The paper proposes an insight into the relation existing between economic development and resource consumption and the associated implications and challenges for forested areas in Romania. In accordance with this purpose, the methods used are both qualitative and quantitative by using a relevant literature review, including international and national reports. In the 1950s and 1960s, Simon Kuznets introduced to modern economic theory the idea that there are certain market forces directly correlated with economic development. After almost two decades of a market economy in Romania, we are witnessing a relative decoupling process between economic development and social inequality. Moreover, the country strives to make the transition to a circular economy by involving all relevant stakeholders and by attracting the necessary financial support. Sustainable development offers the perspective of reaching an equilibrium between economic, social, and environmental aspects. Finding the right tools to assess multiple impacts has always been challenging as regards decoupling the economic development from natural resource consumption. Although there are multiple interpretations of the outcomes of a decoupling process, this paper aims at assessing the evolution of forested areas through econometric research using the Environmental curve of Simon Kuznets. As our main results, we have observed a decoupling process in the GDP growth that will not lead to a decrease in wooded areas in our country, mainly due to rural–urban migration, shifts in consumption patterns (from firewood toward natural gases, etc.) and improvement in the legislative framework in the case of forestry products. Among the weaknesses of the model used are the limited data availability and the reduced number of observations with annual frequency (data were taken only for 22 years), the use of a square pattern instead of a cubic one (it is possible for the results to differ and consequently another form of this curve, either N or N-inverted) or the use of data with a low accuracy related to the total forest areas in Romania. Among the conclusions of the papers, the decoupling process is not a single action process. Our research focused on forest area and the need to connect it with other policy actions related to mainstreaming sustainability, promoting a circular economy or bioeconomy, or developing innovative public policies and instruments.

This paper presents a literature review of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and the knowledge accumulated by Romanian foresters and researchers, covering species propagation, stand management, and vulnerability issues. As highlighted by numerous authors, black locust manifests dual features, both as an exogenous species and one that is already naturalized. The main drivers for this species’ expansion in Romania is its ecological adaptability on degraded lands, fast growth, and high biomass yields, in addition to other economic benefits. Black locust plantations and coppices also offer an important range of ecosystem services such as CO2 sequestration, landscape reclamation, fuel wood, or maintaining traditional crafts in regions with little to no forest cover. Highlighted disadvantages include short lifespan, invasiveness when introduced on fertile sites, and dieback in drought/frost prone areas. The results of extensive research and studies are captured in technical norms, although aspects such as species genetics, invasive potential, and adaptation to climate change dynamics call for more research and optimizing in species management. As Romania rallies its efforts with those of the international community in order to address climate change and desertification, black locust stands out as a proven solution for reclaiming degraded lands when native species are not an alternative.

In Romania, the sessile oak is the widest spread species of all native oak species, forming a lower story of vegetation. The European beech and Norway spruce cover 50% of the Romanian forest area. The purpose of this study was to analyze the variability of the leaf nutrients, as well as of the soil nutrients, for sessile oak, Norway spruce and European beech stands situated under different site conditions. The studied sites are located in the southern part of the Carpathian Mountains at altitudes varying from 600 m to 1300 m. Leaves samples were collected from twenty sessile oak trees, in three moments during the growing season. The same eight elements in total form were determined for soil and leave too: N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu and Zn. Leaves samples for beech and spruce were collected in the II Level Intensive Monitoring Grid of the ICP Forests Programme. The paper focuses on the seasonal concentration variation of eight macro elements in leaves and the correlations between the concentration of the macro elements in soil and litter. In addition, the study highlighted the degree of influence exerted by some soil properties on the foliar concentration of nutrients (through multiple regressions). The obtained results show different mobility of the elements and a greater variability was noticed in the case of certain elements. The same three soil properties were noticed to influence the foliar nitrogen concentration.