Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests

The primeval beech forests of the Carpathians are around 185 kilometres long from the Rakhiv Mountains and the ridge of Chornohora in Ukraine. It covers an area of about 192,672 acres. Of this area, one is the actual preserved area, about 72,350 acres, and the other is called the “Buffer zone.” It encompasses 94 component parts of a place like the Zakarpattia and Presov regions. Approximately 70% of the primeval beech forest area is located in Ukraine. 

Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe

The European beech tree Fagus sylvatica is not found anywhere else in the whole world, but the European beach has a great history here in Europe. It’s a highly successful tree species that has helped shape an entire continent. This story begins 12,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age. At that time, a thick layer of ice forests covering large areas of Europe had survived only a tiny remnant in southern Europe during these challenging times.

The European beaches’ centres of distribution and diversity were found in southern Europe in the lyric Dinaric region in the Pyrenees, the Apennines, and the Balkans. Starting from these lower sanctuary regions, the different genotypes expanded to various parts of Europe. This expansion process is still ongoing and evolving. It took several thousand years for the beach to reach the Baltic Sea. Many plant species, fungi, and insects followed this march to the north. The European beach can form forests of pure stands, and the tree can reach an age of 600 years. The phenomenon that one tree species had recolonised a whole continent is of outstanding universal value. Still, human intervention has caused the primeval beech forest to largely disappear.

About Ancient and Primaeval Beech Forests

Beach forests are scarce today and endangered in old-growth and ancient beech forests. All life has adjusted to the eternal cycle of growth and decay of beaches. Unlike managed forests, prehistoric and ancient and primeval beech forests in central Europe constitute the essential habitat of more than 10,000 animal species, plant species and mushrooms. Twelve different European beech forest regions are determined by other microclimatic conditions and floristic species pools. It’s critical to ensure the comprehensive preservation of this unique natural heritage and raise awareness about its outstanding value. The serial world heritage of ancient and primeval beech forests of the Carpathians and other regions of Europe aims to preserve the full diversity of beech forests in Europe. Therefore, the priority is to cover a comprehensive selection of different beech forests. For this reason, the world heritage property consists of 80 parts located in the most crucial beach forest regions.

The world heritage process started in 2007 when ancient and primeval beech forests in the Ukrainian and Slovak Carpathians were added to the UNESCO world heritage list; in 2011, this property was outstretched to include the old beech woodlands of Germany. The UNESCO world heritage committee recommended the continuation of the extension process with other interested state parties towards a finite serial transnational nomination to assure the protection of this unique forest ecosystem. In 2012, a screening process was started involving 260 experts, and more than 20 state parties had to select suitable for an excellent significant extension of the world heritage listing. Ten state parties have participated in this process; with this extension, 80 % of the primeval and ancient beech forest remnants in Europe’s protected areas with strict protection status would be designated as world heritage.

Conclusion

The primeval and ancient beech forests of the Carpathians and other regions of Europe have several benefits. It is one of the significant trees in that forest. These forests also have other trees like birches (Betula alba), oaks (Quercus robur), etc. The wood of the beech tree has many uses like fuel, cooking, utensils, tool handles, furniture, and sports equipment. The beech tree’s wood is considered one of the best firewood. Many people also use this wood in a home for heating purposes. The beech tree is helpful in the health and medical area. A large quantity of beech trees is considered poisonous.