Partener institutions from the Republic of Moldova:

• Forest Research and Management Institute (ICAS) (Lead partner – Dumitru Galupa)
• Moldova State University – “Alexandru Ciubotaru” National Botanical Garden Institute (USM-GBNI) (Lead partner – Ion Roșca)

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To ensure the sustainable management of forests and the conservation of valuable woody plants, specialized researchers are needed in the Republic of Moldova who are able to collaborate in joint European and international projects. Thus, it will be possible to extend the area of scientific investigation of the extremely diversified forest ecosystems in the two countries with complementary climatic and vegetation conditions. The MONFORGENDIV bilateral project between Romania and the Republic of Moldova aims to increase international cooperation among the project partners: the “Marin Drăcea” National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry (Romania), Forest Research and Management Institute (Republic of Moldova) and the State University of the Republic of Moldova. The main objective of the project is to improve the scientific capacity of the specialists from the Republic of Moldova in order to establish harmonised methodologies for the assessment and forest monitoring, genetic and systematic of woody plants diversity, tree growth response and resilience to climate change of xerophytic oak species.

The project results will contribute to the improvement of human scientific resources from the partners in the Republic of Moldova by creating specialized teams of researchers, access to the existing field and laboratory infrastructures in Romania and expanding the area of scientific investigation in the two countries

Project coordinator – INCDS Marin Dracea

1. Badea Nicolae Ovidiu – Project director – Senior Researcher

2. Apostol Ecaterina-Nicoleta – Postdoctoral Researcher

3. Leca Ștefan – Senior Researcher

4. Silaghi Diana – Senior Researcher

5. Popa Ionel –Senior Researcher

6. Tăut Ioan – Senior Researcher

7. Apostol Bogdan – Senior Researcher

8. Popescu Flavius – Senior Researcher

9. Chivulescu Șerban – Postdoctoral Researcher

10. Bălăcenoiu Flavius – Postdoctoral Researcher

11. Dobre Alexandru-Claudiu – Postdoctoral Researcher

12. Pleșca Ioana Maria – Postdoctoral Researcher

13. Popa Andrei – PhD student

Partner 1 – Forest Research and Management Institute (ICAS)

1. Florența Gheorghe – Senior Researcher

2. Miron Aliona – Senior Researcher

3. Galupa Dumitru – Lead Partner – Senior Researcher

4. Țugulea Andrian –Postdoctoral Researcher

5. Proșii Erii – PhD student

6. Tălmaci Ion – PhD student

7. Sfecla Victor – PhD student

8. Florența Veronica – PhD student

Partner 2- Moldova State University – “Alexandru Ciubotaru” National Botanical Garden Institute (USM-GBNI)

1. Roșca Ion – Lead Partner – Senior Researcher

2. Ioniță Olga – Senior Researcher

3. Tofan-Dorofeev Elena – Senior Researcher

4. Cîrlig Natalia – Postdoctoral Researcher

5. Cassir Polina – PhD student

6. Pavliuc Alina – PhD student

7. Mitu Vitalie – PhD student

8. Grati Vladislav – PhD student

The scope of MONFORGENDIV is to strengthen and foster new collaborations between forestry research teams from Romania and the Republic of Moldova in assessing and monitoring forest health status, soil biodiversity, tree growth, tree nutrition, pests and diseases, ambient air quality, deposition, genetic diversity, tree growth response and resilience to climate change of xerophytic oak species. The main objective is to harmonize methodologies of these scientific activities by means of a multidisciplinary collaboration. The expected results are novel and of great significance in the European and international context and will provide both countries with innovative findings about the responses and capacity to adapt their forests to climate change, air pollution impact, as well as carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation. This bilateral agreement is a unique opportunity for collaboration for the three research teams.

O1. Harmonization of forest research/monitoring methodologies used in Romania and the Republic of Moldova, training in field activities, and analysis and processing of data for the preparation of annual forest condition reports to be submitted to national forestry authorities and European bodies (ICP-Forests Programme, Forest Europe Process – MCPFE).
O2. Implementation in the Republic of Moldova of the Romanian Forest Protection System and integrated pest management.
O3. Adoption in the Republic of Moldova and Romania of a unified strategy for the management of forest genetic resources, botanical and dendrological collections and the assessment of phenotypic and genetic diversity of xerophytic oak species.
O4. Analysis of functional adaptation capacities and climate resilience of xerophytic oak species.

• Scientific report on existing methodological differences and proposals for improvement and harmonization

• Validated databases in ICP-Forests format

• National and international reports

• Scientific report on the phytosanitary status of forests in the Republic of Moldova

• Databases and a digital map

• Scientific report on the maintenance and conservation of botanical and dendrological collectionsRaport științific privind colecțiile botanice și dendrologice

The results obtained within Stage I / 2024 relate to the following specific activities carried out by the three partners:

Joint comparative analysis of long-term research and monitoring methodologies used within the existing ICP-Forests networks (Level I and Level II) in Romania and the Republic of Moldova.

Harmonization of methodologies based on the results of the comparative analysis.

Development of a common field protocol for future research and monitoring activities.

Training of ICAS and USM-GBNI specialists in forest monitoring activities.

Participation of specialists from the Republic of Moldova in training courses on forest monitoring activities.

Organization of training courses on data validation and processing methods.

Assessment of information on the health status of forests in the Republic of Moldova for the year 2023.

