Forests cover a significant part of the Earth's surface. They are not only a source of oxygen, but also attract with their beauty. There is nothing calmer than the opportunity to enjoy the view of a beautiful forest that keeps its history and its secrets.

1. Beskydy, Czech Republic

Behind the structure of the earth's surface, the Beskids are asymmetric geological folds, which, as it were, overlap one another, creating a kind of forest-covered relief.

2. Dancing or drunk forest, Kaliningrad

In Kaliningrad, trees incredibly formed dancing forest. Some trees have become like rings, others have acquired several trunks, which are also mangled.

3. Quebec Forest, Canada

Forest Quebec all four seasons is very contrasting and beautiful. It is especially magical in Quebec in autumn: the forests “burn” with bright colors.

4. Swampy forests, Romania

Mystical swampy forests in Romania will enchant with their mystery and give a lot of impressions.

5. Monteverde National Park, Costa Rica

Cloudy national park Monteverde (meaning "green mountain" in Spanish) is located in Costa Rica.

6. Bamboo Forest, Kyoto

The Sagano Bamboo Forest is a picturesque alley of thousands of soaring bamboo trees lined up in even rows.

7. Dragon's Blood Forest, Socotra Island

Fairy-tale thickets of Socotra Island with bizarre trees such as "dragon's blood" with flat crowns.

8. Subtropical Forests, Meghalaya

Subtropical forests of Meghalaya, are mountainous subtropical damp broadleaf forest ecoregion of eastern India.

9. Sunken Forest of Lake Kaindy, Kazakhstan

Lake Kaindy, located in Kazakhstan, is unique. However, what makes this body of water truly remarkable are the tall, dry trunks of submerged Schrenk spruce trees, which, like the masts of mysterious sunken ships, rise above the surface of the water from the bottom of the lake.

9. Monterey Bay Aquarium, USA

The Public Aquarium, located in Monterey (California, USA) was founded in 1984 and is located on the site of a former cannery on Cannery Row.

10 Japan Suicide Forest

Aokigahara (Jukai) looks like a forest from a creepy gothic fairy tale with inconceivably twisted trees, hanging moss and gaping caves everywhere.

11. Olympic National Forest, Washington

The moss-covered trees look more like scenes from a science fiction movie than a real earthly forest in the National Olympic Park, Washington (USA).

12. Black Forest or "black forest", Germany

The fabulous forest of the Black Forest is proud of this natural attraction, which is also famous as Monument Valley in the USA. This Black Forest brings back memories of fairy tale characters: scary witches and fussy gnomes from the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm.

13. Crooked Forest, Poland

In the west of Poland there is a mysterious "Crooked Forest", which is unusual in that trees grow on its territory, outwardly unlike any others.

14. Thorny Forest, Madagascar

In the spiny xerophilous forests of Madagascar, there are trees with scale-like leaves and shrubs with green stems without leaves.

15. Tropical Amazon Jungle, Brazil

The Amazon rainforest, also called the Amazonia, is considered the world's greatest resource and is known as the "lungs of the planet" due to the fact that it accounts for one fifth of the world's produced oxygen.

16. Monkey Puzzle Forest, Chile

Araucaria Chilean, called the inhabitants of South and North America " monkey puzzle”, can be imagined by imagining a hybrid of palm and pineapple.

17. Son Doong Cave Forest, Vietnam

A forest is an area with a high frequency of trees. Forests cover approximately 9.4 percent of the Earth's surface (or 30 percent of the total land area), although they once covered much more (about 50 percent of the total land area). In addition to the large number of forests that are well-known tourist attractions in the world, there are also small and very unusual forests which are less known to the general public.

1. Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar
is a famous group of baobab trees growing along dirt road between the cities of Morondava and Belon "i Tsiribihina" in the Menabe region in western Madagascar. Its striking landscape attracts travelers from all over the world, making the alley of baobabs one of the most visited places in the region. The alley is the center of local efforts to preserve the environment and in July 2007 the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests granted it the temporary status of "under the protection of the state", taking the first step towards making it the first natural monument of Madagascar.

Along the alley grows about a dozen trees of the species Adansonia grandidieri (Adansonia grandidieri), endemic to Madagascar, whose height is about 30 meters. The baobab trees, some of which are 800 years old, are a heritage of dense rainforest that once flourished in Madagascar.


