ROMANIA - 2011

Oana sent me this beautiful Stamps on a suberb Cover, according to the theme she used a recycable one! Great! 

Date of Issue: 27.04.2011

As every year, Romfilatelia introduces into circulation the postage stamps issue EUROPA, the theme settled this year by PostEurop being Forests.

The topic of the issue positively joins the list of events carried out within the manifestations dedicated to the International Year of Forests 2011 declared by the United Nations General Assembly.

Forests, the ecosystem harmonizing a complex vegetal environment, as a wide diversity of trees and plants, with numerous species belonging to what generically is called “fauna”, represent at the same time a first rank factor in terms of climate.

A real “lung” of the Earth, the forests ensure the carbon circuit in the nature by retaining the carbon dioxide through the photosynthesis process and releasing one of the vital elements, the oxygen.

The global warming phenomenon caused by the modification of the solar radiation level, mainly due to the massive pollution with carbon dioxide, which produces the “greenhouse effect”, is dangerously amplified by the modification of the vegetal layer and uncontrolled deforestation.

Scientifically, the previsions of an increase by 2ºC of the average temperature prove, besides other serious meteorological phenomena, a rising of the sea and ocean level by 18 up to about 60 cm.

Climatic changes might affect particularly the water resources, the agriculture, the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, the coastal areas to which we may also add the negative influences on people’s life and health.

Consequently, stopping the worldwide deforestation until 2020 would be one of the most effective measures so as to limit and diminish the “greenhouse effect”.

Romania, at present a relatively poor country in forests, has a forest percentage of about 27% where as two centuries ago this was about 60%. By comparison, we must mention that the forest percentage in Slovenia is of 63%, in Austria of 47%, in Bosnia of 43%, in Slovakia of 41%, and the average in the European Union reaches 42%.

Attempting to end the uncontrolled deforestation, the Ministry of Environment and Forests in Romania together with Romsilva are carrying out the National Programme “The month of tree planting” meant to revigorate and regenerate the Romanian forests.

Within the same Programme, it is also aimed the foresting thousands of hectares in the plain areas where many lands have no longer been used for agricultural works or in the areas where land slides occur frequently.

We kindly thank the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the National Forests Authority - Romsilva for their documentary assistance and images supplied for the accomplishment of this postage stamps issue.

VATICAN - 2011

This Cover was sent by lovely matteo (angelus86). He's blog is wonderful! Clean and a good Eye for Color Combinations ;) Really, on some Blogs i thought they left them back in the 90ties, when we startet with the basic htmls :) 

Back to topic: Thank you SOOOOOO much for this great Cover sent from Vaticano! Georgis (Dominik) from Switzerland sent me the Mint ones some weeks efore i got this Cover - there are somewhere in my CEPT box... Will add the Scan when i'm mucking out my office!

Date of Issue: 21.07.2011

The philatelic series consists of two stamps presented as a diptych showing a detail of a Sistine Chapel painting by Perugino, The Journey of Moses into Egypt.

KAZAKHSTAN - 2011

The 2nd Cover from runa_rn!

With the most new Issue from this Year dedicated to the Forest Theme!

Date of Issue: 21.04.2011

SWEDEN - 2011

The Used stamp is from a Meeting Card Anjaaustel sent me! Thank you very much, Anja!

Date of Issue: 24.03.2011

Those Mint stamps are coming from Andres, a good Farmville Friend ;)

I just saw that the Swedish post office also issued some maxicards - if someone has the chance to get them... I would be a happy receiver ;)

Birch and spruce in the spotlight on Sweden's Europa stamps, International Year of the Forests 2011

