EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

2.b History and Development:
Forest tree species were not present, except for exceptions, on the territory of Western
and partly Eastern Carpathians in the glacial period. They survived this period in so-called
glacial refuges, that is to say in sheltered sites with the most favorable climatic conditions,
usually located in southern Europe (Fig. 1). Refuge localization and migration routes can be
reconstructed using analyses of fossilized pollen and fireplace carbon remnants from the
Neolithic settlements. Furthermore, gene structure of current tree species populations also
reflects the post-glacial distribution process. Extraordinary is that the vegetation belt of
European Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and fir currently forming the chief area of Ukrainian and
Slovak forests reached the territory on which the serial nomination extends as the last one in
the Atlantic and promptly “sneaked” itself in between already established belts of spruce and
sessile oak.
During last Würm glacial period, beech found its refuges in the Balkans area, namely
the Dinare Mountains and the Southern Carpathians, on the Italian Peninsula and in some less
important sanctuaries by the Mediterranean Sea. Majority of current European beech
populations come from Balkan refuges. Towards the end of Boreal climatic period, beech
began to expand in the Southern Carpathians and on the territory of nowadays Slovenia.
Beech reached Western and Eastern Carpathian territory in an Epiatlantic period 5.000 years
ago. Beech expansion proceeded most probably along the Carpathians ridges from the southeast,
the results of genetical analyses. Ever since the Subboreal period beech represents
dominant deciduous tree species in the region of interest thus forming a backbone of
numerous primeval forest preserves.
Fig. 1: Start-up position of the European beech expansion
Following the Boreal climatic period. See the gif animation on
CD No. 1 (Migration of beech.gif)
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