Trees did not originally grow in isolation in the midst of a landscape of dry shrubs when there was thick summer around them. Over the years, as the country's population grew, forests were cleared to make way for Agriculture. People left only the baobabs, which they kept both out of respect for these majestic giants and because of their value as a source of food and building materials.

2. Sunken Forest of Lake Kaindy, Kazakhstan


Lake Kaindy, located in Kazakhstan, is unique. The depth of this lake, 400 meters long, located 2000 meters above sea level, in some places reaches 30 meters. However, this body of water is truly remarkable because of the tall, dried trunks of the flooded Schrenk spruce trees, which, like the masts of mysterious sunken ships, rise above the surface of the water from the bottom of the lake.


AT winter months lake Kaindy freezes, but this does not stop some daredevils. Ice swimmers are drawn to the frozen lake, captivated by the view of tree trunks encased in a layer of ice and strange beauty. underwater world hidden underneath.


In summer, Lake Kaindy is a contrasting picture, one has only to look at its warm green and turquoise waters. Geologically speaking, Lake Kaindy is very young, and was formed only in the last century. It was formed due to a huge limestone landslide.


The water flooded the pool formed by the landslide, and the natural rocky embankment that formed in the middle of the lake blocked it off like a natural dam. Sunken trees that have not yet rotted rise above the cold waters, offering shelter to weary swimmers.

3. Deadvlei Forest, Namibia


Deadvlei is a magical place near the famous Sossusvlei salt flat in Namib-Naukluft Park in Namibia. This place is surrounded by some of the highest dunes in the world, reaching up to 400 meters in height. These dunes even have nicknames such as "Big Daddy".


This place is a clay plateau, just like Sossusvlei. The clay plateau was formed due to flooding on the Tsauchab River after heavy rains. When the climate changed 900 years ago, these torrential rains stopped and the area dried up, sand dunes ran into the plateau and completely blocked the river's access to the area.


Trees that are over 1,000 years old (thought to have been around 200 years before the climate changed again) form barren forests of ancient, lifeless trees frozen exactly as they were some 900 years ago.

4. Crooked Forest, Poland


The crooked forest is a grove formed by pines oddly shaped, which is located near the village of Nowe Czarnowo, in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland.


Approximately 400 pines from this grove were planted around 1930, when the area was still part of the German province of Pomerania.


It is believed that in order for trees to grow in this way, people used some kind of tool or special method cultivation, however, the method and motive for this remains a mystery to this day.

5. Wild Apple Forest, Kazakhstan


The top of a mountain range dotted with apple forest in Zailiyskiy Alatau

Until Carl Christian Friedrich von Ledebour, a German-Estonian botanist, discovered this incredible apple forest in the early 1830s, the Western world had no idea about this forest. It lies deep within a mountain range in what is now Kazakhstan. In the middle of the forest is the bustling city of Alma-Ata (which is translated from Kazakh language means "Father of Apples"). This location of the forest has both its pros and cons. On the plus side, the proximity of the growing city has given scientists access to a forest that in the past was remote and inaccessible. The downside is that the city is slowly reclaiming space from the forest, as the land is being cleared for high-rise buildings and holiday homes.

Wild apples from the apple forest.

The genetic diversity of apples in this forest is amazing. Here you can find apples of all colors and sizes. They range in size from glass marbles to large dessert apples. There are hard red apples, yellow, mottled reddish brown, bicolor, and hard green apples. Some skins are shiny and thin, while others are dull and rough. The amazing thing is that none of the varieties of these apples are susceptible to disease or insect damage. Many apples look like they were just bought off the counter in the store. The total area of ​​this forest is 560 hectares.

6. The Great Banyan, India


is a Bengal Ficus (Ficus benghalensis) located in the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden, in the city of Howrah, near Kolkata. This tree has the widest crown in the world and is estimated to be between 200 and 250 years old.


The tree became sick after being struck by lightning, so in 1925 the middle of the tree was cut to keep the rest of it healthy. Because of this, a whole vegetatively propagating colony was formed from one tree. A 330 meter road was built around the trunk of a great banyan tree, but the tree continues to grow beyond it.


