Willow stands (Salix spp.) are an essential part of riparian ecosystems, as they sustain biodiversity and provide bioenergy solutions. The present review synthesizes the global scientific literature about the management of willow stands. In order to achieve this goal, we used a dual approach combining bibliometric analysis with traditional literature review. As such, we consulted 416 publications published between 1978 and 2024. This allowed us to identify key species, ecosystem services, conservation strategies, and management issues. The results we have obtained show a diversity of approaches, with an increase in short-rotation coppice (SRC) systems and the multiple roles covered by willow stands (carbon sequestration, biomass production, riparian restoration, and habitat provision). The key trends we have identified show a shift toward topics such as climate resilience, ecological restoration, and precision forestry. This trend has become especially pronounced over the past decade (2014–2024), as reflected in the increasing use of these keywords in the literature. However, as willow systems expand in scale and function—from biomass production to ecological restoration—they also raise complex challenges, including invasive tendencies in non-native regions and uncertainties surrounding biodiversity impacts and soil carbon dynamics over the long term. The present review is a guide for forest policies and, more specifically, for future research, linking the need to integrate and use adaptive strategies in order to maintain the willow stands.

Poplars (Populus L.) are fast-growing, widely distributed trees with high ecological, economic, and climate-mitigation value, making them central to diverse agroforestry systems worldwide. This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric and content-based review of global poplar-based agroforestry research, using Scopus and Web of Science databases and a PRISMA-guided screening process to identify 496 peer-reviewed publications, covering publications from 1987 to 2024. Results show a steady rise in scientific output, with a notable acceleration after 2013, dominated by agriculture, forestry, and environmental sciences, with strong international contributions and research themes focused on productivity, carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and economic viability. A wide range of Populus species and hybrids is employed globally, supporting functions from crop production and soil enhancement to climate mitigation and ecological restoration. Poplar-based systems offer substantial benefits for soil health, biodiversity, and carbon storage, but also involve trade-offs related to tree–crop interactions, such as competition for light reducing understory crop yields in high-density arrangements, management intensity, and regional conditions. Poplars provide a wide array of provisioning, regulating, and supporting ecosystem services, from supplying food, fodder, timber, and biomass to moderating microclimates, protecting soil and water resources, and restoring habitats, while supporting a broad diversity of agricultural and horticultural crops. However, several critical gaps—including a geographic research imbalance, socio-economic and adoption barriers, limited understanding of tree–crop interactions, and insufficient long-term monitoring—continue to constrain widespread adoption and limit the full realization of the potential of poplar-based agroforestry systems.

Pines are edifying woody species for forest habitats, having crucial importance for ecosystems in both cold (boreal or mountainous) and warm (Mediterranean and tropical) areas. Pine trees include about 120 species, many of which have had an important ornamental role. Despite their ecological importance, many pine forests are threatened by increasing deforestation and habitat degradation, leading to progressive declines in species distribution and genetic diversity worldwide. Humans have used pine wood since the Stone Age, gradually discovering their outstanding medical properties. This review synthesizes global knowledge on the medicinal potential of pines. Using a comprehensive literature survey of major international scientific databases, we evaluated documented traditional and modern medical applications across all regions where pines naturally occur. The vast majority (86) of pine species were described as having medicinal properties, and the uses of the main pine species in representative regions of all continents supporting forest vegetation were examined. Various organs or secretions (needles, branches, bark, buds, cones, seeds, pollen, roots, wood, sap, resin, pitch, etc.) have been used to prevent or treat numerous diseases or to strengthen the organism. Their reported therapeutic activities include antioxidant, antimutagenic, antitumor, antimicrobial, skin-protective, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, antiallergenic, laxative, circulatory-enhancing, antihypertensive, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-aging, and antithrombotic effects. Given the remarkable phytochemical diversity and broad pharmacological value of these species, the conservation of pine genetic resources and natural habitats is urgent. Protecting these species is essential not only for maintaining ecosystem resilience but also for preserving their substantial pharmaceutical and industrial potential.

