March 21, 2023
By Mekhala Joshi
Image source: Pixabay
Around 400 pine trees were planted in 1930 near Gryfino, West Pomerania, in Poland. These odd-shaped trees grow to 50 feet (15.24 metres) and are healthy. The mystery of how and why these pine trees are unusually curved remains unsolved.
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Due to the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986, high levels of radiation killed between 4 and 6 square kilometres of coniferous forest. The trees' needles turned red before they died (or, more accurately, orange). This gave this forest its name. Due to the risk of contamination, the area is still closed to the public.
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Also known as the Sea of Trees, The Aokigahara forest is right next to Mount Fuji. Because the forest is situated on a lava plateau, it has rough ground covered in volcanic rock and mossy roots. The area has a lot of iron in the soil, making GPS and cell phone signals hard to pick up and making it easy to get lost.
Image source: Wikimedia Commons
Dead Vlei translates to dead marsh or valley. Now a desert, it used to have a river running through it and trees and plants in the middle of the desert. However, the area is now entirely dry, and the trees are dead, but they still retain their original appearance from nearly 1000 years ago.
The Hoia Baciu Forest is a dense forest near the city of Cluj-Napoca in the northwest of Romania. Despite its reputation for being a spooky place, Hoia Baciu remains a popular tourist attraction.
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Image source: Wikimedia Commons
Found only on Socotra island of Yemen, the Socotra dragon tree has been economically significant for centuries. Nevertheless, the future of this tree is uncertain due to climate change. The tree will likely lose 45% of its possible habitat by 2080. Notably, 37% of plant species found on Socotra island cannot be found anywhere else.
Image source: Wikimedia Commons
Even after 200 years, the beech trees the Stuart family planted to impress people as they walked up to their Georgian mansion, Gracehill House, are still a beautiful sight. They are one of Northern Ireland's most photographed natural attractions.