The Great Banyan is over 250 years old, and in width it is the largest known tree in India, and perhaps even in Asia. The tree does not have a clear history, however, it is mentioned in some nineteenth century travel books. The tree was damaged by two large cyclones in 1884 and 1886, when some of its large branches were broken and the tree itself was subjected to the spread of hard mushroom growths. Given the huge amount of aboveground roots, the Great Banyan tree looks more like a forest than a single tree.


On the this moment the tree lives without its main trunk, which rotted and was removed in 1925. The girth of the main trunk was 1.7 meters and the height of the tree was 15.7 meters. The tree covers an area of ​​approximately 14,500 square meters(about one and a half hectares). The current girth of the crown is approximately 1 kilometer, and the highest branch rises 25 meters above the ground. At present, the tree has 3300 above ground roots that descend to the ground.

7. Lemonodasos, Greece


The Lemon Tree Forest or Lemonodasos, which is one of the many tourist attractions on the island of Poros, which is part of the island of Kefalonia, has served as an inspiration for many poets and writers. Located diagonally from the center of the island of Poros, the forest of lemon trees grows on the slope of Mount Aderes and is a grove of wild lemons.

Forest of lemon trees on the island of Kefalonia.

This dense forest, composed entirely of lemon trees, is close to the most beautiful beaches in the area (Aliki Beach). As you approach the lemon grove, you can smell the growing strong and fresh smell of lemon trees. This lemon forest also has a huge variety of small ponds.

Ecology

Forests cover approximately 9.4 percent of our planet's land, but there were times when 50 percent of the land was covered by forests. Most people associate forests with trees, but the very concept of "forest ecosystem" includes many more organisms, including not only trees, but also small plants, fungi, bacteria, insects, animals.

The forest is a system through which large amounts of energy pass and where nutrient cycling takes place. Fortunately, most people on the planet are able to enjoy the tranquility of ancient forests. 80 percent of European forests are in Russia.

If you find yourself in the old forest, the streams clean air fill your lungs. Your senses will immediately perk up and you will become more aware of what is going on around you. In the forest, you never know what awaits you around the corner. Here you can discover many amazing things, witness what you have never seen before.

In the forest you can feel real unity with nature, you will escape from the world modern technology and big cities. We invite you to learn about the strangest and most unique forests on the planet, and you may want to take a walk through them. US President Franklin Roosevelt said: "A people that destroys its soil destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, which purify the air and give strength to people."

1) Forests of North Sentinel Island: forests where primitive people live

North Sentinel Island is one of Andaman Islands located in the Bay of Bengal. This island is unique in that it is surrounded by coral reefs and has no natural bays. For this reason, Europeans did not settle on the island, and no one cut down its forest. The island is almost completely covered with old forest, the area of ​​which is 72 square kilometers. Due to the fact that North Sentinel Island is isolated, the primitive tribe of Sentinelese still lives on it.

Primitive tribes in our time

The Sentinelese tribe has between 50 and 400 people, but it is not known exactly, since these people reject any contact with outside world. On January 26, 2006, two people were illegally fishing for crabs near North Sentinel Island. They were attacked and killed by the Sentinelese.

The Indian Coast Guard attempted to retrieve the bodies by helicopter, but were met with a barrage of arrows. There were reports that the Sentinelese buried the bodies of the fishermen, and did not roast them at all for their dinner. However, the idea that members of the tribe are cannibals is quite plausible.

The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami severely damaged North Sentinel Island. Some of the reefs surrounding the island were at depth, while others rose above the surface. The coastline of the island was completely destroyed.

The fishing areas of the Sentinelese were destroyed, but since then the tribe has managed to adapt to the new conditions. These people live in a primitive communal system, fishing, gathering, their survival depends on the forest in which they hunt wild animals, gather fruits, and so on.

Nothing is currently known about the agricultural methods and practices of the Sentinelese. Their weapons are spears and arrows, and their accuracy is high. It costs nothing for them to hit the target even from 10 meters. For warning shots, the Sentinelese sometimes use unpointed arrows. The main products in their diet are plants that grow in the forest, coconuts, which can be easily found on the beaches, wild boars and presumably other wild animals.

2) Crooked Forest: a forest with strange crooked trees

Krivolessie is a grove of trees with strangely shaped trunks, located near the village of Nowe Tsarnowo in western Poland. There are over 400 pine trees in this forest, but some of them have 90-degree trunks at the base. All of them are bent to the north side, and quite normal straight trees of the same species grow around. Crooked trees were planted around 1930, when this area of ​​Poland was part of the German province of Pomerania.

