STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS OF THE ROMANIAN FOREST SECTOR

This study undertakes a stakeholder analysis of the forest sector in Romania, in order to gain a better understanding of how the various stakeholders are involved in the creation of forest policies in Romania. It evaluates the existing relationships among stakeholders in the forest sector and their interests with regard to the forest resources. The data for this analysis has been collected through in-depth interviews. There have been carried out a number of 49 interviews with the main actors and key-informants within the forest sector. Using a matrix diagram, the stakeholders have been classified in different categories. The matrix is a result of evaluation of the interest and influence of the stakeholders over the forest policy. Conceptual content analysis suggested the following: among all stakeholders, the National Forest Administration is the most important and influential stakeholder. Although the Association of Private Forest Owners, the Association of Forest Administrators and trade unions are important, they don’t participate much in the decision-making process, thus being less influential as stakeholders. There is a similar situation for the environmental non-governmental organizations, due to their weak representation. The stakeholder analysis of the Romanian forest sector conducted in this paper contributes to an improved understanding of the stakeholder structure and of interactions among them. Increased public participation, improved communication and cooperation between different actors are the foundations for good forest governance, therefore for supporting sustainable forest management and the sustainable development of the forest-based industries in Romania.