Amazing forests on planet Earth
Amazing and unique forests of our planet. This article is written about some of the forests that affect the conservation of biodiversity and climate on our planet Earth. If you know other unique forests on our planet, write to us. We will definitely answer.
Forests occupy a quarter of the land area on our planet. Due to the fact that forests are located in a wide variety of climatic conditions, they are diverse. There are many types of them, for example, coniferous, deciduous forests, jungles, taiga, and swamp forests. Forests are the “lungs” of our planet; they provide us with air for breathing, releasing oxygen. Forests are important for the ecology of the entire world, maintaining biodiversity and maintaining climate stability.
Amazon rainforest.
About 10% of the total forest diversity is the Amazon rainforest. This forest is found in Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia, being the largest rainforest on our planet. Even today, many of its sites remain inaccessible to humans. The forest canopy is so dense that twilight almost always reigns in the lower tier of the forest. One of the amazing things about this Amazon rainforest is that its vast area is covered with flooded rivers for many months.
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In the morning, a cloudless sky without precipitation reigns here. In the middle of the day, the wind rises, driving the clouds and, amid thunder, a tropical downpour falls. After a few hours, the rain dies down and a clear night falls.
There are many exotic plants - a variety of lianas, palms, plants of the family of laurel, mimosa, myrtle, legumes. More than 430 species of mammals live in these forests; most of them belong to the orders of bats and rodents. Here you can find capybara, jaguar, puma, sloths, Brazilian otter, giant anteater, different types of monkeys, tapirs, nosuha. In these forests there are about 1300 species of birds, various types of snakes, caimans, frogs.
Goblin Forest in New Zealand.
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In the Goblin Forest in New Zealand, you can see mosses and ferns on the trees. Its main part is made up of kamakha trees, which begin to grow from the trunks of other trees. The Wilkies area has a large number of natural pools that give this forest its own flavor. In such a forest, the events of a fantasy film about elves, gnomes and goblins could well take place. There are practically no berries and mushrooms in this forest, and the nearby swamp and ferns only contribute to the emergence of rumors about the spirits and ghosts living in the forest. It often rains in these places, it is foggy and, even in summer, it can be cold.
Evergreen forest and sequoias in western Canada.
Taiga occupies most of the space and stretches across the whole of Canada. Black and white spruce and American larch grow here. Black spruce grows in rocky and swampy areas, American larch chooses wet swampy areas.In the Province of British Columbia in western Canada, the Evergreen Forest is located on the Pacific coast. Coniferous and mixed forests are widespread here, which occupy about 60% of the area of this Canadian province.
The most valuable conifers found on the Pacific Coast are red cedar, Douglas fir and western hemlock. The humid temperate climate of the west coast is very favorable for the growth of coniferous trees, which often reach heights of 70-90 meters in this region. Also, British Columbia is famous for the fact that the giants of the forest - sequoias - still flourish there.
Sequoia is the largest tree on earth, and the most durable - according to various sources, it lives from 2000 to 6000 years: more than all the ancient, middle and new history of mankind known today. Some sequoias are centuries older than the Egyptian pyramids. In the old days, the sequoia numbered 15 species, now only two: the giant sequoia and very close to it, no less stately evergreen sequoia. Sequoias used to grow all over the earth. At present, they have survived in natural conditions only in North America.
Travelers have always enthusiastically described the sequoia, endowing it with the most flattering epithets, admiring its extraordinary size, marveling at its longevity and monumentality. Only a few meters are inferior to the largest sequoias in height to the most powerful representative of the plant world - almond-leaved eucalyptus from Australia. And the volume of the trunks resembling giant columns, and the unusual longevity of the sequoia eclipsed everyone.
Monte Verde National Park in Costa Rica.
Monte Verde National Park in Costa Rica means Green Mountain in Portuguese. Huge mountains, completely covered with jungle, with low hanging clouds and regular rainfall. This park is often referred to as the Monteverde Cloud Forest. It contains a lot of interesting and attractive things.
Costa Rica is a Latin American country, whose eloquent name in many ways explains its collective national identity. Costa Rica is translated "Rich Coast", implying the richness of nature, one of the main treasures of which are tropical forests, as well as an abundance of fruits and spices. For the inhabitants of Costa Rica, rainforests are the heart of the country and they also positively influence our climate, being home to thousands of plants and animals.
