On Monday, February 16, the first stage of the planting process of the energy poplar forest that will be carried out by UVT, through successive actions, in Timiș County took place. The forest established by UVT is located on degraded lands in the Giulvăz area, and this first stage of planting was attended by representatives of the university management, the UVT rector, Prof. Dr. Marilen Gabriel Pirtea, the UVT vice-rector, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mădălin Octavian Bunoiu, as well as deans and vice-deans of UVT faculties. Alongside them were dozens of volunteers from the UVT academic community and the Giulvăz community. The project is carried out in partnership with Mr. Alexander Degianski, UVT alumnus (2011), entrepreneur from Giulvăz, offering a sustainable solution for environmental protection and for the development of renewable energy sources. The project represents a strategic intervention that combines ecological and economic advantages, contributing to the restoration of the area and improving the quality of life of the community.

"UVT Forest" is a project about the future, about responsibility, about us, more involved. Here, over 5.000 energy poplars will be planted, fast-growing trees capable of capturing significant amounts of CO₂, stabilizing the soil and contributing to the regeneration of the local ecosystem.

"The energy poplar forest represents a model of good practice in intelligent land use and the promotion of clean energy. We are proud of such solutions, of projects in which the academic community of UVT invests energy and creativity.

At the end of last year, we launched this project, a strategic intervention on degraded lands in the Giulvăz area, in partnership with an alumnus of our university, Alexander Degianski. It is a genuine example of intergenerational responsibility: yesterday's graduates contribute to the future of today's students and to the sustainable development of the region.

For us, however, the project is not just about planting. It is about education and research. We want to develop a living forest laboratory here – an outdoor infrastructure for interdisciplinary applied research in biology, geography, chemistry and other related fields. Our students and researchers will be able to directly analyze the processes of soil regeneration, carbon sequestration and biodiversity dynamics.

Today, we take the decisive step, we start planting. It is the moment when a commitment becomes action. Thus, a strategic initiative begins to produce real effects – for the environment, for the community and for future generations.”, declared the rector of UVT, professor Marilen Gabriel Pirtea.

"UVT Forest" is more than a reforestation project, because it addresses the local community through an invitation to get involved:

• Students are called to adopt a tree and become "Green UVT" ambassadors;
• Alumni are invited to support the planting and leave a symbolic mark on the community that formed them;
• And UVT partners are invited to support this initiative, through their sustainability commitments and local impact.

This action is part of a larger UVT project, which aims to subsequently expand the collaboration by creating a living forestry laboratory and developing applied research carried out in the "UVT Forest". The targeted interdisciplinary research directions are in the fields of biology, geography and chemistry.

We want the UVT Forest to become a regional landmark of environmental responsibility and a symbol of the connection between generations. We invite you to discover the project and join the initiative through the dedicated project webpage padurea.uvt.ro.