New Law for Old Trees in Romania: lessons and opportunities.

Large Old Trees (LOT) are keystone ecological structures and have high cultural and economic importance. Still, LOT are only exceptionally targeted specifically by National Laws and are absent from powerful nature conservation policies (e.g., the Natura 2000 protected area policies of the European Union). Romania recently adopted a Law for its LOT. As persons who contributed to the scientific premisses and the first draft of this Law as well as in the advocacy for Romanian LOT, we present the Law (its weaknesses and opportunities) and provide insights into encourage other countries for adopting the Law specifically for LOT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]