The smallest inhabitants of the rainforest tend to be the noisiest. For example cicadas. Although they are very difficult to see in the dense foliage of the forest canopy, their monotonous chirping is one of the most typical sounds of the jungle.
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Monte Verde is home to over 100 species of mammals, 500 species of birds, 120 amphibians and reptiles. In this reserve you can see muskrats, bats, primates, rabbits, gophers, squirrels, mice, porcupine, wild pigs, deer, tapir. 500 species of orchids grow here. The bulk of the trees are epiphytes. Such cloud forests are found in tropical and subtropical mountainous areas. Low clouds can take the form of fog and appear to float above the forest. When visitors walk across the suspension bridge, they seem to be walking through the clouds. This gives this forest a unique atmosphere. Tens of thousands of tourists and scientists visit this place every year.
Trees in the jungle can reach heights of more than 40 meters, but on each floor of these high-rises there is a world of its own, full of secrets, legends and magic. This makes Costa Rica an ideal tropical paradise.
Unfortunately, more than 2/3 of Costa Rica's forests have already been destroyed. The rest of the forest has been preserved thanks to the Costa Rican government's awareness of environmental problems and their close relationship to our poor well-being.
Dragonblood Forest on Socotra Island.
One of the most unusual forests is the Dragonblood Forest in Yemen on Socotra Island. The trees in this forest have unusual tops, like UFOs with an umbrella-shaped canopy. The forest got its name from the bright red sap of the trees. This tree is depicted on the coin of Yemen. These trees bloom at the age of 8-10 years, but sometimes only at 25-30 years. By this age, the trunk reaches several meters in height, all the leaves fall off and leave scars on the tree. Flowers bloom at night, their scent attracts moths.
An Indian legend is associated with these trees. A bloodthirsty dragon lived on the island of Socotra for a long time, drinking the blood of elephants. But one day one old and strong elephant fell on the dragon and crushed him, their blood mixed and seeped into the ground, on which these trees later grew. Previously, their juice was used as a paint by artists, now it is used to treat many diseases. The island where this forest is located is becoming increasingly arid due to climate change. These trees are becoming more vulnerable and in danger.
Otzarreta forest in Spain.
The forest of Otzarreta in Spain can seem mystical and enigmatic. The reason is ancient trees covered with moss and fog. It is a small forest with about 100 trees. Its main part is beeches. Its natural landscape consists of flowing streams and fallen leaves. It is both frightening and positive at the same time. According to legend, the hairy giant Basayun lives in this forest, despite his formidable appearance, he is kind, protects the forest, makes friends with shepherds, warns them about the approach of a thunderstorm.
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Sagano Bamboo Forest.
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One of the most unique forests is found in Kyoto, Japan. This is Sagano bamboo forest. The bamboo grove is especially interesting when the sun shines through the bamboo stems. More than a hundred thousand different types of bamboo grow here. The forest is also known for sounds, they occur when the wind moves the thin stalks of bamboo. Many visitors come to listen to them. Bamboo is an evergreen plant; in the legends of many peoples it is believed that it can ward off evil spirits. This forest is included in the list of protected areas. It is a peaceful, relaxing place to stay.
Taiga in Russia.
From west to east Russia stretches boundless taiga - the kingdom of the brown bear. There are cedar, pine, spruce, fir, larch. It is these conifers that, thanks to the resins in the tree sap, are resistant to severe frost. A short summer with a riot of life turns Taiga into a kind of tropical forest. Billions of insects fill the sultry summer air, berries and mushrooms ripen in huge quantities. After a short autumn for 6-8 months, a cold snowy winter sets in. The temperature in winter drops to -55 degrees Celsius.
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Due to its enormous size, Taiga is located in different landscapes. Taiga, often, these are mountains and gorges with forests on them or rugged thickets with marshy soil.
Until the middle of the 19th century, the taiga was considered unfit for human habitation. However, in our time, Taiga is actively destroyed as a result of barbaric felling for the sake of timber.
There are many mosses in the taiga, shrubs grow well, for example, juniper, blueberry, lingonberry, but also medicinal plants, such as oxalis, wintergreen. In the taiga, the fauna is also diverse - owls, woodpeckers, wood grouses, bears, wolves, foxes, squirrels, lynxes, sables, wolverines.
