Palm | Kelapa Sawit

This year's PostEurop announced the annual theme  is "Forests". Therefore the Czech Post issued the single stamp depicts the alluvial forest and its environment on May 4, 2011. This stamp was designed by Adolf Absolon.

The presence of a stream or river, or a high level of underground water leads to a lower amount of oxygen in the soil and subsequent reduction processes. The products of the processes contribute to the typical bluish colour and special smell of the so-called gley soil.

Primary trees found include poplar (Populus L.), oak (Quercus L.) , ash (Fraxinus L.) , elm (Ulmus L.) , alder (Alnus L.) , willow (Salix L.) , lime tree (Tilia L.) . Shrubs and small trees, such as cherry (Prunus serotina) , honeysuckle (Lonicera) , cornel (Cornel) , viburnum (Viburnum) , elder (Sambucus) , are present at places with more light.

The mix of plants found in alluvial forests depends on the shadow prevailing in the lower layers of the forest. Creepers, such as hop vine (Humulus lupulus) , try to penetrate into the upper layers. Other plants, such as ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) , bramble (Rubus) , catchweed bedstraw (Galium aparine) , spread by vining stems.

Light-demanding herbs flowering before leaves bud on the surrounding trees give the forest so-called spring aspect. Spring snowflake (Leucojum vernum) , snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) , lesser celandine (Ficaria verna) , yellow star-of-Bethlehem (Gagea lutea) , starwort (Stellaria holostea) , lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis) , early-dog violet (Viola reichenbachiana) , hollowroot (Corydalis cava) , are among the herbs most commonly encountered in spring.

A mix of grass species and other shadow-demanding herbs such as wild angelica (Angelica sylvestris) , true forget-me-not (Myosotis palustris) , yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus) , enchanter's-nightshade (Circaea lutetiana) , European birthwort (Aristolochia clematitis) , moneywort (Lysimachia nummularia) , creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens) , common comfrey (Symphytum officinale) , common figwort (Scrophularia nodosa) , touch-me-not balsam (Impatiens noli-tangere) , cover the ground in summer.

The patchy mossy underground tends to cover maximum 10% of the forest floor.Soil fauna in alluvial forests is relatively rare due to the high amount of water in the soil. Earthworms and harvestmen are among the most common species.

Amphibians are frequent in wet areas. Birds typical of alluvial forest include yellow throat, different species of warbler, chaffinch, whitwing, robin, starling, stork, silver and night herons, bee eater, buzzard, kite, hawk, falcon, sea eagle.(Resources from Czech Post Information)

Around 60 % of Åland is covered by forest.  More than 40 varieties of trees and shrubs can be found in the Åland forests.Pine-forests dominate the northern parts of Åland, whereas the southern parts consist of deciduous forests. On the main Åland mostly found mixed forest.

Spruce, pine and yew are three types of conifers native to Åland. Pine is the most common type of tree, both in dense forests and on bare cliffs. Spruce, on the other hand, needs nutritious soil to thrive.

 

 The National Park Poloniny is the eastern-most Slovak large protected area. It lies on the Slovak-Polish-Ukrainian border. The forests are dominant in the national park – they cover more than 90 % of the area. Those most precious ones are declared to be the national natural preserves or natural preserves to protect the old forest community. They are unique for human-impacted or only slightly impacted forests called primeval forests. It is a community where everything flows in an integrated circle. It represents the peak of natural ecosystems.

 

The main wood species of the Carpathian forests is the European beech (Fagus silvatica). Together with white fir (Abies alba) they create precious beech and fir-beech communities. More than 40-meter high beeches are 200 to 250 years old. Slim, more than 50-meter high firs reach the age of 300 to 500 years.

 

 

 Primeval forests are a suitable refuge of a wide variety of animals. In the wood of the lost beeches, the larvae of precious longicorns can be found – Rosalia Longicorn and Leptura (=Strangalia) Thoracica. Amphibians are represented by Yellow-Bellied Toad, Carpathian Newt, Fire Salamander. Of the reptiles typical is Aesculapian Snake, randomly also Common European Viper can be found.