Forest – Europa 2011 Gibraltar

 

To support the declaration of the United Nations to save forest for future generations, Gibraltar Post under Europa stamp organization  pleased to release a set of four stamps features the famous forest which found in the world on April 04, 2011. The issue stamps depict the Alpine Swiss National Park, the Amazon Rainforest, Yosemite National Park, and the Plitvice Lakes.

 

The Alpine Swiss National Park is located in the canton of Graubünden in the east of Switzerland between Zernez, S-chanf, Scuol and the Fuorn Pass in the Engadin valley on the border with Italy. It has an area of 174.2 km² and is the largest protected area of the country. It was founded on 1 August 1914, the national holiday of Switzerland. It was one of the earliest national parks in Europe.



 
 

Forest 2011 – Czech Republic

The largest alluvial forest in the Czech Republic grows at the confluence of the Morava and Dyje rivers. Residual alluvial forests can be found in the area of the confluence of the Labe and Cidlina rivers (Libický Alluvial Forest Natural Reserve), and on the banks or in the headwater area of the Morava and Dyje rivers.

This year's PostEurop announced the annual theme  is "Forests". Therefore the Czech Post issued the single stamp depicts the alluvial forest and its environment on May 4, 2011. This stamp was designed by Adolf Absolon.

The presence of a stream or river, or a high level of underground water leads to a lower amount of oxygen in the soil and subsequent reduction processes. The products of the processes contribute to the typical bluish colour and special smell of the so-called gley soil.

Primary trees found include poplar (Populus L.), oak (Quercus L.) , ash (Fraxinus L.) , elm (Ulmus L.) , alder (Alnus L.) , willow (Salix L.) , lime tree (Tilia L.) . Shrubs and small trees, such as cherry (Prunus serotina) , honeysuckle (Lonicera) , cornel (Cornel) , viburnum (Viburnum) , elder (Sambucus) , are present at places with more light.

Forest–Aland

This year 2011 Europa stamp theme is Forest. Therefore Aland Post through Artist Anette Gustafsson painted the picturesque edge of a forest. The stamps issued only one piece on May 09, 2011.The stamp have logo of Europa 2011.

Around 60 % of Åland is covered by forest.  More than 40 varieties of trees and shrubs can be found in the Åland forests.Pine-forests dominate the northern parts of Åland, whereas the southern parts consist of deciduous forests. On the main Åland mostly found mixed forest.

Spruce, pine and yew are three types of conifers native to Åland. Pine is the most common type of tree, both in dense forests and on bare cliffs. Spruce, on the other hand, needs nutritious soil to thrive.

Common juniper, a shrub more than a tree, is also common in Åland. In the outer archipelago, junipers grow low, trailing along the cliffs, whereas the ones found in fertile soil are often tall and lofty. 

Noble trees such as ash, oak, elm, maple and lime tree are relatively common, ash being the most common species native to Åland.

Other common types of deciduous trees are birch, alder, aspen, rowan, Swedish white beam, bird cherry and Finnish white beam. 

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Forests - National Park Poloniny

 

The Slovenko Post has issued the stamp series features the Forest  in related with the theme of Europa 2011 on May 6, 2011.The stamp is only one depicted the National Park Poloniny. 

 

 The National Park Poloniny is the eastern-most Slovak large protected area. It lies on the Slovak-Polish-Ukrainian border. The forests are dominant in the national park – they cover more than 90 % of the area. Those most precious ones are declared to be the national natural preserves or natural preserves to protect the old forest community. They are unique for human-impacted or only slightly impacted forests called primeval forests. It is a community where everything flows in an integrated circle. It represents the peak of natural ecosystems.

The primeval forest development has three stages. The circle of life starts at the stage of growth (forest younger than 150 years), and continues at the stage of optimum (forest of age 150 – 250) and declining of large trees with subsequent natural woods rejuvenation during the stage of decay (forest older than 250 years). 

 

The main wood species of the Carpathian forests is the European beech (Fagus silvatica). Together with white fir (Abies alba) they create precious beech and fir-beech communities. More than 40-meter high beeches are 200 to 250 years old. Slim, more than 50-meter high firs reach the age of 300 to 500 years.

 

 

 Primeval forests are a suitable refuge of a wide variety of animals. In the wood of the lost beeches, the larvae of precious longicorns can be found – Rosalia Longicorn and Leptura (=Strangalia) Thoracica. Amphibians are represented by Yellow-Bellied Toad, Carpathian Newt, Fire Salamander. Of the reptiles typical is Aesculapian Snake, randomly also Common European Viper can be found.
 

 

The old forests are interesting for the amount of various precious and endangered plant and animal species. Typical is Dog´s Mercury, Henbane Bell, Dentaria Glandulosa, Tozzia Carpathica, Campanula Serrata, Tiger Lilly, Scilla Kladnii.

The birds of feather include Black Woodpecker, White-backed Woodpecker, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Sage Grouse, Black Stork, Ural Owl and others. There is also deer and roe buck living, of the beasts there are Northern Lynx, Grey Wolf, European Wildcat and Brown Bear. The Carpathian beech forests were recorded into the list of World Natural Heritage in 2007. The cross-border world natural heritage consists of ten separate units located in Slovakia and in Ukraine. The most famous and the biggest primeval forest is Stužica – national natural preserve above the village of Nová Sedlica. (adopted from information from Slovenko Post).

 

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