“The best part about International Year of the Forests is that it inspires us to take a more comprehensive approach to our forests - from ecology and outdoor life to finance and forestry,” says Peter Bergman, landscape ecologist at the state-owned forestry giant, Sveaskog, which owns one-sixth of Sweden's forests.
Together with a handful of colleagues across the country, he is responsible for ensuring that Sveaskog's operations do not jeopardize the longevity and sustainability of the country's forests. An impressive 20 percent of the company’s forests have been earmarked for ecological diversity.
Around half of the 58,000 species found in Sweden call the forest their home, including mushrooms, animals, plants and trees.
The International Year of the Forests theme will be echoed in Posteurop's member countries. The theme for this year's Europa stamps is the forest. Sweden Post has chosen close-ups of the birch and spruce for its stamps.
Peter Bergman explains why the structure of these types of trees is different.
“All ligneous trees consist of fibers. The fibers of coniferous woods are long while the fibers of deciduous woods are short. From an economic perspective, this is of significance for the quality of the paper each wood produces. Initially, paper pulp was made exclusively from coniferous wood, but it was eventually discovered that a mixture of coniferous and deciduous woods gives the best result, a discovery that more or less saved the birch population.”
Swedish forests are predominantly home to coniferous trees; deciduous trees only make up a few percent. The spruce is a favorite at Christmastime, but the pale birch, which requires full sun, holds a special place in the hearts of Swedes all year long.

ITALY - 2011

A FDC with a long journey sent from Fabio. :)

Thank you, Fabio

Date of Issue: 09.05.2011

And the Mint stamps sent by Matteo!

Thank you, Matteo!

 

both dedicated to the theme of “Forests”, and both depicting characteristic images of a woodland landscape with tall trees. The logo of EUROPE, the words “LE FORESTE” (forests), “ITALIA” and the respective denominations of “€ 0,60” and “€ 0,75” complete the stamp 

SLOVENIA - 2011

Copacabana from Slovenia sent me this wonderful FDC recently. Thank you very much for the Swap!

Date of Issue: 27.05.2011 - left: Beech tree - right: Sgerm's Pine tree

Another Cover was sent by Barbara as an official Card; SI-40175! Thank you very much, Barbara!

Was on the Card, inside the Cover. Think it's the border from the Sheet.

EUROPEAN or COMMON BEECH – Fagus sylvatica L.

The beech is one of the most common tree species in Slovenia, accounting for a full 30 per cent of the country’s entire tree stock. It is the main or a mixed species in 70 per cent of Slovenia’s forests.
The beech is a deciduous tree with a large crown and exceptional leaf density. A full-grown hundred-year-old beech has a crown with a volume of 2700 m3. During the vegetation season that crown emits 1.6 kg of oxygen into the atmosphere every day.
In the autumn, beeches shed their leaves and the accumulated materials in them enrich the topsoil. The beech leaves decompose in one to two years and those nutritive materials enter a continuous cycle. They continuously enrich the soil – fertilising it in nature’s way. Since its leaves enrich the soil, in Slovenia the beech is called the “queen” or the “mother” of the forest.
Due to its adaptability, exceptional fertility and ability to grow in shade, it is found throughout Europe, except in northern Europe and the lower Iberian Peninsula. Therefore we could justifiably call the beech the “Tree of Europe”.

THE SGERM’S PINE

The Sgerm’s Pine in the Ribnica Pohorje is an exceptional tree. At 61.8 metres it is the tallest pine tree in Central Europe. Its height was measured precisely in 2006 using the right triangle trigonometry method. It is a slender, sky-scraping tree with a huge root structure and root ball which anchor it into the Pohorje soil.
It is a tree of the past. Approximately three hundred years ago a seed fell onto the fertile soil and the pine began to sprout and grow higher and higher. Today it is a natural monument. It is protected as a valuable natural feature pursuant to the Rules on the designation and protection of valuable natural features. It is also a tree of the future. The wind strews the seeds of the Sgerm’s Pine into the surrounding area, ensuring that the forest of the future is already being created.
The measurements and external signs of the pine, which are checked every year, indicate that the tree is still healthy. Through appropriate forestry techniques in the vicinity, its owners are maintaining beneficial living conditions for its continued growth. It is visited by numerous people who wish to experience the majesty of this tree. 

