The Baneasa Forest close to Bucharest and other forests near big cities will get protected-area status and be listed as forest-parks, environment minister Costel Alexe announced on Thursday, September 3.

He also said that he already had talks with representatives of the Romanian forest management company Romsilva to identify counties where forest areas can be transferred to the forest-parks list, changing their destination from production to recreation, News.ro reported.

"With the transfer of these forest-parks from the public administration of the Romanian state to the public administration of UAT (administrative-territorial units), local public administrations can and must, for the citizens of Romania, with local, governmental or especially European funds, arrange bike lanes and running tracks, install benches, garbage bins or lighting systems," Alexe said at the Regional Conference "Forests of Bucharest - Vision and Strategy", which took place in Baneasa Forest.

Along with other forests in the country, Baneasa Forest will also become a forest-park, the minister also said. 

At the Bucharest and Ilfov county level, 788 hectares of forests are listed as forest-parks, the Environment Ministry said in a press release.  

The conference was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Environment, the Romanian Parliament, Romsilva, local governments, the academic environment, and the civil society. 

Present at this conference, climber and environmental activist Alex Gavan said: "These forests have a social function primarily, all the other functions are subordinated to it. These forests are important in creating a harmonious landscape, but also for recreation, sports, and education."

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Ministerul Mediului)