There are about 81,000 hectares of untilled land in Moldova because this land cannot be used in agriculture or necessitates considerable investments for the purpose. According to the Ministry of the Environment, another about 800,000 hectares of land are affected by erosion and immediately need to be enhanced , including by creating a network of wooded protection strips because this land risks also becoming infertile, IPN reports.

In a communique issued on the occasion of the International Day of Forests that is marked on March 21, the Ministry says that 13.7% of Moldova’s territory is covered with vegetation, while the forests occupy 10.9% of the territory. For comparison, the wooded areas in Europe represent 29%. Environment specialists warn that the first edition of the Red Book included 55 species on the verge of extinction, the second – 242 species already, while the last – 427.

In this connection, the major goal of the environment policy on the conservation of biological diversity is to restore the biological and landscape diversity at an optimal level and to work out and implement efficient measures to conserve it in accordance with the national and international requirements.