Environmental groups urge extension of Hungary's woodcutting moratorium

A coalition of Hungarian environmental groups, including Erdőszeretet Szövetség and WWF Magyarország Alapítvány, addressed Prime Minister Magyar Péter with a public appeal to extend the woodcutting moratorium introduced in May. They argue that, while the temporary ban was intended to bridge the transition to ecologically-focused forest management, no legal framework for protecting state-owned forests in protected and Natura 2000 zones has yet been enacted.

The letter references statements by Minister of Environment László Gajdos about prioritising ecological over profit-driven forestry. It warns that without a clear schedule for protecting high-value habitats, further logging could cause irreversible damage, especially under drought stress. The NGOs propose that social firewood needs be satisfied from non-protected, low-nature forests and that the government assist private forest owners in expanding their role. They request that the moratorium be made indefinite to allow time for institutional reforms, habitat delineation, and drought mitigation measures.