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The role of the forests

Forests are the most complex associations of the nature, they are indispensable values of the mankind.

The forest provides raw material, food, it provides oxygen and protects the human environment, gives the opportunity of resting and recreation to the visitors.

People living in the Bükk have always based their existence on the forests. Charcoal burning, potassium carbonate- and shingle-making nowadays professions.

Nowadays the methods of planned forestry (plantation, soil cultivation and protection) make it possible to practise continuous intensive forest management.

Most of the forests of the Bükk Mountains are natural, except the pine plantations.

The Bükk National Park was founded in 1976, and since then it strives for the introduction and usage of new, natural methods of forest management. One of the most important tasks is to reduce the population of game to the natural level. In the last few years fewer pines were planted. It is the task of the National Park to prevent and avoid useless wood-cutting or wood-felling larger than 10 hectares.

For centuries the forest gave building material and fuel for the neighbouring area. The rebirth of nature could compensate the cut or thinned forests. Although the current situation is often very sad, as a result of the stock-breeding and grazing stabile meadows developed on the clearings of forests and became the habitats of many rare and valuable species. With the lessening of arable lands the cutting of forests started. The wood-cuttings especially effected the Tartar Maple-oak forests of the lower mountains, nowadays only a few original forest associations can be seen. Mountains in the classical sense were less affected by agriculture.

The industrial revolution of the 19th century disturbed the relative ecological peace. The growing need of wood of the mines, glassworks and metallurgy contributed to the decrease of forests. Planned forest management was started In smaller areas even under the reign of Maria Theresa. Today in Hungary the largest closed forest of 130.000 hectares can be found in the Bükk.

The 26 hectares large, 200 years old Őserdő (Virgin forest) is made up of beech. Its 40 meters tall trees, moss-grown trunks are witnesses of old times. The "őslucos" (old spurces) of Jávorkút is the first pine plantation of the Bükk. There are two native pines in the area: the juniper tree (Juniperus communis) and the yew tree (Taxus baccata). The oldest ones are older than 150 years.

Please, protect the forests, do not scatter rubbish or hurt the plants!

Utolsó módosítás: 2014. október 28., 11:47