The green areas in Chisinau decreased by about 1,000 hectares during the last 25 years. In the recent past, the inhabitants of Chisinau reported an increasing number of cases of tree felling and accuse the local authorities of Chisinau of intentionally destroying the green areas. In this connection, members of the Urban Ecologist Movement, in a news conference at IPN, launched a statement whereby they propose mechanisms for professionally solving the problem of green areas protection.

Chairman of the Urban Ecologist Movement Cornel Marza said the movement he heads shares the people’s concerns about the considerable constant reduction in the number of trees and general wooded areas following unjustified cases of tree felling. The negative impact on the urban environment is visible mainly due to the four-five times increase in the number of motor vehicles, while the concentrations of toxic gases and dust exceed the sanitary norms three times.

Cornel Marza noted the the environmental authorities easily authorize the cutting of trees in green areas so as to build commercial areas or parking lots instead. The problem is that the Chisinau City Hall does not have a strategy for managing green areas and does not intend to work out such a strategy, while the felling authorizing documents are drawn up and signed by violating the requirements of the current legislation.

Urban Ecologist Movement member Dumitru Arion underlined the necessity of working out the green areas register. The register would contain information about the inventorying of all the trees and bushes in Chisinau, the state of phytosanitary health and measures to maintain and improve the life of plants.

A study carried out by the Urban Ecologist Movement shows that about 50% of the trees growing by the roadside were cut down in the central part of Chisinau. Parking areas were built there.

In this connection, the Movement’s members suggest suspending the works to cut down trees, except for the damaged ones, by a decision of the Chisinau Municipal Council and creating a working group that would include specialists and independent experts, who would examine the legality of the tree felling authorizations issued so far. They also propose creating a council of ecological experts under the Chisinau City Hall, which would provide expert consultancy in the process of taking environmental decisions.

The statement of the Urban Ecologist Movement will be transmitted to the local public authorities and responsible environmental organizations.