# Codru (forest)

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**Codru** (plural forms: **codri**, **codrii**; 'forest' or 'wood') is the area of ancient [forests](/source/Forest) in the hilly [Central Moldavian Plateau](/source/Central_Moldavian_Plateau).

## Etymology

The Romanian word *codru* is one of the synonyms for 'forest', 'woods'. It may have a collective meaning of 'forests'. In particular, it means 'old and dense woods'.[1]

## History

During the [Middle Ages](/source/Middle_Ages) most of the [Principality of Moldavia](/source/Principality_of_Moldavia)'s hills were forested, and the forested area in general was referred to as *codri*, with bigger regional forests having individual names, such as *Codrii Cosminului* (*Cosmin Codrii*), *Codrii Plonini* (*Plonini Codrii*), *Codrii Hotinului* (*Hotin Codrii*; also, *Pădurea Hotinului*, *Hotin Forest*), *Codrii Orheiului* (*Orhei Codrii*), *Codrii Lăpușnei* (*Lăpușna Codrii*).[citation needed]

Although the [rolling hills](/source/Rolling_hills) represent about 80%–90% of the territory of Moldova, the forested area has decreased since the 18th century due to intensive [agriculture](/source/Agriculture) of the fertile land, to about 20% plus about 5.6% of [forest steppe](/source/Forest_steppe).[2] At the 21st century the area of the forest has been continuously decreasing, both in surface and ecologically. Despite the fact that there are still several big forests that have been preserved, including some designated as [national parks](/source/National_park), the country currently suffers from acute insufficiency of forests (with respect to its normal ecology), translated into poorer and less water for human and [irrigation](/source/Irrigation) use.[citation needed]

There are projects, such as Codru Quest, aimed on the reducing the degradation of Moldavan forest ecosystem.[3]

## Geography

Main article: [Central Moldavian Plateau](/source/Central_Moldavian_Plateau)

The highest point in Moldova, [Bălănești Hill](/source/B%C4%83l%C4%83ne%C8%99ti_Hill) (*Dealul Bălănești*; 429 m or 1,407 ft) is in the [Cornești Hills](/source/Corne%C8%99ti_Hills), located between [Prut](/source/Prut) and [Răut](/source/R%C4%83ut) rivers, in the core *codri* area.[citation needed]

The scientific [Codru Reserve](/source/Codru_Reserve) was established in [Moldavian SSR](/source/Moldavian_SSR) in 1971. A part of it is a [strict nature reserve](/source/Strict_nature_reserve). Other parts of reserve includes are accessible for tourists. In particular, there is the Nature Museum with stuffed animals of all kinds of [fauna](/source/Fauna) met in the reserve.[4]

There is also the [Orhei National Park](/source/Orhei_National_Park) in the vicinity of [Orhei](/source/Orhei). It includes several named protected areas: a historical and archaeological complex [Old Orhei](/source/Old_Orhei), the [Trebujeni Landscape Reserve](/source/Trebujeni_Landscape_Reserve), the Curchi forest with the [Curchi Monastery](/source/Curchi_Monastery), the [Țigănești Landscape Reserve](/source/%C8%9Aig%C4%83ne%C8%99ti_Landscape_Reserve) with the [Țigănești Monastery](/source/%C8%9Aig%C4%83ne%C8%99ti_Monastery,_Moldova).

## Cultural impact

The word "codru" has legendary resonances for [Moldovans](/source/Moldovans), because the formation and evolution of the Romanian ethnos [Moldavia](/source/Moldavia) is linked to the forests.[5]

*Codru* is a key element of a number of Romanian [sayings](/source/Saying), such as "to dream green codri" means "to dream about impossible things"; "as in codru" means "carelessly, unhindered"; "to go into *codri*" or "to take a *codru* path" means "to become an outlaw"; "there is no *codru* without wolves" meaning "there are both good and bad people".[1]

There is a network of tourist routes "*Dor de Cordu*" ("Longing for Codru") established with the support of [UNDP](/source/UNDP) Moldova.[6]

## References

1. ["codru](https://dexonline.ro/definitie/codru/definitii), *[DEX](/source/DEX_(dictionary)) Online*, an online *verbatim* aggregator of major Romanian dictionaries (assessed June 28, 2005)

1. Nicolae Boboc, [Probleme de regionare fizico-geografică a teritoriului Republicii Moldova](https://ibn.idsi.md/sites/default/files/imag_file/PROBLEME%20DE%20REGIONARE%20FIZICO%20GEOGRAFICA%20A%20TERITORIULUI.pdf), *Buletinul Academiei de Ştiinţe a Moldovei. Ştiinţele vieţii* no. 1(307), 2009, pp. 169-169 (accessed on June 25, 2025)

1. Alexandr Iscenco. ["The Codru Quest: Economic Valuation of the Ecosystem Services of the Codru Protected Area by Using Gamification - The Rufford Foundation"](https://www.rufford.org/projects/alexandr-iscenco/the-codru-quest-economic-valuation-of-the-ecosystem-services-of-the-codru-protected-area-by-using-gamification/). *www.rufford.org*. Retrieved 2025-06-27.

1. [Reservation Codru](https://moldova.md/en/content/reservation-codru).(assessed June 28, 2005)

1. [Rezervaţia Codri](https://moldova.md/ro/content/rezervatia-codri) (assessed June 28, 2005)

1. [“Dor de Codru” A new rural tourist route has revived the local economy](https://undpmoldova.exposure.co/dor-de-codru-1) (retrieved on June 26, 2025)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Codru (forest)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codru_(forest)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codru_(forest)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.