Where are the most beautiful forests? Famous forests that are most threatened
And congratulations on the coming of summer! Soon most of us will go into the forest to pick mushrooms and berries. In this regard, today we present to you a selection of the most unusual and terrible forests of our planet.
10. Forest on North Sentinel Island
Photo 10. NASA image of a forest on North Sentinel IslandNorth Sentinel Island Forest covers an area of 72 km² and is almost entirely covered with ancient trees. The island is located in the Bay of Bengal (one of the Andaman Islands) of the Indian Ocean and was completely surrounded by coral reefs before the 2004 tsunami. It is home to approximately 50-400 Aboriginal people, known as the Sentinelese tribe, who reject any contact with other people and the outside world.
9. Crooked Forest
Photo 9. Crooked Forest in Poland still remains a mystery
Crooked Forest is a grove of strangely crooked pine trees in the vicinity of the village of Nowe Carnowo in Western Poland. There are about 400 trees in the forest, twisted 90 degrees at the base of their trunks. All pine trees face north and are surrounded by ordinary trees. Crooked pines were planted in 1930 during the German occupation. It is believed that this form of trees was formed by human efforts, but the method and motive for creating the grove is not known at present. It is believed that the Germans wanted to assemble furniture from bent wood, ship hulls or plow attachments.
8. Red Forest
Photo 8. The Red Forest is one of the most polluted areas in the world
The Red Forest or Red Forest is an area of 10 km² of trees located next to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, damaged during the reactor explosion in 1986 from the release of radioactive dust. Most of the pines died from radiation and turned brownish-red in color. Due to radioactive decay, the glow of dead trees was observed at night. During the work to eliminate the accident, the forest was buried. Currently, the trees in this area are being restored naturally.
7. Chestnut Hills
Photo 7. American chestnuts 60 meters high
6. Aokigahara Forest
Photo 6. Aokigahara is considered the second most popular place for suicides
Aokigahara Forest (“Plain of Green Trees”) or Jukai (“Sea of Trees”) is located at the northwestern foot of Mount Fuji in Japan. Here you can see rocky caves and giant trees. There is an eerie silence in the forest; densely growing trees do not allow the sun's rays of light to penetrate, so there is a terrifying darkness in Aokigahara. The forest covers an area of 35 sq. km. Jukai is a young forest formed 1200 years ago. One of the peculiarities of this place is the huge number of suicides among residents of Tokyo and the surrounding area. Between 70 and 100 bodies are found every year.
5. Trillemarka-Rollagsfjell Forest
Photo 5. Trillemarka-Rollagsfjell forest is one of the few untouched forests in Norway
Trillemarka-Rollagsfjell covers an area of 147 sq km and is a nature reserve located in Buskerud, Norway. It was founded on December 13, 2002. Here you will see amazing Norwegian forests, pristine rivers and lakes, and ancient trees. The reserve is home to many species of rare animals, 93 species to be exact. Here are some of them: the golden eagle, the clint, the cuckoo and the spotted woodpecker. Currently, 75% of the territory of Trillemark-Rollagsfjell is under state protection.
4. Dark forest
Photo 4. Former Dudley station in 2011
In ancient times the town of Dudley was located here. Currently it is a dense forest with rocky soil, in which no one lives. People call it a ghost town and a cursed place. Residents of the city experienced hallucinations, strange murders and suicides occurred. Sheep and cattle often disappeared without a trace. Now the forest is guarded by special groups that arrest everyone who enters this land.
3. Ardennes Forest
Photo 3. Julius Caesar named the mountain system between the river valleys Arduenna silva (Ardennes Forest)
The Ardennes or Ardennes Forest is a mountain system and forest in France, Belgium and Luxembourg. The land is covered with dense birch, spruce and oak forests. The region is rich in timber, minerals and game. The Bulge occupies a strategic location in Europe and has been the site of many famous battles, including during the First and Second World Wars. Today, the beauty of the Ardennes attracts crowds of tourists who relax in the fresh air, as well as enthusiastically engage in hunting, cycling, walking, and canoeing.
2. Hoia-Baciu forest
Photo 2. The Hoya Baciu forest in 1970 was a hotbed of UFOs and unexplained glows
Hoia Baciu Forest is located near the city of Cluj-Napoca, Romania. This place is called the Bermuda Triangle by indigenous people. The forest was named after a shepherd who disappeared there along with 200 sheep. Most people who live near the forest are afraid to go there. Many of the local residents who went into the forest complain of physical pain, nausea, vomiting, migraines, burns, scratches. People witnessed strange phenomena: an inexplicable glow, women's voices, giggles. The Hoia Baciu forest has gained a reputation for paranormal activity.