It is believed that the trees were twisted by man, but the motives and methods are still not known. It seems as if the trees were allowed to grow for 7-10 years, and then with the help of some device, for some reason, their trunks were tilted.

It is not clear exactly why the Germans needed to tilt the trees, but some researchers believe that they wanted to make special wooden furniture, frames for boats or collars for oxen pulling a plow.

3) Red Forest: the strange forest of Chernobyl

The Red Forest is located within a radius of 10 kilometers from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, near the ghost town of Pripyat, Ukraine. After the accident at the nuclear power plant on April 26, 1986, the trees in this forest acquired a reddish tint and died. During the cleanup work, most of the trees were bulldozed and taken to the waste dumps.

The territory was covered with sand and young pine trees were planted here. Today, the Red Forest remains the most polluted area in the world. Some old pines remained in it. 90 percent of the radiation is concentrated in soils.

The Chernobyl accident offered scientists a unique opportunity to see how radioactive waste may affect environment. It may seem strange, but many living creatures of the Red Forest not only survived, but also feel great. This forest became a "Radioactive Reserve" and today is home to many rare species. A large number of different types moved to these places, the biodiversity here has increased significantly after the disaster.

Przewalski's horses in the forest of Chernobyl?

Since 1986, the wild boar population in the Red Forest has increased significantly. There are also other wild species, including storks, wolves, beavers, lynxes, moose and eagles. Birds have been observed nesting on old nuclear reactors, and many rare animals have been seen here. In 2001 on the streets former city Pripyat, traces of a brown bear were seen.

In 2002, a young rare eagle owl was spotted on an abandoned excavator in the Red Forest, of which there are no more than a hundred left in Ukraine. In 2005, a flock of 21 Przewalski's horses, which escaped from captivity, ended up in these places and bred to 64 individuals.

Not quite natural things are happening in the Red Forest. Flora and fauna in the area have been severely affected by radioactive contamination. A few years after the disaster, there were reports of animal mutants, but there were no cases when radiation affected the genetic development of species, with the exception of partial albinism in swallows and feather growth arrest in birds.

It is worth noting that mutant animals die quickly, so those affected by radiation have long been dead. The exclusion zone of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant extends over an area of ​​2500 square kilometers in the northern part of Ukraine and in the south of Belarus.

4) Chestnut Hill Dying Chestnut Forest

Endothium bark cancer of the edible chestnut- a devastating disease that has affected many chestnut trees in America and led to mass disappearance these trees in the eastern United States. The disease was accidentally introduced into North America around the beginning of the 20th century, along with lumber, or with chestnut trees. By the 1940s, virtually all chestnut trees in the United States were dead.

Once these amazing trees reached 60 meters in height, and the diameter of their trunks was about 4.2 meters. Chestnut trees are known to produce beautiful flowers in late spring and early summer. The disease is caused by a fungus C. parasitica, it kills trees, penetrating under the bark, destroys the cambium. After this disease was discovered, conservationists tried to remove the affected plants from the forest, however, as it turned out, these actions were useless.

Cancer spares no one, not even chestnuts

The largest chestnut forest in America that managed to survive is Chestnut Hill, which is located near the town of West Salem, Wisconsin. About 2,500 chestnut trees grow in this forest on an area of ​​24 hectares. These chestnuts are the descendants of just a dozen ancestors that were planted by Martin Hick in the late 19th century.

These trees were planted in the west, away from the plants that grew naturally, which is why they managed to escape the attack. In 1987, scientists discovered a fungus in this forest, which gradually began to die. Today, researchers are working to eradicate the disease and are doing everything they can to bring chestnut forests back to the US.

American Chestnut Foundation today is working to develop plants that are resistant to fungi. These chestnuts will be planted in different parts countries. The fungus easily spreads to neighboring plants, but it is possible that some isolated chestnuts survived. In 2006, a small grove of healthy chestnuts was discovered in the state of Georgia.

5) Aokigahara Sea of ​​Trees: Suicide Forest

Sea of ​​Trees Aokigahara is a beautiful forest located at the northeast foot of Mount Fuji in Japan. Several caves are hidden in this forest, giant trees. The forest is very dark, the trees grow very close to each other, so only a few rays of the sun penetrate the thicket. There are no animals in the Aokigahara forest, it is a creepy and very quiet place.

