EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

forests complex contains some 200 year old beech (Fagus sylvatica) specimens and >300 year
old clusters of silver fir (Abies alba) including exceptionally large individuals, as well as
equally respectable sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) trees. Sycamore often occurs in stony
gullies with common ash (Fraxinus excelsior). The presence of sycamore and rowan (Sorbus
aucuparia) is even more visible on ridges in the reserve. A section of forest in the 4 th forest
vegetation zone, where beech is the dominant species, contains the highest proportional
presence of fir of any primeval forest in eastern Slovakia. Its total volume percentage can
reach 35%, but the number of fir individuals never exceeds 10% of the total tree number per
hectare.
It has been shown that the presence of fir enriches the productivity of the forests in the
reserve, as well as their overall function during the optimum and senescence developmental
stages. This is due to the lifespan of fir, which is significantly longer than the lifespan of
beech. It is quite common for firtrees to outlive even 2 generations of beech. Fir diameter can
reach 160-180 cm, and its volume can exceed 30 m 3 . The presence of fir makes itself felt most
during the advanced phase of the maturation developmental stage of the 2nd beech
generation, when there is the greatest height differentiation in stand structure. Fir abundance
increases in the 5th forest vegetation zone of the reserve, but beech remains the core species
and continues to determine the structure and development of forest stands. Fir is 20-30% of
the total standing volume. Stands in this zone are characterized by a typical hierarchical
structure that is sometimes multi-layered. Beech is regarded as the determinant species of the
developmental cycle, which lasts 230 to 250 years. In the senescence developmental stage, the
gradual elimination of surviving beech individuals is a characteristic process. This means that
the spatial structure of stands in this stage has a small-scale pattern. Developmental stages
rapidly change and overlap within relatively limited areas. Developmental stage length differs
when fir is present in higher numbers. The final life stages of beech are connected with the
prosperity of fir growth, thus contributing to the differentiated structure of the forest stands.
The herb layer of forests in the reserve contains, in addition to typical beech forest
species, sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum), evergreen asarabacca (Asarum europaeum), and
dog’s mercury (Mercurialis perennis). Eastern Carpathian species are also present, such as
comfrey (Symphytum cordatum), spurge (Tithymalus sojakii), as are a large number of
suboceanic and oceanic species, such as Aposeris foetida, wood speedwell (Veronica
montana), and fescue (Festuca drymeja). Spring brings the very common Carpathian endemic
species Dentaria glandulosa. The attractive and noticeable perennial Lunaria rediviva resides
in gullies and below ridge slopes. Mountain species such as alpine coltsfoot (Homogyne
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