Deforested – How Europe’s last primeval forests are being burned

At first glance, North Rhine-Westphalia's nature lovers might be satisfied: The forest balance is positive; statistically, the native forests are growing. But this is only possible because a large number of imports are coming into the country, especially from Eastern Europe. There, illegal clear-cutting occurs daily, which is detrimental to rare animal species, the climate, and the local population.

Parts of the Romanian Carpathians, for example, are among the last remaining primeval forests in Europe, virtually untouched by humans. But despite the national park's official protection, illegal deforestation continues. The environmental organization WWF estimates that 30 percent of all logging is illegal. The wood is used for pellet production and in Romanian chipboard factories for cheap furniture.

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