Sandalsand Norge >>
The remarkable expansion of the European beech forests after the last Ice Age is celebrated in this inscription on the World Heritage List.
The UNESCO World Heritage List includes over a thousand properties. They have outstanding universal value and are all part of the world’s cultural and natural heritage.
Official facts
- Official title: Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe
- Countries: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, France, Germany, Italy, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine
- Date of Inscription: 2007, with significant modifications to the boundaries in 2011, 2017 and 2021. There was also a minor boundary modification in 2023.
- Category: Natural
UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre’s short description of site no. 1133:
This transnational property includes 93 component parts in 18 countries. Since the end of the last Ice Age, European Beech spread from a few isolated refuge areas in the Alps, Carpathians, Dinarides, Mediterranean and Pyrenees over a short period of a few thousand years in a process that is still ongoing. The successful expansion across a whole continent is related to the tree’s adaptability and tolerance of different climatic, geographical and physical conditions.
A few words about the beech forests
This inscription on the heritage list is made under criterion IX. “To be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals.”
It is also outstanding by including as many as 93 areas in 18 countries. Virtually all countries north of the Mediterranean Sea and south of the Baltic Sea are included. Actually, this is the most extensive inscription in terms of countries on the entire list. Over the years it has grown to include more and more areas and countries, and has perhaps reached an inflated number. One may ask, where to stop?
On the other hand, there is significant scientific evidence that the beech forests are important in the natural development of Europe all through and after the Ice Ages. In other words, the forests are outstanding examples of largely undisturbed, complex temperate ecosystems, showcasing diverse ecological processes and plant communities formed by European beech (Fagus sylvatica) in varied environmental conditions.
Beech forests trace their origins to glacial refuge areas in southern Europe. Here the species survived harsh climates during the last 1 million years. Since the last Ice Age, about 11,000 years ago, beech has expanded its range. It has created diverse forest types and adapted to different environments and climatic gradients. These forests serve as a vital genetic reservoir for beech and other species, reflecting ongoing ecological and evolutionary processes.
The forests are significant for understanding the history and evolution of the genus Fagus. They exemplify the re-colonization and development of terrestrial ecosystems since the Ice Age. Their wide distribution and ecological importance highlight the genetic adaptability of beech, which continues to expand and thrive across Europe.
Planning my visit
Given the widespread occurrence of the beech trees one would be extremely unlucky to miss out seeing a tree on a journey through Europe. For my part, it was not before 2024 that I actually sought out one of the mentioned 93 areas. Upon planning a visit to Slovenia I discovered that this country actually had two of these areas within reach of my primary destination, Ljubljana. So with a rented car at hand, I set out on a journey to the south of the country. (I have become accustomed to plot World Heritage Sites on my to-do list when I visit new countries or regions.)
Both sites in Slovenia, Krokar and Snežnik are situated in the mountainous area near the border with Croatia. This is just north of the Istria peninsula. I had set my eyes on Mount Snežnik. With the help of Google Maps I made an itinerary that would also include two other World Heritage Sites in Slovenia, north of the mountain.
Anyway, this was going to be a bit more adventurous visit than I had envisioned beforehand.
My visit
You may look up my road map at the bottom of this article. The case is though that UNESCO’s area is quite small and not made for motorists. When you pass by the Grad Snežnik (Castle) you enter a hilly area with gradually smaller roads. There is a timber industry evident as you drive. The more you close in on the mountain, the more spooky it becomes. Not only do the roads get ever more narrow, there are absolutely no settlements, no houses and when I finally put my car to a halt – no road to see.
I was here in the autumn, and all the autumn leaves from the beech trees had at this point covered the road so completely that I was unable to see what was underneath.
So I backtracked the gravel roads a few kilometres and found a paved road with a small signposted number on and gradually steered my wheel back into more civilised territory. Did I enter the UNESCO zone? I doubt it. Did I drive through a beech forest? Definitely. Do I reckon this as a bona fide visit to a World Heritage Site? Yes.
Find more articles from Slovenia on Sandalsand.
Browse to the PREVIOUS or NEXT post in this series.
In the map below, my road trip into this area is shown by a red colour.
