Nature’s Lawyer brings together Agent Green’s legal work to protect the environment in court. Through strategic litigation, we challenge illegal forest management plans, defend protected natural areas and demand enforcement of environmental law before Romanian and European courts.
For many years we have fought costly cases against the state to secure justice for forests. Things are out of control — these cases cover only a fraction of the thousands of offences committed every day. But each court victory creates a precedent and changes the rules of the game.
We launched a fundraising campaign to support the court cases:
Anyone wishing to make a practical contribution to saving forests can do so through a donation.
Every leu counts in the legal fight for nature.
Nature’s Lawyer has turned environmental activism into concrete legal action with measurable results.
court cases
to defend protected areas
of forest saved
Domogled-Valea Cernei & Platoul Mehedinți
of clear-cutting suspended
the largest area in Romania
1
34,000 hectares of forest saved from logging — in Domogled–Valea Cernei National Park and Platoul Mehedinți Geopark, protected areas where logging had been planned illegally.
2
Forest management plans are now public — following cases against Romsilva, environmental agencies, private forestry districts and the Ministry of the Environment, anyone can request these documents, which show standing timber volumes, species, stand ages and logging plans.
The plans are approved by order of the environment minister and can be used to check whether forests are being managed properly.
3
Planned logging suspended — in Poieni, Baia de Aramă and Lerești forestry districts, where more than 3,700 hectares of clear-cutting had been planned, the largest area in Romania.
4
Forest management plans annulled — Alpina Borsec in Munții Maramureșului Natural Park and SC Boisoara Industries SRL in the Făgăraș Mountains, where illegal logging was taking place in protected areas.
Nature’s Lawyer fights legal battles against Romania’s most powerful entities — from ministries to state-owned companies and corporations.
Hidroelectrica — Jiu Gorge hydropower plant
A communist-era project that Hidroelectrica wants to implement under pre-1989 legislation. Agent Green requested annulment of the government expropriation decision because the building permits had previously been annulled by the court. The project cannot legally continue — it lacks a strategic environmental assessment and an appropriate assessment.
Transelectrica — Reșița (Pancevo)–Arad overhead power line
400 kV overhead power lines through protected areas, authorised by a special law (Law 220/2019) that ignores sensitive zones. The route destroys primary forests, threatens special protection areas for birds and endangers the health of Anina residents through the electromagnetic fields generated.
Cheile Carașului–Semenic Park
Managed by Romsilva since 2014, the park has no lawful management plan. The proposed document lacks substance — information about protected species and habitats, reserve boundaries and protected areas inside the park is missing. Agent Green requested annulment of the screening decision.
Barnova–Repedea Forest (Iași)
A forest protected within two Natura 2000 sites. Forest management plans were approved without a management plan and without considering birds’ nesting, feeding and mating areas. Trees over 200 years old were cut down.
Agent Green’s systematic complaints, together with EuroNatur and ClientEarth, triggered infringement proceedings by the European Commission against Romania.
Grounds for infringement
Documented violations
- ✗Extensive illegal logging in protected areas
- ✗Refusal of access to forest management plans
- ✗Plans without proper environmental assessments
- ✗Destruction of EU priority species and habitats
Consequences
What comes next
- ✓The government received an ultimatum over non-compliance
- ✓Fines from the European Court of Justice
- ✓Agent Green gathers new evidence
- ✓The ministry only pretends to resolve the problems
Continued non-compliance will bring heavy fines imposed by the European Court of Justice.
Agent Green has collected new data demonstrating that the ministry only pretends to resolve problems, which continue at an accelerating pace.
If you know nature lovers who would like to do more but lack time, who are distressed by logging and deforestation — direct them to Nature’s Lawyer.
Every case won creates a precedent. Every court victory changes the rules for the future.
What we have achieved together
- ✓More than 150 court cases to defend Romania’s protected natural areas.
- ✓34,000 hectares of forest saved from logging in national parks.
- ✓Forest management plans have become public documents accessible to everyone.
- ✓European infringement proceedings initiated to protect forests.
- ✓International partnerships with EuroNatur and ClientEarth.
