Jess, I haven't seen those species so large elsewhere in Europe as well. I have read in ENTS forum that in your area many New England tree species reach their maximal size in the Appalachians. Probably the same phenomenon occurs in Europe, as many Central Europe tree species reach their max size in the mountains of southern Europe.
Acer pseudoplatanus is one of the most important tree species in deciduous forests of Europe. Kouta On Dec 27, 11:39 pm, "Jess Riddle" <[email protected]> wrote: > Kouta, > > Those are fantastic photographs. I've only seen Acer pseudoplatanus > as a young ornamental, and had no idea they could become such a large > forest tree. Similarly, the North American ornamental and plantation > grown Norway Spruce only hint at the possibilities your photographs > show. Your descriptions of European forests have been great to read. > I hope I have the opportunity sometime to visit those parks. > > Jess > > On Sun, Dec 21, 2008 at 10:17 AM, "Kouta Räsänen" > > > > <[email protected]> wrote: > > ENTS, > > > Norway Spruce (Picea abies) reaches its maximal size in the southernmost > > part of its natural range in Balkan peninsula. It grows there in mountains > > at elevations from about 1000 metres (3000 ft) upwards. The tallest > > measured specimen has been 63 metres (207 feet) tall in Sutjeska National > > Park in Bosnia and Herzegovina (source: Leibundgut (1982): "Europäische > > Urwälder der Bergstufe" (="European Ancient Forests of the Mountain > > Level")). A part of that national park is one of the very few truly old > > growth forests in Central and Southern Europe. Unfortunately, the forests > > of Bosnia are now largely off-limits due to land mines from the Bosnian > > War. However, Bosnia's southern neighbour, Montenegro, is completely safe. > > Only 10-20 miles to the southeast from Sutjeska National Park, in the > > Montenegrian side, there is Durmitor National Park. In this park, there is > > at an elevation of 5000-5200 feet a small area which should be "Prasumski > > Rezervat" = "primeval forest reserve". I explored this area thoroughly last > > summer, but to my disappointment the forest was in fact not primeval: there > > are plenty of stumps and young forest. However, some individual Norway > > spruce trees were big and extremely tall, taller trees than I had ever seen > > in Europe. I would not be surprised if some of them was 60 metres tall, but > > unfortunately, I have not found any measurements. I attached a photo of the > > base of one of these tall spruces (Picea_abies_Durmitor). CBH is not > > particularly large. In the photo, the tree on the left behind me is Fagus > > sylvatica. This forest is dominated by Picea, Fagus and Abies alba. > > > So, there is not truly old growth forest in Durmitor National Park. But an > > another park in Montenegro, Biogradska Gora National Park, contains real > > old growth forest, one of the very few such places in Southern Europe. The > > forest has been protected in 1878, and it was already then a very natural > > forest. There I found some even bigger spruces, although they were not so > > tall as the spruces in Durmitor. The spruce in the photo Picea_abies grows > > at an elevation of 1230 metres (4030 feet). Isn't it almost like a Sitka > > spruce! The foliage in front of the spruce is of Abies alba. This part of > > the forest is dominated by Picea, Abies, Fagus sylvatica and Acer > > pseudoplatanus. > > > I attached also some photos of other big trees in Biogradska Gora National > > Park: > > > Acer pseudoplatanus grows near a lakeshore in Fagus sylvatica -dominated > > forest. The other trees in the photo are Fagus trees. > > > The two Fraxinus excelsior photos are about the same tree. The tree grows > > at the edge of mesic Fagus forest and wet forest dominated by Fraxinus and > > Alnus incana. > > > Unfortunately, I do not usually measure trees. Sometimes I have carried a > > measuring tape and measured CBHs but this time I did not. You can use me as > > a scale; I am 187 centimetres. ;) > > > Kouta- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org You are subscribed to the Google Groups "ENTSTrees" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