Daintree Rainforest.
The Daintree Rainforest is twice the age of the Amazon tropics, 180 million years old. It is Australia's largest rainforest. Many ancient ferns are found here. It was this forest that was the prototype of the jungle in the movie "Avatar". It is believed that its occurrence is the result of continental drift. After the collapse of one large continent, part of it moved to the pole, now it is Antarctica, and the other part moved to hotter and drier places.
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Many of the trees considered extinct can only be seen here. Among the representatives of the animal world, one can distinguish opossum, bandicoot, echidna, tree kangaroo wallabies, platypus, gecko, various types of snakes, frogs.
A rainbow eucalyptus forest in Hawaii.
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In Maui, Hawaii, there is a forest of rainbow eucalyptus trees. Their bark resembles a rainbow in color. This phenomenon is caused by the fact that bark spots peel off at different times, the colors are an indicator of the age of the tree. The new bark has a bright green hue, over time it darkens to blue, and then orange and red.The rainbow eucalyptus has beautiful white flowers. In height, they can reach more than 70 meters, they grow rapidly - about 10 meters per year. Often, rainbow eucalyptus trees are planted specifically for their decorative features. The rainbow eucalyptus is a tropical tree. In temperate latitudes, the tree grows slowly.
So, in the conditions of South Florida, it retains foliage all year round. Rainbows are frost resistant but can only withstand light frost and for a short time.
The rainbow eucalyptus is often referred to as a "living work of art". With proper care, these trees appear in all their glory. They can grow 8 to 10 feet during the growing season, and even more if well cared for. But these trees are not protected, they are widely used in papermaking, in small shipbuilding, in the manufacture of furniture. But recently, attention has been paid to the problem and they have been artificially cultivated.
Belovezhskaya Pushcha in Belarus.
One of the preserved virgin forests in Europe is Belovezhskaya Pushcha in Belarus. Previously, the hunting grounds of the Polish rulers were located here. The average age of trees in this forest is 81 years, and it is here that over a thousand giant trees have been registered. The height of the Belovezhskaya spruce is up to 50 meters. In this reserve you can see birch, maple, ash, bird cherry, black currant, raspberry. The main feature of Belovezhskaya Pushcha is the habitat of the last European bison population in Europe. Here you can also watch wolves, red deer, roe deer, lynxes, foxes, elks, wild boars. In 1992, this national park was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
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Hallerbos forest in Belgium.
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Hallerbos Forest in Belgium gives the impression of a fairytale forest. It features a carpet of hyacinth bells blooming in mid-April. This forest is known for its sequoias, millions of hyacinths. When birch trees provide shade, combined with fog, this gives the forest a mesmerizing and unique look. There are several hiking trails. There are deer, foxes, different types of birds. Picnic areas are organized. Seasoned travelers recommend arriving here early in the morning to fully enjoy the charm of this forest.
Dancing forest in the Kaliningrad region.
An interesting area of pine forest in the Kaliningrad region of Russia was named the Dancing Forest. The trunks of the trees growing here are bent in the most bizarre way. Some trees with especially memorable curves have got their own names - devil's horns, witch's ring, the devil's gate.This forest is located on the Curonian Spit, where trees were planted to strengthen the dunes and prevent erosion. Experts still cannot accurately explain the reason for such deformations of tree trunks. According to one of the versions, young shoots were damaged by caterpillars of the red leafworm butterfly.
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The caterpillars eat the apical and lateral buds, but the tree continues to develop from the remaining lateral buds. Because of this, the barrel is deformed. This version is supported by the fact that the caterpillars of this butterfly most often damage trees between the ages of 5 and 20 years, they develop best in pine plantations with a small amount of groundwater in the soil and where the land is not very rich in minerals. Such conditions are observed on the Curonian Spit.
A tourist trail with wooden flooring and handrails has been laid through the artificial forest on the Curonian Spit.
Conclusion.
We can list the amazing forests of our planet for a long time. There are many forests on planet Earth, they are very diverse. But they are not only beautiful, they are of great importance for the conservation of biodiversity on our planet. Forests maintain climate resilience to change, be it a real forest or an artificial one. It is in our power to preserve the ecology, our planet for future generations.