Nowadays, the forest has acquired a special reputation: on the one hand, next to the forest and on its edges, a wonderful view of Mount Fuji opens up, but on the other hand, this place attracts a huge number of people who want to commit suicide. So far, there are no exact statistics of suicides committed in the forest, but in 2004 the bodies of 108 people were found here.

Popular suicide spot

AT last years The Japanese government has stopped publishing the number of suicides committed in the forest, but the numbers are leaking to the press. For example, in 2010 it was reported that 247 people were going to commit suicide here, of which 54 were successful.

Because of the high number of suicides, the authorities have posted signs in Japanese and English throughout the forest. English urging people to think again about their actions. Every year the police and volunteers comb the area and find someone. The Sea of ​​Trees is considered the second most popular suicide destination after the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

Japan's high suicide rate serious problem which worsened after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Society faced a wave of social isolation. "Hikikomori" is a Japanese term that refers to the alienation phenomenon of teenagers and young people who choose to live in seclusion for themselves. According to some estimates, about 1 percent of Japanese people live this way.

In Japanese mythology, the Sea of ​​Trees forest has always been shrouded in secrets and legends. It is believed that this is the place where old people go to die and where evil spirits rule.

6) Trillemarka-Rollagsfjell: Norway's oldest forest

Trillemarka-Rollagsfjell is a nature reserve with an area of ​​147 square kilometers, located in the Norwegian province of Buskerud. The reserve was founded on December 13, 2002 and is located in a mountainous area between the towns of Nore and Solevanne.

Here grows the last ancient virgin forest in Norway, in which you can find 93 species of animals and plants listed in the Red Book.

The Trillemarka-Rollagsfjell forest is home to a huge number of animals that depend on the dynamics of the forest. Here you can meet birds such as the lesser spotted woodpecker, three-toed woodpecker, kuksha (pictured), wood pigeon and golden eagle. Currently, approximately 75 percent of the forest is under state protection. Norway seems to be a little behind its neighbors when it comes to forest protection.

7) Forest "Dark Entrance": house of evil spirits

Dudley (Village of the Damned) is a sign town in Connecticut. It was founded in the mid-1740s as a small settlement and by the 19th century had become quite a prosperous city. The inhabitants of the town were employed in the iron industry, which was quite developed in this region.

Here you could meet many visitors, until there were reports of strange phenomena, unexplained murders and mass suicides. In some cases, the inhabitants of the city began to see hallucinations in which demons appeared before them, ordering them to commit suicide. Livestock began to disappear.

Residents of the city of Dudley began to think that someone cursed their lands. By the middle of the 20th century, there were no inhabitants left in the city, they all either died or left. Today, Dudley looks the way it did 250 years ago when the first settlers arrived.

There has grown a dense forest with a rocky landscape, located in the shadow of three different mountains - Bald Mountain, Woodbury Mountains and Coltsfood Triplets Mountains. Due to the fact that the forest is very dense, and the trees in it are very tall, it was called the forest. "Dark Entrance".

The ruins of Dudley Town and Dark Entrance Forest are guarded by a special group that pursues anyone who illegally enters these places. Hundreds of people were arrested when they tried to visit Dudley. They say that they saw inexplicable round objects, lights and heard strange sounds here.

Like some other strange forests, this forest is very quiet and there are no animals here. Modern researchers have suggested that the city simply could not stand the mass hysteria, and the groundwater was contaminated with lead, which led to a high mortality rate.

8) The Ardennes forest: the site of the famous battles

The Ardennes is a mountainous forested region located in Belgium, Luxembourg and France. The area is rich in timber, minerals and game. The Ardennes occupy a strategic position in Europe. For this reason, famous battles took place in this territory.

In the 20th century, the Ardennes were considered unsuitable for large-scale military operations, but during the First and Second World Wars, Germany successfully used these landscapes in an attempt to take over France.

The Ardennes is the site of three major battles of the 20th century: Ardennes operation(1914) French campaign(1940) and Advances in the Ardennes(1944). During the Ardennes operation, French and German troops literally stumbled into each other in the Ardennes forest due to thick fog.

