Area
Native poplars 60 732 ha (7 560 million m³ standing); cottonwood poplar + P. deltoides 52 824 ha (6 695 million m³) (1999 statistical records).
Native willows 18 557 ha (1.1 million m³) and selected willows 24 273 ha (2.7 million m³)
The area of plantations of poplar and willow is 2.5% of the national forest area. Of the total stands of poplar and willow, 95.1% are owned by the State and managed by the National Forest authority
The area of poplar and willow has decreased by around 25% due to hydrotechnical works, especially along inland rivers, where site conditions have been greatly modified.
All native poplar and willow stands are naturally regenerated. The cottonwood stands and selected wood stands have been created by plantations.
Economic data
In the last four years, a volume of 3.3 million m³ of poplar and willow wood has been harvested, representing 5.9% of the total national wood harvested. Of the total harvested volume, between 1996-1999, about 1.6 million m³ have been used in industry, as logs and wood for pulp, and over 800 00 m³ for meeting the needs of rural households. In that period Romania did not import poplar and willow wood.
Policy and legislation
Between 1996-1999, the Romanian Government, through the Ministry of Waters, Forest and Environment Protection, has initiated and promoted a series of legal regulations, through legislation or government decisions which, directly or indirectly, have an impact upon poplar and willow culture and use.
Identification, testing and clonal control are carried out permanently by specialists from the Forest Research and Management Institute and National Forest Administration, by using compulsory criteria.
Technical data
Researches on the physical-mechanical, technological and processing properties for a poplar clone and two clones of Salix alba have been continued. The potential use of S. alba wood has been lately reconsidered, being used more and more in the production of chipboards, plywood, matches, etc. The finishing of the wood of S. alba with water-based solutions and organic solvents is carried out through malt staining, to avoid color differences. In the framework of the EUFORGEN Programme, Romania has exchanged material and documentation with other countries.
General information
The National Poplar and Willow Commission operates within the Romanian National Forest Administration, as an advisory body in promoting poplar and willow forestry at national level. Since January 1999 the structure of the commission has been changed, having now 23 members. There are strong relations with neighboring countries like Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey.
