Republic of Moldova

In Eastern Europe, to the east of Romania and the west of Ukraine, lies 33,851 sq km Moldova. The country's western border is formed by the Prut River, which flows into the Danube before its waters empty into the Black Sea. Landlocked Moldova has no shore on the sea, but its proximity to it affects the climate, which is moderate continental. From the country's lowest point of 2 m, along the Dniester River, it rises to the height of 430 m at Dealul Balanesti. The low, rolling hills are interspersed with river valleys and flatter plains covered in grasslands or forest.

The Republic of Moldova acceded to the Bern Convention on 24 May 1994, which entered into force the same year. Since the country started working on the setting-up of the Emerald Network, it has listed more than 20 different habitats of European importance which need a specific site preservation, such as the Thermophilous and Supra-Mediterranean oak woods and the Continental Steppe.

36 sites have been identified as suitable to join the Emerald Network in the country (by February 2016), 18 of which have already been officially nominated as candidate Emerald sites by the Standing Committee to the Bern Convention in December 2015. These sites would help preserve habitats for the beautiful lady's-slipper orchid, Cypripedium calceolus, the great crested newt, Triturus cristatus, and the huchen or Danube salmon, Hucho hucho. The largest permanent freshwater salmon and more than 85 other species of plants and animals of European importance [(listed in the Emerald Network Res. 4 (1996) and Res. 6 (1998)] are identified as present in the country and should be protected by the country through the Emerald Network.

The 36 potential Emerald sites cover 3127.62 km2, 9.28% of the country territory.