Ophiostoma novo-ulmi continues to be one of the most dangerous invasive fungi, destroying many autochthonous elm forests and cultures throughout the world. Searching for natural genotypes tolerant to Dutch elm disease (DED) is one of the main objectives of silviculturists all over the northern hemisphere in order to save the susceptible elms and to restore their ecosystem biodiversity. In this regard, the first trial was established between 1991 and 1994, in south-west Romania (Pădurea Verde, Timișoara), using three elm species (Ulmus minor, U. glabra, and U. laevis) with 38 provenances. A local strain of Ophiostoma novo-ulmi was used to artificially inoculate all elm variants and the DED evolution was observed. Furthermore, in 2018–2021 the trial was inventoried to understand the local genotype reaction to DED in the local environmental conditions after almost 30 years. The outcomes of the present study proved the continuous presence of the infections in the comparative culture and its proximity, but the identified pathogen had a new hybrid form (found for the first time in Romania) between O. novo-ulmi ssp. americana x O. novo-ulmi ssp. novo-ulmi. Wych elm (U. glabra) was extremely sensitive to DED: only 12 trees (out of 69 found in 2018) survived in 2021, and only one tree could be selected according to the adopted health criteria (resistance and vigour). The field elm (U. minor) was sensitive to the pathogen, but there were still individuals that showed good health status and growth. In contrast, the European white elm (U. laevis) proved constant tolerance to DED: only 15% had been found dead or presented severe symptoms of dieback. Overall, the results of this study report the diverse reactions of the Romanian regional elm genotypes to DED over the last three decades, providing promising perspectives for improving the presence of elms in the forest ecosystems of the Carpathian basin.

Phenology is considered an indicator of environmental changes, with direct implications in the length of the growing season; therefore, it offers essential information for a better understanding of the tree–environment relationships that could lead to the right decisions for forests’ sustainable use and conservation. A better understanding of how European beech (Fagus sylvatica) phenology responds to predicted climate change effects is important for forest management. This study aimed to assess bud burst and senescence among and within beech populations located along a steep elevational gradient. Phenological observations were carried out on 150 beech individuals along an altitudinal transect in the south-eastern Carpathian Mountains, from 550 to 1450 m, in five study sites in two consecutive years. The start of the bud burst, of senescence, and the duration of the growing season varied inversely proportionally to the elevational gradient in both monitored years. Individuals located at the highest altitude need 28 more days to start the growing season than those at the lowest altitude. There is an average difference of 14 days at the start of the growing season in the same beech populations between the two consecutive years. The first stage of senescence (yellowing of leaves) lasted longer in 2021 (21–32 days) than in 2022 (18–25 days), with a difference of 16%–28%, proportional to the increase in altitude. The association of field phenological data with meteorological data indicates that the start of the growing season occurs when the thermal threshold of 10 °C is exceeded, with an accumulation of a least 60 GDD (growing degree days) with a threshold of 0 °C in the last 7 days as a complementary condition. The appearance of the first stage of senescence, the yellowing of the leaves, was also influenced by the temperature and the accumulation of at least 72 SDD (senescence degree days) with a threshold of 0 °C in the last 7 days. Our results confirm that the temperature is the triggering meteorological factor for the onset of bud burst and leaf senescence in European beech.

Green streets—streets that systematically integrate vegetation-based and nature-based solutions into the public right-of-way as part of contemporary urban green infrastructure and climate adaptation strategies—have become an increasingly important planning and design approach. While historical precedents of vegetated and tree-lined streets exist, modern green streets represent a more integrated and performance-oriented paradigm that combines stormwater management, ecosystem service provision, climate resilience, and social functions within coordinated policy and infrastructure frameworks. This review synthesizes current knowledge on green street management practices and their performance across environmental, hydrological, ecological, and socio-spatial dimensions. The analysis examines design strategies, maintenance regimes, governance arrangements, and performance assessment methods reported in the literature. Evidence indicates that well-managed green streets can significantly reduce stormwater runoff, improve water quality, mitigate urban heat, enhance biodiversity, and contribute to pedestrian comfort and neighborhood livability. However, reported outcomes vary widely depending on local climate, design specifications, maintenance intensity, and institutional capacity. Persistent research gaps include limited long-term monitoring, underrepresentation of cities in the Global South, insufficient integration of governance, economic, and social dimensions, and a lack of standardized performance metrics. Comparative and longitudinal studies remain scarce, constraining understanding of lifecycle performance and trade-offs. Future research should prioritize standardized evaluation frameworks, long-term empirical monitoring, socio-spatial equity assessments, and the integration of emerging digital technologies for real-time monitoring and decision support. Strengthening these areas is essential to support evidence-based planning and scalable implementation of green streets as a key component of sustainable urban development.