1. Ancient Wood Forest
Photo 1. 6 species of trees were discovered in the ancient Wooda forest
In February 2012, scientists in northern China announced that they had completed the restoration of an ancient forest that was found buried under a thick layer of volcanic ash near Mongolia's Vuda region. The discovery is reminiscent of the ruined Roman city of Pompeii. Scientists from the University of Pennsylvania were able to reconstruct 3048 square meters of ancient forest. They discovered a large collection of plants and flora that had been thought to be extinct for many centuries. However, the researchers found no evidence of animal life.
Large tracts of trees are found in almost all corners of our planet, with the exception of deserts and other arid places. If you want to visit a mysterious forest reminiscent of medieval legends, fairy tales and local traditions, you should go to certain places of power.
Original green spaces of Europe - the path to fantasy land
The mysterious forests of this part of the mainland are filled with the spirit of antiquity. Many of them, located in European countries, date back several centuries and are under the protection of the state or even UNESCO itself. Do you want to visit the world of Sleeping Beauty in reality, where magic and enchantment reign? Be sure to visit one of the following forests:
- Crooked Forest;
- Black Forest;
- Red Forest;
- Drunken Forest;
- forests of the Komi Republic.
It grows in the suburb of Novee Tsarnovo and resembles one of the surreal landscapes of the brilliant Salvador Dali. For more than 80 years, this forest has enchanted, and sometimes frightened, trees with their curved S-shaped tree trunks. The grove, consisting of more than four hundred pine trees, was planted in 1930 in Pomerania, which at that time belonged to Germany. Krivolesye baffles many researchers: it is still unclear what planting technique or tools were used to give the trees this shape.
Numerous German, Austrian and Swiss legends about evil spirits, trolls, kobolds, gnomes and other evil spirits are associated with this forest in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Even today, in the age of cars and technology, an evening walk through the Black Forest can leave a mystical and even depressing impression. Here the trees grow very densely on the slopes of the majestic Alps, creating a shady twilight.
The modern Black Forest is quite landscaped. In the forest, tourists are expected to:
- ski trails;
- pedestrian paths;
- mountain biking trails;
- small cafes serving local desserts, delicacies and the famous Black Forest ham;
- shops where you will be taught real wood carving and even how to make a cuckoo clock.
This landing is a real lost place with an area of about 10 sq. km not far from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. After the reactor explosion in 1986, most of the coniferous trees were destroyed by radiation, which gave them an unusual brown-red color. The radiation turned out to be so strong that at night the pine trees glowed in the dark. During emergency work, the forest was partially buried, but is now being restored naturally.
It is somewhat reminiscent of its Polish counterpart: the coniferous trees here look just as twisted and curved. But deciduous trees grow completely straight. Due to the unusual shape of the trunk, the forest in the Kaliningrad region is also called Dancing. Scientists believe that the reason for this unique phenomenon is a geomagnetic anomaly, but local residents have their own opinion on this matter: they do not risk entering here after dark.
The massifs are the first natural site in Russia to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The forest in the Komi Republic belongs to protected areas and allows you to get acquainted with the amazing ecosystem of the Ural taiga. Hundreds of rare species of fish, birds and mammals live here, and several rivers with crystal clear water flow through. The total forested area exceeds 30,000 sq. km.
Green areas of the American continent
When you come to the USA, don’t miss the unique chance to tickle your nerves and visit the famous Dark Forest in Connecticut. Once upon a time there was a small town called Dudleytown, long abandoned by its inhabitants. There are bad rumors about the forest: many accidents and suicides occurred here, and violent deaths were not uncommon. The density of trees is so great that darkness under their canopy persists even on a sunny day. After several mysterious disappearances of people, the forest is under the protection of the American military.
Also worthy of attention:
- Inyo National Park in California. It is famous for its prehistoric trees, among which the giant Methuselah pine stands out. The tree is named after the biblical centenarian due to its age of almost 5 thousand years. Its exact location is kept secret to avoid attacks by vandals.
- Chestnut Hills in Wisconsin, considered the largest chestnut forest on the American continent.
Green lungs of the planet in Asia
Forests in this part of the world are also often associated with local legends and folklore and, thanks to the exotic flora, look very picturesque and original. The most interesting of them include:
- Sagano bamboo forest;
- Zhangjiajie Forest Park;
- Aokigahara forest.
It is located near Kyoto (Japan). The trees growing here are several times taller than human height and allow sunlight to pass through. This allows you to create a special picturesque atmosphere and carefully study all the features of the giant green area, through which several pedestrian alleys are laid.