THE PRIMEVAL FOREST OF KOČEVJE
A primeval forest is a forest that has been preserved in its natural state, where no human influence can be felt. There, nature’s laws have prevailed for millennia. There, good and evil, beneficial and harmful do not exist. There, the plant and animal kingdoms are harmoniously connected with the sky and the soil.
In Slovenia, 380 hectares of primeval forest are protected by law, 220 ha of which are in Kočevje. They are the remains of once inaccessible forests. In them grow mighty firs and beeches. Fir trees can grow to exceptional sizes here: up to 50 metres tall, over 1.5 metres in diameter, carrying up to 50 tons of wood mass and living up to 500 years. Not far from the Rajhenavski primeval forest stands a fir called the Queen of the Forest, which at 51 metres tall is one of the tallest firs in Slovenia.
The first primeval forest in Slovenia to be protected by law was protected in Kočevje in 1892. In the forestry plan for the Kočevje forests, which were owned by the Prince of Auersperg, the forester Dr. Leopold Hufnagel wrote that part of the forest should be preserved as primeval forest. The first forestry plan in Kočevje states: “Departments 38 and 39 should be preserved as primeval forest, therefore all forms of use are excluded here.”
                                                                                                             
Hedvika Jenčič

FAROE ISLANDS - 2011

Date of Issue: 26.04.2011

Forest Growth on the Faroe Islands
Forests - not exactly what one associates with the Faroe Islands - rather the contrary. The North Atlantic archipelago is known for its treeless appearance. Climatic and geographic conditions, human influence and centuries of sheep-breeding have left the islands practically treeless.

Forests of the Past
But it has not always been that way. If we go back to the volcanic period millions of years ago, we note that there have been periods of extensive forest growth. Charred wood residues, and prints from leaves and needles are found in the coal strata in Suðuroy and Mykines. These finds indicate more favorable times on the mini-continent, which the current Faroe then were part of. Cypress, yew and juniper, giant sequoia and various kinds of deciduous trees - it's hard to imagine today.

After the Ice Age and the Settlement
When the Faroes were colonized, there were some natural woods on the islands. The only indigenous conifer was juniper, which is thought to have been quite common back then. Today this wood only appears in its original form, on the island Svínoy, but we have found roots of juniper in the peat layers on other islands as well.

Of deciduous trees were Dwarf Willow, Woolly Willow and Arctic Willow quite widespread, but Woolly Willow and the Arctic Willow are almost extinct because of the extensive sheep farming.

Birch has also grown wildly in the Faroe Islands since the last ice age, but rather dispersed - and disappeared after the colonization.

We also know that hazel has grown in the Faroe Islands around year 1000, but whether it was a native Faroese tree or it was planted by the early settlers, is uncertain. The hazel tree disappeared again around the 13th century when the climate became colder.

Plantations
There has, through time, probably always been a few trees at farms and in gardens on the Faroes, but not in any large scale. In 1885 there was an attempt to replant trees on a large scale outside Tórshavn, but this failed. In 1903 they tried again and this time it worked. This plantation became what we today call “Viðarlundin” in Tórshavn - a recreational area in a valley, which today is centrally located near Tórshavn City. In 1969 the plantation was expanded and again in 1979, and is now the biggest "forest" in the Faroes. Besides the plantation is also a grove surrounding the former TB sanatorium in Hoydalar, now high school, and on the field called Debesartrøð, where the Provincial Library and the Faroese University is located.

In December 1988 a violent hurricane-ravaged the islands. Wind speeds were up over 60 meters per second and the hurricane caused extensive damage on houses and trees. A very large proportion of the trees in the Plantation in Tórshavn were destroyed in the hurricane winds. The subject of the 10 DKK stamp depicts a cluster of these trees which are still lying on an incline. Extensive work has since been done to restore the plantation, and today it appears as a very beautiful area with young and old trees.

Besides in Tórshavn more plantations were planted in the early 20th century on the surrounding islands. In 1913, for example, the almost equally famous plantation in the small settlement Selatræ was planted, and the following year the plantation in the village Kunoy, which is depicted on the 12 DKK stamp. The plantation in Kunoy was originally larger than it is today, 17,000 square metres were planted - but today only approx. 7,800 square metres are covered by trees, and the grove is thus the smallest plantation in the islands. One oddity of the plantation in Kunoy is that it is planted around a giant rock, which in ancient times probably has fallen from the mountain Urðarfjall above the plantation. The rock, called Eggjarsteinur, can also be seen on the stamp.

