yesterday at 12:29
,Germany
Agent Green has published a video filmed in Hârtibaciu Valley, claiming that a "clear-cutting" operation was authorized in a protected area, which the organization considers illegal. The Agnita Forestry District rejects the accusations and states that the intervention is, in fact, a "progressive cutting for alignment," and the mention of "clear-cutting" on an information sign is an error.
According to the organization, the exploitation is taking place in the protected area of Hârtibaciu Valley, described as the largest Natura 2000 site in Romania. Agent Green claims that clear-cutting has been banned since 2024 and states that large areas of mature trees have been removed on the ground.
Activists speak of the existence of illegal forest roads and the degradation of the area, while drone footage reportedly illustrates the extent of the intervention. Additionally, the forest fund administrator – Romsilva, through the Agnita Forestry District – as well as the operator Silva Grup, are mentioned. The timber is allegedly destined for major companies in the furniture industry.
Agent Green announced that it has notified the National Forestry Guard, the Ministry of Environment, and the Environmental Protection Agency, pointing to an exploitation in the Rodbav area, Brașov County. A central element of the controversy is an on-site information sign, where the "type of cutting" is listed as "clear-cutting," along with an authorized volume of over 3,600 cubic meters of timber.
The Agnita Forestry District categorically denies the existence of clear-cutting and states that it is a progressive cutting operation in its final stage. According to the district's representatives, the works began approximately 15 years ago and aim for the natural regeneration of the forest.
They explain that, in this phase, mature trees are removed to allow the growth of already established saplings. The mention of "clear-cutting" on the sign is, they claim, a simple clerical error unrelated to the approved technical documentation. The district also states that Agent Green did not request their viewpoint before publishing the material.
Silva Grup also rejects the accusations of clear-cutting and clarifies that the type of intervention is determined by the forest fund administrator, not the operator. The company states that the exploitation was obtained through a public tender and is carried out in accordance with legal authorizations.
Data available in the Forest Inspector app indicates, for the respective area, a "progressive cutting" aimed at regeneration, a procedure that involves successive interventions and the gradual opening of the canopy.
In the context of growing civic interest in the management of forests in the area, the emergence of the Open Landscape Federation is also mentioned, which announces information activities and field trips dedicated to forestry legislation.
Currently, the dispute remains open between classifying the intervention as "clear-cutting" and the position of the forestry authority, which maintains that it is a legal regeneration operation. Clarifications are expected following the investigations by the notified institutions.