A large forest area is located in the northern part of China. It is considered a UNESCO reserve and is famous for its gigantic natural formations that resemble columns or slumbering giants. These strange peaks are covered with dense thickets, which Zhangjiajie owes to its very high humidity.
It is located on the northwestern slope of Mount Fuji and has a very bad reputation. In Aokigahara, the trees are literally stuck to each other, so it is very dark and quiet here: few birds settle in the forest. Rocky, gloomy caves give it a very gloomy flavor, and the suicides that constantly occur here frighten potential visitors.
There are a lot of forests on our planet to suit every taste. Some of them give a good mood and literally heal the soul, others evoke melancholy and even fear. All that remains is to choose what seduces you and immediately plan a trip there.
World Travel
3106
02.04.16 10:25
For many of us, the forest is something dense, fabulous, with a clearing on which Baba Yaga’s hut stands on its skinny chicken legs. Those who are more experienced can boast of their favorite mushroom or berry places, and hunters and tourists have long found their convenient routes and treasured trails. And today we will talk about the most beautiful forests in the world.
The most beautiful forests
Home for mighty giants
In California, at the southern tip of the Sierra Nevada mountains, real giants grow, the mighty sequoia trees. In honor of them, a large US national park (it’s called “Sequoia”), formed at the end of the century before last, received its name. In essence, this is a forest consisting of 38 sections, densely covered with old trees and “young growth”. When you enter under its arches, it seems that you are covered by a living emerald canopy swaying in the wind. Sequoia is very popular among tourists.
You don’t have to go far to find another participant in our ranking of the most beautiful forests - if you’ve already reached Sequoia, you need to get to Redwood. It is also located in California. This is a combination of four parks united more than half a century ago, when the ancient redwood trees here were on the verge of death. Redwood contains 45% of the redwood plantations (of those growing on the coast). These beauties must be protected very carefully - many of them are hundreds of years old, and the local trees are some of the tallest on the planet.
Bamboo miracle
Not long ago, the horror film “Ghost Forest” with Natalie Dormer was released; the action in it takes place in a mysterious and gloomy forest near Mount Fuji (according to statistics, a very large number of suicides are recorded here). But in the west of Kyoto there is a magnificent Sagano bamboo forest, the pride of Japan. There is no gloom or mysticism here, the sun’s rays, penetrating through the green foliage, draw bizarre patterns on the ground, and the sound of the wind in this grove is unique.
Black Forest, Keeper of Fairy Tales
And here is the real hero of the screen - the Black Forest - the events of the films based on the fairy tales of Hauff and the Brothers Grimm took place there, and it was recently shown in the fifth season of the series "Grimm": the main characters went to the German thickets to look for the ancient treasure of the knights. This coniferous-beech forest area is located in the southwest of Germany, in Baden-Württemberg, its name translates as “Black Forest”. The place received this name since the times of the Romans, who believed that the crowns of the local coniferous trees almost completely blocked sunlight. The Black Forest is famous for its lakes and mountains, and is bordered to the west and south by the picturesque Rhine Valley. In spring, everything blooms here - violets, daffodils, crocuses cover the ground with a fancy carpet.
The work of man or nature?
You have probably never seen such an unusual forest anywhere - except perhaps in science fiction! This miracle is located, the “Curved Forest” (or “Crooked Forest”) in Poland. The forest is quite young (it was planted in 1930), it consists of four hundred oddly shaped pines. Some people believe that the forest was intended to be this way, but what tools and materials were used is unknown. Another version is that the trees were damaged during the Second World War, they were knocked over by tanks, but the pines survived, they simply began to grow in a wonderful direction.
A land of lakes, waterfalls and mountain peaks
The “Valley of Nine Villages” (Jiuzhaigou) in the Chinese province of Sichuan is a truly unique place. Multi-level turquoise and blue lakes, snow-dusted peaks, vibrant waterfalls, thickets of tall trees and shrubs - these natural beauties allowed the area to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. And all together this is a forest of magical beauty, which has become a biosphere reserve since 1997.
Fly on a cloud!
Another reserve, Monteverde Cloud (Monteverde Cloud), occupies more than 10.5 thousand hectares and consists of tropical rainforests. The reserve has six ecological zones, 90% of which are virgin forests of Costa Rica. Every year this place is visited by more than 70 thousand travelers who never tire of admiring the beauty of the local flora and fauna. The biodiversity is amazing: the reserve is home to more than two and a half thousand species of plants (including exquisite orchids), 100 species of mammals, 400 species of birds, 120 species of reptiles and amphibians and thousands of insects.