Validation and processing of forest health data for 2023.

Joint analysis and processing of research and monitoring data from forest health assessments.

Preparation and submission of annual national and international reports based on the evaluated data.

Training of ICAS and USM-GBNI specialists in the collection of field data specific to forest phytosanitary status.

Participation of specialists from the Republic of Moldova in training courses on field data collection methods.

Organization of training courses on the analysis of phytosanitary status data for the year 2024.

Analysis of data on the phytosanitary status of forests in the Republic of Moldova for 2024.

Preparation of forecast reports for forests in the Republic of Moldova for the year 2025.

Joint identification and mapping of xerophytic oak areas (Quercus pubescens and Q. pedunculiflora) in southern and southeastern Romania and in southern regions of the Republic of Moldova.

Participation of Moldovan specialists in fieldwork involving measurement and collection of biological material (cambium, buds, and leaves) from representative populations of xerophytic oaks (Q. pedunculiflora and Q. pubescens) in Romania and the Republic of Moldova for the assessment of genetic and phenotypic diversity.

Organization of laboratory training on genomic DNA extraction.

Participation of specialists from the Republic of Moldova in laboratory training courses on genomic DNA extraction techniques

Training of Moldovan specialists in maintenance and conservation practices for botanical and dendrological collections.

Participation of Moldovan specialists in training courses on the maintenance and conservation of botanical and dendrological collections.

Development and strengthening of the professional capacity of specialists from the Republic of Moldova in dendroclimatology.

Organization of training courses on dendrochronology of xerophytic oaks.

Participation of specialists from the Republic of Moldova in training courses on dendrochronology of xerophytic oaks.

Results obtained:

Scientific report on existing methodological differences and proposals for improvement and harmonization

Validated databases in ICP-Forests format

National and international reports

Training activities report

Scientific report on the phytosanitary status of forests in the Republic of Moldova in 2024

Databases and digital map

Scientific report on the maintenance and conservation of botanical and dendrological collections

The results obtained within Stage II / 2025 relate to the following specific activities carried out by the three partners:

·Validation and joint processing of information regarding forest health status and research/monitoring data recorded in 2024.

Preparation and submission of annual national and international reports.

Training of specialists from ICAS and USM-GBNI and conducting field activities at the Mihăiești Experimental Base related to the continuation of forest health monitoring activities, sample collection, and calibration of research methodologies.

Training courses on the collection of specific data regarding forest health status.

Analysis of the phytosanitary status for 2025

Preparation of the Forest Protection Forecast Reports of the Republic of Moldova for 2026 using an integrated pest management approach.

Training on chloroplast-level evaluation of xerophytic oaks through genotyping using an AB sequencer.

Dissemination of results: preparation of a draft scientific article.

Training on modern vegetative propagation techniques.

Quantification of the climate response of growth in xerophytic oaks in the Republic of Moldova.

Training courses focused on data analysis and processing to quantify the resilience of xerophytic oaks to climate change using tree-ring data.

Analysis and preparation of at least one research article in Romanian/English on dendrochronology based on data from the Republic of Moldova.

Participation in training courses focused on data analysis and processing to quantify the resilience of xerophytic oaks to climate change using tree-ring data.

Results obtained:

· Scientific report on research and monitoring data
· Validated databases in ICP-Forests format
· National and international reports
· Scientific report on the phytosanitary status of forests in the Republic of Moldova in 2025
· Scientific report on the genetic diversity of xerophytic oaks
· Databases
· Scientific papers
· Participation in international conferences (1)

1. Popa, A., Jevšenak, J., Dyderski, M, Puchalka, R, Buras, A, Popa, I, Wilmking, M, Roibu, C., Thurm, E, Smiljanic, M, Esper, J, Treml, V, Tumajer, J, Zlatanov, T, …. Grati, V., Florența, G., Florența, F., Sohar, K,; Zin, E, Gil, W, Klisz, M, 2025, Spatiotemporal Variability of Dendroecological Indicators in Pedunculate Oak (Quercus robur L.) Tree-Rings Across Europe in Relation to Species Distribution Models, Global Change Biology. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.70567.
2. Ciuvăț A.L, Deleanu E., Iacoban C., Leca Ș., Angheluș C., Ciuvăț C., Tălmaci I., Florența G., Roșca I., Miron A. Macroelements dynamics across needles, litter, and soil of Norway Spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst) forest in Carpathian Mountains. Revista de Silvicultură și Cinegetică (in evaluare).
3. Pleșca I.M, Apostol E.A., Pleșca B.I, Ivan R.C., Loghin C.C, Miron A., Roșca I., Badea O. Phenotypic variation in native and introduced Quercus species: insights from a common garden experiment at Hemeius Arboretum”. Revista de Silvicultură și Cinegetică nr. 57/2025 (Acceptat la publicare).

Cognitive and Socio-Economic Impact of the Project

The MONFORGENDIV project has generated significant cognitive impact by strengthening scientific knowledge and technical capacity in forest monitoring, genetic diversity assessment and dendroclimatology among researchers from Romania and the Republic of Moldova, fostering skills transfer, methodological harmonization and international research integration.

Socio-economically, the project supports sustainable forest management and climate-change adaptation by improving early warning and decision-support systems for forest health, enhancing conservation of genetic resources and contributing to the long-term resilience of forest ecosystems that provide essential ecosystem services, livelihoods and socio-economic stability for local communities.