measures to provide the amount of firewood needed for winter by all the people who use this alternative source for heating,” runs the press release.

The Ministry of Environment recommends the mayor’s offices to inform locals that they can apply for firewood for the 2022-2023 heating season. Later, local forestry companies of “Moldsilva” Agency will sell firewood based on the lists of applicants compiled by mayor’s offices.

The institution noted that given the unprecedented global energy crisis, the afforestation and reforestation remain a priority for the Ministry of Environment, which aims to plant trees on about 100,000 ha over the next ten years.

The LPAs are to present the requested information to the Ministry in electronic form by July 31, 2022, to the email address: lemnedefoc@mediu.gov.md.