Rio urban forest
Few metropolises can boast of having a forest located in the very heart of the city. But in Rio de Janeiro there is one - Mount Corcovado (on which the statue of Christ the Savior rises) and the Tijuca forest are united in the national park of the same name. The forest is quite young: it was planted by order of King Pedro II in the last quarter of the 19th century. The trees took root and grew. Now Tijuca with an area of 32 square meters. km is considered the largest urban forest on the planet.
Virgin wilds that remember ancient lizards
The Daintree, the oldest rainforest on Earth (and one of the most beautiful forests in the world), lies on the northeast coast of the Australian state of Queensland. It, too, has recently become a national park, where kangaroos, platypuses, and wallabies feel at ease. Scientists believe that this forest is more than 110 million years old - it turns out that it still contains ancient fossils!
Amazon Jungle: an incredible wealth of flora and fauna
But the most majestic, fraught with many secrets and dangers, are considered to be the broad-leaved tropical rain forests of the Amazon basin. They stretch across a huge part of South America and occupy 5.5 million square meters. km. These forests pass through nine countries: Peru, Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil (which accounts for 60 percent of the area of the massif). The Amazon jungle is more than half of the remaining tropical forests on Earth; it is home to 40 thousand species of plants, nearly 1.3 thousand species of birds, 3 thousand species of fish, 427 thousand mammals and a huge number of invertebrates, amphibians and reptiles. Many of them are dangerous to humans - including anaconda, jaguar, piranha and electric stingray. Rain forests are beautiful both for their power and the diversity of all living things. That's why they occupy the top line of our top list of the most beautiful forests in the world.
The lungs of the planet, natural treasure troves, green oceans—whatever they call the forests that cover the Earth. Even those who were born and raised in the steppe cannot deny their beauty and charm.
On International Forest Day, which has been celebrated on March 20 since 1971, it is especially important to remember the enormous role forests play in our lives. The date was chosen for a reason: it is the day of the spring equinox, and, therefore, the day of renewal of nature, the beginning of a new season. Every year on March 20, the UN holds many events dedicated to forest protection.
Numerous actions, flash mobs, tree planting campaigns dedicated to Forest Day will continue throughout the next week in most countries of the world, but we invite you to get acquainted with those amazing forests that attract not only mushroom pickers and hunters, but also numerous researchers and , of course, hundreds of thousands of tourists.
Distinguished by their unusual color, appearance, flora and fauna, or even the mystical legends that accompany them, these forests remain consistently interesting and have been growing in visitation for decades.
Blue Mountains in Australia
This eucalyptus forest, which gives its name to the entire reserve, is incredibly popular among tourists. The low mountains covered with trees got their name thanks to the essential oils that float in the air and turn it bluish under the sun's rays.
People come to the Blue Mountains National Park not only for this natural phenomenon, but also for the free herbal medicine, because, according to local residents, they are not susceptible to disease precisely because of the air saturated with eucalyptus oils.
Aokigahara Jukai Suicide Forest in Japan
At the foot of Mount Fuji lies an unusual forest: located on a layer of hardened lava, it is filled not only with trees whose roots spread along the surface of the earth, unable to break through its varnished surface, but also with numerous caves, in many of which the ice does not melt even in summer heat.
The compass here is just a useless toy: due to a number of geomagnetic anomalies, its needle rotates from side to side, not giving the slightest idea about the cardinal directions.
Perhaps this is why Aokigahara Forest is the most popular place in Japan to commit suicide. Once you step away from the path a couple of dozen steps, you may never come back. Local authorities are struggling with the terrible statistics, but the number of people who meet their end here is growing year by year. Tourists come here mainly in pursuit of thrills, of which there are plenty here.
Giant sequoias in the USA
In the southern Sierra Nevada there is a reserve of the largest trees in the world, where more than three hundred thousand tourists come every year.
The height of the largest sequoia reaches 82 meters, and the girth of its trunk is 38 meters, that is, you need to line up an entire school class in a round dance to hug this tree.
There are hundreds of similar trees here, the oldest of them is almost two and a half thousand years old, and new ones begin to grow every year. A favorite pastime of tourists is trying to grasp at least a young tree with their hands.
By the way, this reserve in the United States is also known for the fact that local drug dealers have been growing marijuana here for a long time.
Living bridges in India
Complex living structures that are up to five hundred years old are located in the Indian state of Meghalaya. These are suspension bridges, the basis of which are the roots of rubber trees: the roots of a young tree growing near the river are placed in a hollowed out palm tree trunk, thrown to the neighboring bank; when they grow and take root, the bridge is ready. Moreover, unlike conventional bridges, this one only becomes more reliable over the years and does not require any repairs or maintenance.
