VIRGIN FOREST OF UHOLKA Nature Guide to the Largest Virgin Beech Forest of Europe A UNESCO World Heritage Site Urs-Beat Brändli, Yaroslav Dovhanych, Brigitte Commarmot Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf Carpathian Biosphere Reserve, Rakhiv Citation: Brändli, U.-B.; Dovhanych, Y.; Commar- The contents of this booklet are based on: mot, B., 2008: Virgin Forests of Uholka. Nature Brändli, U.-B.; Dowhanytsch, J. (Red.) 2003: Ur- Guide to the Largest Virgin Beech Forest of wälder im Zentrum Europas. Ein Naturführer Europe. A UNESCO World Heritage Site. WSL, durch das Karpaten-Biosphärenreservat in der Birmensdorf and CBR, Rakhiv. Ukraine. WSL Birmensdorf; CBR Rachiw. Bern, Stuttgart, Wien, Haupt. 192 Seiten. Translation: Silvia Dingwall, Victoria Hubko Photos (pages): Peter Baumann/Sutter (9ar), Urs- Layout and Copyright © 2008 by Swiss Federal Beat Brändli (1b, 2b, 3b, 5a, 8br,13b, 15a, 16b, 18b), Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland Heisler and Mellon (1a), Thielemann/Sutter (6a), Damien Hubaut/Sutter (2a), Ivan Shelever (1t, 3a, Printed in Ukraine, “Colorove Nebo”, Lviv 4b, 5t, 5b, 8a, 8bl, 9al, 9bl, 9br,12, 13t, 13al, 13ar, 14 all, 15b, 17all, 18a, 20a, cover), Eric Baccega/ Sutter Available from: Carpathian Biosphere Reserve (6b), Michel Watelet/Sutter (7a), Beat Wermelin- CBR, Krasne Pleso Street 77, P. O. Box - 8, ger (7b), Michel Luquet/Sutter (19ar), Rolf Kopfle/ UA-90600 Rakhiv, Ukraine Sutter (19br), Daniel Hubacher/Sutter (20b) Tel: +380 3132 221 93, [email protected] t = top; a = above; b = below; m = mid; l = left; r = right 64° IS S Atlantic Ocean FIN N 56° EST North Sea LV IRL DK Baltic Sea LT RUS GB BY NL PL 48° B D L CZ UA SK F CH A MD FL H SLO HR RO Black Sea E BIH P AND SCG 40° I BG MK AL Mediterranean Sea GR 0 250 500 km M 0° 12° 24° 36° 1 VIRGIN FOREST OF UHOLKA VIRGIN FORESTS IN THE HEART OF EUROPE Some regions are significant because of their geographical location. One such region is Transcarpathia, in the south-westernmost corner of Ukraine in the geographical centre of Europe. The prefix “Trans-” refers to the fact that the region is not on the Kyiv side of the Carpathian Mountains but across the range Rafting timber in Transcarpathia (1945) on the other side. Transcarpathia borders on Romania, Hungary, the Slovak Republic and industrialization and intensive forest use set in Poland. For many centuries it was part of the relatively late. For centuries much of the Hungarian, Austrian and Austro-Hungarian mountain forest remained untouched. Not kingdoms. Its national allegiance changed six until the 18th century were German emigrants times during the 20th century alone. The area and Austrian woodcutters settled there by the has always had close relationships with its Habsburgs. Timber from conifers was rafted western neighbours. down the larger rivers. Remote beech forests, like Uholka or mountain forests without any Exploitation of the forest started late suitable water stretches for rafting, were spared and protection early for a long time, sometimes even until well into Transcarpathia’s location between East and the 20th century. Other mountain forests were West has affected settlement in the region and kept as royal hunting grounds and not used for the use of the forest. The region’s borders timber. The first forest reserve was established changed so frequently over the centuries that in Transcarpathia in 1908. The “Jugendstil” houses in Uzhorod, the capital of Transcarpathia, are indicators of the Austro-Hungarian influence 2 Unique virgin forests The virgin forests of Transcarpathia constitute a natural heritage of global significance. This is especially true for the approx. 8800 ha of virgin forest in the “Uholsko-Shyrokoluzhan- skyi Massif”, which is thought to be the largest virgin forest of European beech. The remain - ing extensive primeval forests in Europe are mainly in the east and south-east of the conti- nent, apart from the coniferous forests in the north. Most European primeval forests are no larger than 50–100 ha. Continuous areas of 1000 ha, and more especially of broadleaved forest, are very rare. In 2007 the primeval beech forests of the Carpathians (Slovakia, Ukraine) were added to UNESCO’S World Heritage list. Black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) Virgin forests are vital for both humans and These rather special circumstances have made nature. They provide us with opportunities to it possible for extensive remnants of virgin investigate the natural structure, biological forest to persist in Transcarpathia until today. diversity, genetic structure and natural pro - Most of these primeval forests, which in total cesses in undisturbed forests. Findings from cover 14,600 ha, are now protected within the studying virgin forests can benefit the near- Carpathian Biosphere Reserve (CBR). natural management of exploited forests. 