Race against time near Gryfino. This is how they want to save one of the symbols of Poland
Foresters and scientists are developing a method that will allow us to create another version of the Crooked Forest, which is located in Pomerania. What makes it unique?
The State Forests announced that foresters from the Gryfino Forest District, together with scientists from the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, want to create a method that will make it possible to create a copy of the famous forest with crooked pines. The agreement on this matter was signed on July 10.
They want to recreate the Crooked Forest. By what methods?
“One of the most recognizable natural attractions of Western Pomerania is entering the next stage of revitalization (…). The agreement that will enable the creation of the ‘new Crooked Forest’ was signed by Jan Grzyś – Forest Inspector of the Gryfino Forest District and Anna Jaroszewska, Ph.D. Eng., professor at ZUT – Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Management and Agriculture of the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin” – representatives of the Gryfino Forest District said in a statement.
Program “Crooked Forest 2.0” assumes the creation of a forest of crooked pines on the replacement area established in 2021. There are already several thousand plants grown in the area, obtained from the seeds of trees that grow in the Crooked Forest, as well as pine trees that are to be mechanically shaped into the shape of those that differ in appearance from their classic counterparts.
“The methodology of this process will be prepared by a research team led by Marcin Kubus, Ph.D., Eng., professor at ZUT, from the Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Environmental Management and Agriculture, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin” – informed.
Foresters pointed out that these actions were taken because “old, legendary crooked trees, in accordance with the eternal laws of nature, will die – you can already observe this process”.
Crooked Forest attracts tourists. What makes it stand out?
Let us remind you that the Crooked Forest, popular in Pomerania, has been attracting crowds of tourists for years. It is created by deformed Scots pines. They are distinguished by their characteristically bent trunks – somewhat resembling letters “J”. Currently, there are 95 of them, although initially there were as many as 400 of them on an area of approximately 1.6 thousand square meters. square meters
Researchers now need to determine how this type of deformation occurred. – They will look into the past, examining the current Crooked Forest, and once we get some form of answer, we will start bending the pines, hoping to achieve a similar effect – said Daniel Pogorzelec in an interview with Interia.
