FORESTS IN EUROPE,    FORESTS IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

As far as written documents date back to the beginnings of forestry, there have been signs of the production cycle being disrupted: the mass emergence of insect pests (gradations), natural disasters and freak climate changes – drought, strong winds, floods and severe frost. Fungal diseases, which area now stable and cover a large area, are just one of the signs of modern times, as is the afforestation of former farmland. Seedlings which are deprived of their mycorrhizal fungi are falling prey to parasitic pathogenic fungi.

Melolontha melolontha 

The decay of an ash forest

    The gradation of harmful insects may have been, in part, influenced by man, who led to the accumulation of prey base in the form of large areas of monospecific habitats of similar age. With the balance of the forest ecosystem disturbed and with the lack of sufficient ways to self defend (predatory insects, insectivorous birds), the population of these harmful insects could rapidly develop, leading to a state of disaster. The largest pest gradation in the history of European forestry – the Nun Moth (Lymantria monacha) from the years 1978-1984 in Poland, covered about 1/3 of the total forest area of the country. These kind of disaster situations need to be fought with chemical weapons, which is expensive and not impartial to the environment. According to the rule that says it is better to prevent than cure, it is better to care for the balance in these forest ecosystems then to counter attack the effects. The climate changes that have been observed in the past decades are increasing the risk of an insect gradation recurring, from a species that had not yet been known to be economically important. In the years 2005-2007 in central Europe large amounts of oak trees were dying because of the larvae of jewel beetles (Agrilus), which until then were considered a rare species.

The forest after a hurricane.

    Among abiotic factors, which are independent of the living world, the wind has the most powerful effects. Strong winds, which can brake or knock down trees over large areas, invade European forests regularly with increasing frequency. Particularly heavy losses are caused by wind in mountain areas, dominated by man-made spruce forests. Mixed forests are much more resistant to these kinds of conditions, especially if they consist of species which are suited to the local conditions, such as beech and fir forests.
     Fire is another factor gaining in importance. Forest fires are increasing the strength of their devastating impact not only in the warm and dry southern countries but also in other regions of Europe. The reason of this is a mixture of several factors: lower forest humidity (dehydration), rising average air temperatures, the declining health of forest stands and their greater penetration by humans. Forests which aren't a healthy, with open crown, let more light into the undergrowth, thus helping further development of ground vegetation, especially grass. After they dry, they become easily gobbled up by fire.
     Despite numerous threats the future of the European forests is bright. Their total land area is growing. There is a stable increase of contributions of the old forests in the population, which make the landscape more attractive. Society continues to put pressure on the state to abandon the productive functions of forests, or at least to reduce them. European programs are being created to protect and support forestry and woods.  The forests of Europe are changing, but all the stars in the sky are indicating that it will be a change for the better. 

 A young tree, a young forest, a hope for the future...