There have since been planted several groves around the Faroes. In Vágur and Tvøroyri on Suðuroy - in the villages Miðvágur and Sandavágur on Vágoy - in Mikladalur on Kalsoy - and also the beautiful park, "Uti í Grøv", by the city Klaksvík on Borðoy.

Anker Eli Petersen

UNITED KINGDOM - 2011

Like every year Andy from Southampton send me the UK Issue!

The miniature sheet consists of four stamps featuring animals from the Amazon rain forest. Forests are the 2011 Post Europ theme and the 1st class stamp will bear the Post Europ logo.

GREECE - 2011

lovely dimitris from greece (komotini) sent me this beautiful FDC from Greece.

On each stamp there is a shiny dark green leaf! 

A nice Issue! 

Looking forward to met him again in Septembe, when we have a Meeting in Vaduz!

PORTUGAL - 2011

She's is unbelievable! I can remember when i had a message on facebook: "pls send me your address - i'm at my office and will go to post office afterwards, you have time till 16.00h" haha, dear paula! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

not only the FDC with three different stamps (portugal, madeira, açores) - nono she also added all three souvenir sheets! how can i say thank you? really! you are all so...!

Açores

Madeira

Portugal Continente

Every Year i'm imperessed about the Portugal Issues! Every Year three mini Souvenir Sheets. And always very well designed! Look at those sheets! They fit perfectly the Theme with the 3 Locations Madeira, Açores and Continental Portugal! Perfect!

Thanks again to paula!

IRELAND - 2011

This Cover was sent by paola from Ireland.

On May 5, 2011, An Post issued two stamps for the annual Europa series.

The common subject chosen by PostEurop (European Post Offices) for 2011 was forests, with each country designing stamps to match this topic. For Ireland, two outstanding examples were chosen.

One stamp shows a little girl sitting under the Tulip Tree, at Knockabbey Castle and Gardens, Co Louth. These gardens date back to 1730 and in just over a decade they have been wonderfully restored to their former glory. The other stamp shows a young boy crossing the River Walk on the Avondale estate in Co. Wicklow. The estate has just over 200 hectares of forest, while the house now fully restored, was once the home of Charles Stewart Parnell.

The featured locations represent the diversity and beautiful landscapes of Irish forests, their relevance as an amenity and recreation resource and their importance for tourism.  Ireland’s forests are managed by Coillte, the Irish Forestry Board, whose purpose is to enrich lives locally, nationally and globally through the innovative and sustainable management of natural resources. Only 100 years ago Ireland's forest cover had diminished to 1% of the national land area. Through a concerted effort since then the national forest resource has been rebuilt to about 9% of the land area of the State.

The stamps and first day cover were designed by Design Factory.

GERMANY - 2011

The German Issue reminds me more to a TV Screen than to a beautiful green lung.

Strange picture, even i'm fond a new modern design things. This one doesn't represent the Theme Forests in my eye's. 

sent from Andreea Percescu

Unfortunately the description of the stamps exists only in German.

Die Vereinten Nationen haben das Jahr 2011 zum Internationalen Jahr der Wälder erklärt. In allen 48 Mitgliedsländern der europäischen Organisation "PostEurop" wird daher eine Europa-Marke zum Thema "Wald" herausgegeben.
Die biologische, ökologische und klimatische Rolle der Wälder ist für das Leben auf der Erde von unschätzbarem Wert. Der Verlust der Wälder bedeutet auch den Verlust der biologischen Vielfalt und die Veränderung des Klimas.
Seit Urgedenken nutzen auch die Menschen die Wälder. Die Rodung der Wälder bei nicht gleichzeitiger Aufforstung haben bereits früheren Kulturen derart geschadet, dass sie nicht mehr existent sind. Doch der Mensch hat anscheinend daraus nicht viel gelernt: die rücksichtslose Rodung der Wälder im tropischen Regenwald, das rigorose Fällen von uraltem und nicht schnell ersetzbarem Baumbestand haben bereits zu merklichen Veränderungen der Flora, Fauna und auch des Klimas geführt. Deswegen gehört die Erhaltung, die Aufforstung von Wäldern zu einer der größten globalen Aufgaben. Auch die Erhaltung des Klimas ist für den Baumbestand von allergrößter Bedeutung: Bäume können nur dort wachsen, wo es im Verlauf eines Jahres längere Zeit über 5° C ist, ansonsten kann die Produktion des Holzstoffes, die Lignin-Synthese nicht mehr funktionieren.
Auch in Deutschland hat sich der Waldbestand enorm verkleinert. So ist nur noch ungefähr ein Drittel der Fläche mit Wald bedeckt. Den Wald weltweit zu schützen und aufzuforsten bedeutet, vor der eigenen Haustüre, im eigenen Land anzufangen.

 They reffer to the temperature of a Forets should have. Trees can just grow in areas with over 5°C (for any lenght of time) - so i guess the stamps shows a  heath image of a forest in Germany.

This stamp is on a Meeting Card i received from dollart, isagv and weltenbummler! Thank you very much!

FRANCE - 2011

France, my alltime favourite holiday destination!

A Cover from Nonore!

 Single stamp on a Monthly RR Card i received.

 Andorra Stamp, unfortunately mint. Who knows maybe i'm able to visit Andorra this Summer. We take a Roadtrip through France (Where else?) and drive to the North of Spain. Our Goal is at least Biarritz and Bilbao.

This Cover is a Chain Cover - sent from Switzerland to Slovenia -> Thailand -> France and Back to me!

DENMARK - 2011

Right now i'm really upset... well i've bought a new macbook pro - after a break from 4 years (had to use a lenovo tablet for my research coding work). You think no problem, it's a mac... ha, well maybe it isn't the fault of apple at all. i myself think it's the problem from canon. Damn it. My Scanner (Canon 8800F) don't work with the new device! OMG! 

How should i survive? It's so annyoing scanning the stuff within the mac enviroment - and for me the most worst part is that it didn't work with the picasa import interface at all. That was so practical... 

Well, thats not an excuse to not post earlier! I know i know!

But let's start with a great cover - covers from DENMARK!

Suzan (http://mail-post-airmail.blogspot.com/) sent me this envelope

First i thought - ooo what a pitty to use such a strange envelope, but after all if ound this one in it:

At the same day i got a huge purple envelope from laura! http://stampraider.blogspot.com/ she's the best! Full of new covers for my collection! One Cover in it was this one:

So now i have all! A single one, the FDC, and both stamps on a cover used.

 

I'm really impressed by all the kindness you send me via covers and cards and presents and and and. how can i thank you all? You're all so amazing!

RUSSIA - 2011

The 2nd one i would like to show you is this Year Russian Issue...

It's so interesting to see all those different issues this Year. How every Country interpret this Theme on another Way. 

This one is right interesting as it is a se-tenant motif but at the same time every single stamp shows the same crop. Got it? it's amazing and i just relized it, when i put the image in the edit window... 

unfortunately there doesn't exist an english translation for the stamp at the russian postal site... so no further infos ybout this stamp.

CZECH REPUBLIK - 2011

First Day Cover - Issue Date: 04.10.2011

An alluvial forest is a hardwood forest found on low levees, ridges and terraces with a high level of underground water within the floodplains of streams and rivers. This type of forest grows in areas that are slightly elevated above floodplain swamp and are usually flooded for a portion of the growing season. Formerly a normal biotope, it has been disappearing with the growing number of river realignment projects.

The largest alluvial forest in the Czech Republic grows at the confluence of the Morava and Dyje rivers. Residual alluvial forests can be found in the area of the confluence of the Labe and Cidlina rivers (Libický Alluvial Forest Natural Reserve), and on the banks or in the headwater area of the Morava and Dyje rivers.

The presence of a stream or river, or a high level of underground water leads to a lower amount of oxygen in the soil and subsequent reduction processes. The products of the processes contribute to the typical bluish colour and special smell of the so-called gley soil.

Primary trees found include poplar (Populus L.), oak (Quercus L.) , ash (Fraxinus L.) , elm (Ulmus L.) , alder (Alnus L.) , willow (Salix L.) , lime tree (Tilia L.) . Shrubs and small trees, such as cherry (Prunus serotina) , honeysuckle (Lonicera) , cornel (Cornel) , viburnum (Viburnum) , elder (Sambucus) , are present at places with more light.

The mix of plants found in alluvial forests depends on the shadow prevailing in the lower layers of the forest. Creepers, such as hop vine (Humulus lupulus) , try to penetrate into the upper layers. Other plants, such as ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) , bramble (Rubus) , catchweed bedstraw (Galium aparine) , spread by vining stems.

Light-demanding herbs flowering before leaves bud on the surrounding trees give the forest so-called spring aspect. Spring snowflake (Leucojum vernum) , snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) , lesser celandine (Ficaria verna) , yellow star-of-Bethlehem (Gagea lutea) , starwort (Stellaria holostea) , lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis) , early-dog violet (Viola reichenbachiana) , hollowroot (Corydalis cava) , are among the herbs most commonly encountered in spring. A mix of grass species and other shadow-demanding herbs such as wild angelica (Angelica sylvestris) , true forget-me-not (Myosotis palustris) , yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus) , enchanter's-nightshade (Circaea lutetiana) , European birthwort (Aristolochia clematitis) , moneywort (Lysimachia nummularia) , creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens) , common comfrey (Symphytum officinale) , common figwort (Scrophularia nodosa) , touch-me-not balsam (Impatiens noli-tangere) , cover the ground in summer.

The patchy mossy underground tends to cover maximum 10% of the forest floor.

Soil fauna in alluvial forests is relatively rare due to the high amount of water in the soil. Earthworms and harvestmen are among the most common species. Amphibians are frequent in wet areas. Birds typical of alluvial forest include yellow throat, different species of warbler, chaffinch, whitwing, robin, starling, stork, silver and night herons, bee eater, buzzard, kite, hawk, falcon, sea eagle.

ESTONIA - 2011

Received the Estonian Cover twice, this year!The Layout isn't really deliberated as you can see the stamps cover a part of the picture. What a bummer!

Estonia is extremely rich in forests – nearly half the territory of the country is covered with forests. Estonian forests belong to the mixed forests zone and the most widespread forest type is where evergreen conifers dominate, but there are also deciduous forests. Dozens of domestic species of trees and shrubs grow in the forests, the most common tree being the pine, followed by the birch and the spruce. The biggest forests in the country lie in the north eastern and central parts of Estonia. There are primeval virgin forests, sustainably managed forests as well as specially developed holiday forests. Estonia’s rich forests are home to numerous animals – it is quite common to meet rabbits, foxes or roe deer, and the biggest animal is the elk. The forests are home also for a number of species on the verge of extinction, such as the European mink, the dormouse and the flying squirrel. The forestry sector is an important pillar of the economy, timber being the most important renewable natural resource and wood processing a considerable source of livelihood. Today forests are called the green gold, but in olden days forests were considered a sacred place and the people worshipped sylvan spirits. copy from estonian post

SPAIN - 2011

A simple Cover received from Melita in Spain.

Issue Date: 04.04.2011

The stamp depicts a photograph of autumn in the Hayedo de la Pedrosa by Juan A. González. This beech wood is located northeast of the province of Segovia, in the municipality of Riofrio de Riaza. It covers an area of 1,930 hectares and is one of the main beech forests of southern Europe.

LATVIA - 2011

This was the first Issue i got/ received this Year. The stamps aren't that bad but really classical. Maybe that's the reason why i'm not interested in Eastern Europa stamps (except for the europa issues - for sure) anymore. They are just common. 

Thanks to alexsent from Latvija!

First Day Cover - Issue Date: 08.04.2011