In the winter of 1944, the Third Reich launched a grandiose offensive. The path of the German troops lay through the Ardennes region in the south-west of Belgium. This event was called the Ardennes Offensive.

Prior to the Ardennes Offensive, this snow-covered area was known as the "Ghost Front". Hitler appreciated the Ardennes, As a good area for a surprise attack. Many cities and towns located in these places were destroyed during the war, including the historic Belgian city of La Roche-en-Ardenne. The Ardennes were captured by Germany until they were recaptured from the Nazis in 1945.

Today, the Ardennes Forest is a favorite tourist destination in Europe, where you can hunt, mountain bike, kayak, visit historical sites.

9) Hoya-Bachu forest: UFO haven

Hoya-Bachu forest is located near the city of Cluj-Napoca in Romania, locals call it Romanian "bermuda triangle" . He was named after a shepherd who disappeared in these places along with two hundred sheep. Many people who live in this area are afraid to even approach this forest. They believe that no one can return from it alive and unharmed. Some people who did venture into the strange forest claimed to experience strange sensations, including nausea, vomiting, migraines, burning sensations, intense anxiety, and so on.

The Hoya-Bachu Forest has a reputation for being a forest of paranormal activity. There was evidence of strange phenomena including mysterious light, female voices, giggling, the appearance of ghosts, and so on. In the 1970s, these places were chosen by UFOs. People who visited the forest spoke of a strong sense of anxiety and the feeling that someone was watching them. The vegetation in the forest has strange properties. On August 18, 1968, military technician Emil Barnya took the famous photograph of a saucer-shaped object in the Hoya-Bachu forest.

Many people who live near the Hoya-Bachu forest claim that sometimes they see an incomprehensible glow more often. Paranormal specialists from all over the world are interested in what is happening in this forest. Ghost hunters and UFOs from Germany, France, the USA and Hungary came here. Many managed to see inexplicable things.

10) Ancient Wood Wood: China's prehistoric forest

In February 2012, Chinese scientists announced that they had completed the reconstruction of an ancient forest that was found in the north of the country, buried under a layer of volcanic ash near the Mongolian region of Vuda. The 20 square kilometer forest was completely preserved thanks to a volcanic eruption that took place 298 million years ago. This discovery recalled the destruction of the Roman city of Pompeii in 79 AD.

Scientists from University of Pennsylvania, Shenyang University and Yunnan University were able to reconstruct 3,000 square kilometers of subtropical forest. They discovered a rich collection of ancient plants that had long since died out. It is believed that the forest was located on the edge of a huge tropical island not far from the eastern coast of the Pangea mainland.

It was a swampy area with a layer of peat and several centimeters of stagnant water. A total of 6 different tree species were identified, including tall sigillaria and cordaites and smaller noeggerathials, which are relatives of ferns. Scientists have found no evidence of the presence of animals in this forest, such as ancient amphibians.

+ Yellowwood forest: a forest that holds a secret

Yellowwood Forest is located in Brown County, Indiana. The name Yellowwood ("Yellow Forest") comes from the name of a rare yellow tree. The Yellowwood Preserve was founded in the 1930s. In 1939, a lake with an area of ​​54 hectares appeared here. There is a secret connected with this forest. Huge boulders weighing about 180 kilograms were found on the tops of three trees. These stones were discovered in the 1990s by a turkey hunter and were named "Turkey Stones".

The stones are located on the south side of a slope above the plain near the Tulip Tree road in western Brown County. State officials cannot explain how these boulders ended up on trees and were squeezed between branches. Some believe that this is just someone's joke, they were abandoned by hurricanes or they ended up in trees as a result of floods. This phenomenon is even discussed on some UFO sites.

There is a version that the stones were placed on the trees with the help of helicopters during military exercises, since a military camp was located nearby during the Second World War. However, this information has not been confirmed.

And congratulations on the summer! Soon most of us will go to the forest for mushrooms and berries. In this regard, today we present to you a selection of the most unusual and terrible forests of our planet.

10. Forest on North Sentinel Island

Photo 10. NASA image of the forest on North Sentinel Island

North Sentinel Island Forest covers an area of ​​72 km² and is almost completely covered with centuries-old trees. The island is located in the Bay of Bengal (this is one of the Andaman Islands) indian ocean and until the tsunami of 2004 was completely surrounded by coral reefs. It is home to approximately 50-400 natives, known as the Sentinelese tribe, who reject any contact with other people and the outside world.

