24 Jul 2007 - Bratislava/Kiev
– Primeval beech forests in the Carpathian
Mountains have been inscribed on the UN's
World Heritage List, underlining the global
importance of this rare forest habitat — the
most extensive in Europe.
The forests, covering ten sites over 185km
of mountain area straddling the border of
Slovakia and Ukraine, represent an outstanding
example of undisturbed temperate forests and
exhibit the most comprehensive ecological
patterns and processes of pure stands of European
beech. They also represent an outstanding
example of the re-colonization and development
of terrestrial ecosystems after the last ice
age, a process which is still ongoing.
“We are thrilled to see these ancient forests
added to the list,” said Michael Baltzer,
director of the WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme.
“Now that they are listed, however, it is
imperative that the governments of Ukraine
and Slovakia, as well as the European Union,
take forceful measures to preserve these extraordinary
treasures rather than exploit and destroy
them.”
The primeval beech forests of Ukraine and
Slovakia, like many other forests in the Carpathian
Mountains, face a number of serious threats,
including unsustainable forestry and development.
The privatization of state lands that began
this year in Ukraine pose a particular threat
to many of the country’s natural areas, including
those already under formal protection. In
Slovakia, recent moves by the government,
such as the restructuring of the country’s
protected area network, has effectively weakened
protection of many areas.
WWF has been working for more than a decade
to protect the Carpathian Mountains, playing
an important role in the region in promoting
sustainable forestry practices, as well as
sustainable business and development activities.
The Carpathian Mountains are Europe’s last
great wilderness area, and is home to over
half the European population of wolves, bears
and lynx.
Michael Baltzer, Director
WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme
