The article analysis the forest management and wood trade in the territory between Dniester and Pruth Rivers, after the annexation to Russian Empire. Based on the analysis of the documentary sources, mostly unpublished, as well as of the factual and appreciative information from the monographic works, we ascertain that in the first decades after the annexation, Bessarabia had to cope with a fulminating increase in the demand for wood. Bordering with a poorly forested area, impetuous economic development of which was essential for the Russian Empire’s affirmation in the Black Sea Basin, which fact determined an intense colonization of these territories, including the southern part of the province, Bessarabia quickly becomes a source of wood for the named necessities. But as it could not fully cover the high demand for wood, the import of it, including for the purpose of transit, quickly becomes an important branch of the foreign trade of Bessarabia. In fact, the Russian government had attempted to mitigate the devastating effects of deforestation, generated by high demand for wood, by granting various facilities in order to stimulate its import. However, the fact that the forests area of Bessarabia experienced a significant decrease during this examined period, allow us to ascertain that the taken measures were late and did not have the expected result. Even if the phenomenon was not as intense as on the right side of the Prut, the effects were not late to appear, affecting crops in the forest steppe area and accentuating the arid conditions of the Bugeac steppe.