9. Crooked Forest

Photo 9. Crooked woods in Poland is still a mystery

Crooked Forest is a grove of strangely curved pines in the vicinity of the village of Nowe Tsarnowo in Western Poland. About 400 trees grow in the forest, twisted 90 degrees at the base of their trunks. All pines face north and are surrounded by normal trees. Crooked pine trees were planted in 1930 during the German occupation. It is believed that this form of trees was formed by human efforts, but the method and motive for creating the grove are not known at present. It is believed that the Germans wanted to assemble bentwood furniture, ship hulls or plow attachments.

8. Red forest

Photo 8. The Red Forest is one of the most polluted areas in the world

The Red Forest or Red Forest is an area of ​​10 km² of trees located next to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which was damaged during the reactor explosion in 1986 from the release of radioactive dust. Most of the pine trees died from radiation and turned brown-red. Due to radioactive decay, the glow of dead trees was observed at night. During the work to eliminate the accident, the forest was buried. Currently, the trees at this site are being restored naturally.

7. Chestnut Hills

Photo 7. American chestnuts 60 meters high

6 Aokigahara Forest

Photo 6. Aokigahara is considered the second most popular place for suicides

The forest of Aokigahara (“Plain of Green Trees”) or Jukai (“Sea of ​​Trees”) is located at the northwestern foothills of Mount Fuji in Japan. Here you can see rocky caves and giant trees. A frightening silence reigns in the forest, densely growing trees do not allow to penetrate sunbeams light, so Aokigahara is terribly dark. The forest covers an area of ​​35 sq. km. Jukai is a young forest formed 1200 years ago. One of the features of this place is the huge number of suicides among the residents of Tokyo and the surrounding area. Between 70 and 100 bodies are found annually.

5. Forest of Trillemark-Rollagsfjell

Photo 5. Trillemarka-Rollagsfjell forest is one of the few untouched forests in Norway

Trillemarka-Rollagsfjell covers an area of ​​147 sq. km and is nature reserve located in Buskerud, Norway. It was founded on December 13, 2002. Here you will see amazing Norwegian forests, pristine rivers and lakes, and ancient trees. The reserve is home to many species of rare animals, more precisely 93 species,. Here are some of them: golden eagle, klintukh, kuksha and spotted woodpecker. Currently, 75% of the territory of Trillemark-Rollagsfjell is under state protection.

4. Dark forest

Photo 4. The former station of the city of Dudley in 2011

In ancient times, the city of Dudley was located here. Currently, it is a dense forest with stony soil, in which no one lives. People call it a ghost town, and the place is cursed. Residents of the city experienced hallucinations, there were strange murders and suicides. Sheep and cattle often disappeared without a trace. Now the forest is guarded by special groups that arrest anyone who enters this land.

3. Arden forest

Photo 3. Julius Caesar called the mountain system between the river valleys Arduenna silva (Arden Forest)

The Ardennes (Ardennes) or the Ardennes Forest is a mountain system and forest area in France, Belgium and Luxembourg. The land is covered with dense birch, spruce and oak forests. The region is rich in timber, minerals and game. The Ardennes occupies a strategic position in Europe, so many famous battles took place here, including during the First and Second World Wars. Today, the beauty of the Ardennes attracts crowds of tourists who relax in the fresh air, as well as enthusiastically engage in hunting, cycling, walking, canoeing.

2. Hoya-Bachiu Forest

Photo 2. Forest Hoya-Bachiu in 1970 was the focus of UFOs, inexplicable glows

Hoya Baciu forest is located near the city of Cluj-Napoca, Romania. This place is called the Bermuda Triangle by the natives. The name of the forest was in honor of the shepherd, who disappeared there along with 200 sheep. Most people who live near the forest are afraid to go there. Many of the locals who went to the forest complain of physical pain, nausea, vomiting, migraines, burns, scratches. People have witnessed strange phenomena: an inexplicable glow, female voices, giggles. Hoya-Bachiu Forest has gained a reputation for paranormal activity.