3 VIRGIN FOREST OF UHOLKA A trip to the Narcissi Valley near Khust is especially worthwhile during the flowering season in April and May The Carpathian Biosphere Reserve The administrative offices of the CBR are The CBR is one of the largest and most located in the town of Rakhiv, where there is a important protected areas in Ukraine. It was small museum with information on the natu- designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in ral and cultural history of the region. 1992. This shows how much UNESCO appreci ated the efforts and achievements of the CBR in conserving biodiversity and pro- moting sustainable development in the region. The Church of St.Nicholas (Mykolaivska Church) was Besides protecting the remaining patches of built in 1470 and is one of the oldest maintained wooden churches in Transcarpathia. It is in Kolodne the original natural ecosystems, one of the along the road to Uholka. most important objectives of the CBR is to provide access, albeit limited, for visitors and to enable them to see the enchanting beauty of this unspoilt natural area with their own eyes. The CBR is made up of 8 isolated regional units (massifs) located in different districts of Transcarpathia (see map, page 10). These re - present all the natural and climatic zones of the Ukrainian Carpathians within the reserve. The lowest point of the reserve is in the Narcissi Valley at an altitude of 170 m asl. The highest point is Mt. Hoverla (2061 m asl), which is Ukraine’s highest summit. The reserve covers a total area of 53,630 ha. 4 UHOLKA – PEARL OF THE CARPA- The massif consists mostly of flysch layers with THIANS marls and sandstone, and of jurassic limestone and cretaceous conglomerates. A very special Uholka, the area we recommend you visit, is in feature of Uholka is the presence of numerous the southern part of the “Uholsko-Shyroko- limestone cliffs and karst caves. Uholka con- luzhanskyi Massif”. This massif covers around tains roughly half of the about 60 karst caves 16,000 ha, and is in the central part of Trans- found in the Ukrainian Carpathians, including carpathia, north of the town of Tyachiv (see one famous cave, “Druzhba” (Friendship), map, page 10). It has been protected since which is the largest in the Ukrainian Carpathi- 1920. In the virgin forest of Uholka visitors can ans. Uholka’s main landmark is, however, the go on two fascinating round trips. We describe “Karst Bridge”, a kind of natural rocky arch, these here, together with some extra infor - which has fascinated people for centuries. mation about the area’s natural environment. The numerous mineral springs are also well known and popular. Sights and site conditions Uholka’s virgin beech forests consitute the Forest types region’s most valuable treasure. Here beech Once the beech has established itself in an trees grow well in the fresh, and slightly damp, optimal location like Uholka, no other tree fertile soil under optimal ecological con- species can compete with this shade-tolerant ditions. Trees can be as much as 140 cm in dia - tree. Pure beech forests dominate and com- meter, and as tall as 46 m. Most of the forests prise 97% of the total area of primeval forest are on hillsides with 15–30 degree slopes, at in Uholka. The main forest associations are altitudes of 400–1350 m asl. The climate of Fagetum dentariosum and F. asperulosum, Uholka is mild, with mean temperatures in which are very productive and contain some of July over 17°C, and in January around -4°C. the tallest beeches in Ukraine. Annual precipitation is about 950 mm. River Mala Uholka 5 VIRGIN FOREST OF UHOLKA decaying trunks of fallen trees. The proportion of standing and lying dead wood in Uholka amounts to 15% of the total volume of wood. In managed forests the proportion of dead wood is usually under 2%. In managed forests beeches are normally har- vested when they are around 100 to 150 years, i.e. well before they reach their natural age limit. That is why you hardly ever find giant trees in these forests and their stem diameters are rarely more than a metre. Uholka’s beeches, however, can grow to be about 250 years old before they die and start to gradually decom- Beech and book pose or are blown down, creating small gaps. The Ukrainian name for the Cyrillic alphabet – “azbuka” – is directly connected with the These are normally then quickly covered with beech tree (beech = “buk” in Ukrainian), as young beech seedlings. Only where a group of are some other derived words, such as “bukva” trees have been uprooted at the same time is it (letter) and “bukvar” (book for teaching the possible for a few light-demanding tree species alphabet). The German words “Buchstabe” like maple or ash to grow. (letter) and “Buch” (book) also take their roots from this tree species.