Most tourists try to see this for themselves and cross one of the rivers on a living, slightly swaying bridge.
Dancing forest in Russia
The Curonian Spit Park, located in the Kaliningrad region, also has a forest that is interesting for both tourists and scientists.
Local residents call it “dancing” or “drunk” - because the tree trunks here bend, grow at an angle, or even curl into loops contrary to all the laws of nature. It would seem that the trees simply could not help but break, having undergone such a curvature, but the forest is quite healthy and is no different from others except for the strange shape of the trunks. It is also interesting that scientists still have not determined why, upon reaching a certain height, a tree begins to grow anywhere but up.
Of course, almost any country can boast of natural attractions, but when choosing a place for your next vacation, remember that in the forest you will not only find it interesting, but also useful, because nowhere else has such wonderful air.
8 chosen
The Earth's forests are called the lungs of the planet. The endless and unexplored forests of the Amazon, thousands of kilometers of Siberian forests, relict forests of America, the emerald green of the “rain” forests of Australia and the now protected forests of Europe - our planet breathes and lives with them. All of them are unique, but among them there are “pearls of forests” - especially protected and beautiful places, with a special atmosphere and indescribable sensations. Here a person can feel like a part of Nature, feel its breath, return to the primitive world and even get lost in reality...
Sagano Bamboo Forest, Japan
The national pride of Japan, the ancient bamboo forest of Sagano at the foot of Mount Arashiyama, where thousands of tourists flock today, has been a place of pilgrimage since the 8th century. The Sagano forest is beautiful at any time of the year, delighting with delicate cherry blossoms in spring and flashing gold in autumn. But its main treasure for centuries remains the bamboo forest - a real legend of Japan, where its spirit possibly lives.
Daintree Rainforest, Australia
The stunning beauty of the Daintree forests is, according to scientists, approximately 160 million years old! This is one of the oldest tropical forests on Earth that has survived to this day. More than 30% of the animals found only in Australia and many relict plants have been preserved in its wilds. It has also become a refuge for most of the butterflies living on the green continent. The Daintree Rainforest is a World Heritage Site, along with Australia's coral reefs and waterfalls.
Black Forest, Germany
If you want to get into a scary, scary fairy tale and feel like Hansel and Gretel or at least Little Red Riding Hood, then you definitely need to visit the Black Forest of the Black Forest in Baden-Württemberg! The trees of this forest grow so closely that their branches do not allow sunlight to pass through, and the more eerie sensations arise on the banks of its lakes and rivers. The frightening beauty of the forest probably became the prototype of the terrible forests from the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm.
Crooked Forest, Poland
Once in Krzywy Las(the second name is “Drunken Forest”) you might think that you are not on Earth at all, but on another planet or inside someone’s crazy fantasy. This is not a wild forest, but a grove of four hundred pines, bent strictly in a northerly direction, artificially planted in Pomerania in 1930. There are several versions of this strange type of forest. According to one of them, trees were planted to make bent furniture out of them, according to another, pine trees were bent to the north so that no one would get lost, according to the third, the winds were to blame, and according to the fourth, there lived a witch in the forest, whose house was guarded by crooked trees. It is not known for certain who and why grew the crooked pines, which, moreover, in 80 years have not reached the standard height. Admission to the Crooked Forest is strictly limited, but something similar, namely the Dancing Forest, can be seen on the Curonian Spit in the Kaliningrad region, where the pines are bizarrely curved and twisted into spirals.
Belovezhskaya Pushcha, Poland and Belarus
A reserved melody, a reserved distance – the centuries-old forest area of Belovezhskaya Pushcha. The Bialowieza Forests are the largest remaining areas of primary forest on the European Plain. More than 200 thousand tourists annually visit protected forests in Poland, while the Belarusian part remains almost unexplored territory for travelers, unmatched in Europe in terms of the number of plant and animal species.
Forests of Russia
Which of the endless forests of Russia is the most beautiful? For each of us, the most beautiful forest is the forest of our small homeland. For me, the most beautiful forests are the forests of the Pskov region, with their blue lakes and blue rivers, the cleanest air of pine forests, blueberries and strawberries, lingonberries and mushrooms. One day in such a forest adds years to your life, filling you with natural strength and energy.
Siberians will assure you that there are no denser forests in the whole wide world; in Transbaikalia they consider the Baikal forest the most magical, the forests of the Voronezh region are literally glorified in the books of Vasily Peskov, the Ural forests are the most beautiful for the inhabitants of the Urals. Perhaps they themselves will share with us the beauty of their forests.
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