1. Wood's ancient forest

Photo 1. 6 species of trees were found in the ancient forest of Vuda

In February 2012, scientists in northern China announced that they had finished restoring an ancient forest that had been found under a thick layer of volcanic ash near the Mongolian region of Vuda. The opening is reminiscent of the ruined Roman city of Pompeii. Scientists from the University of Pennsylvania were able to reconstruct 3,048 square meters of ancient forest. They discovered a large collection of plants and flora that had been thought to be extinct for many centuries. However, the researchers did not find any evidence of animal life.

Despite the fact that today there is serious deforestation all over the world, there are untouched places that amaze with their beauty. From Canada to Poland, some of the best sights are trees. It doesn’t matter if the forest is large or small, because incredible beauty can be found in just a few special types of trees. Let's take a look at the most beautiful forests in the world.

1. Crooked Forest, Poland

Poland has very interesting forest, where only curves grow coniferous trees. It could be logically explained if there were a few strangely growing trees, but in Crooked Forest all the trees are curved in the same manner. In total, there are about 400 trees in the forest, which appeared in the 1930s. There are many versions of what could have caused these shapes, but the most likely is that tanks drove through the trees during the war.

2. Amazon Rainforest, South America

Probably, most people associate the "rainforest" with the Amazon River. The jungle is so huge that it spans the territories of 9 countries and occupies total area 5,500,000 sq. km .. Despite its long-standing problem with deforestation, the Amazon forest today accounts for half of all tropical forests in the world.

3. Jiuzhaigou Valley, China

Jiuzhaigou Valley is known as the Valley of the Nine Villages and is very famous for its colorful lakes and stunning waterfalls. The territories around unique lakes and waterfalls occupy dense forests. Trees grow at different heights, ranging from 2000 meters to 4500 meters above sea level. The territory of the valley in 1992 was included in the list of World Treasures, which will certainly help preserve the forest in the future.

4. Coconino National Forest, USA

The Coconino National Forest is located in Arizona. This is a forest that spreads in the mountains, the trees of which grow at an altitude of up to 12,000 feet. Most of the trees are aspen or yellow pine, which make for a lovely blend of foliage. Coconino got its name because it runs through the Mogollon and Coconino plateaus. To everyone who loves hiking, there will be something to do here, exploring many interesting trails.

5. Great Bear Rainforest, Canada and USA

When you hear "rainforest", you most likely imagine southern part borders of the country than the north. The Great Bear Rainforest is the largest untouched forest in temperate climate, which remained, and runs from British Columbia to Alaska. Many species of fauna live here, such as grizzlies, brown bears, pumas, salmon and wolves. The flora here is represented by millennial West Virginia juniper and Sitka spruce, which grows up to 90 meters in height.

6. Black Forest, Germany

You must have tried the Chernoles pie, but did you know that such a forest actually exists in the southeast of Germany? Also known as the Black Forest, the Black Forest was so named by the Romans because it was so dense that even the most stubborn rays of the sun could not penetrate its cover. The Rhine Valley defines its boundaries in the west and south.

7. Tongass National Forest, USA

Alaska boasts more than one beautiful forest on our list. Tongass covers an area of ​​17 million acres and represents the largest national wildlife refuge in the United States. Several Alaska Native tribes live here. In fact, more than 75,000 people depend on this forest to live.

8. Inland Rainforest, Canada

Most of this rainforest is located in British Columbia. Western virgin junipers grow here. This is one of the rare tropical forests in the center of the country. The nearest coastal rainforest is almost 1000 km to the west. Most of the trees remain untouched by man, and some of them are over 1000 years old.

9. Sherwood Forest, England

Well known for Robin Hood and his friends, Sherwood is a very popular tourist destination. Thanks to folk tale about Robin Hood, more than half a million people come here every year. This is a relatively small forest that covers about 1.5 square miles. But at the time when it was used as a place for hunting, it occupied a large area.

10. Sagano Bamboo Forest, Japan

Bamboo is a wonderful plant; some even plant entire bamboo gardens. In the Arashiyama region of Japan, a whole bamboo forest. Over a dozen varieties of bamboo are found in this unique forest west of Kyoto. Don't think it's a small grove. Some trees reach a height of 100 feet.

People have been traveling to see the forests for decades. Some are attracted by the play of colors of leaves, others are interested in bamboo and tropical forests. There is so much beauty in the world that hides behind the thick branches of trees. Have you ever been in these enchanting forests?