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Restoration of wind damaged forests
in the Eastern Carpathians
We are planting mixed forests of European beech (Fagus sylvatica), silver fir (Abies alba) — species that develop deep, pivoting roots — and Norway spruce (Picea abies) in Cheile Bicazului-HasmaÈ™ National Park and other wind-damaged areas in the Eastern Carpathians to increase the resilience of these newly formed forests to the effects of global climate change.
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The Lonely Rock in the Hasmas Mountains
In early 2019 and 2020, massive wind damage affected large areas of forests in the Carpathians, including the Hășmaș Mountains. Windthrows are caused by extreme weather events (high-intensity winds) that physically damage trees by uprooting or breaking their trunks.
Wind damaged forest stands in the Hasmas Mountains
Such extreme weather events (high winds, heavy snow, extreme drought, extreme heat waves, etc.) are expected to become more frequent as a result of global climate change.
Windthrows have more severely affected the spruce forests (Picea abies) that dominate the higher regions of the Carpathian Mountains. The natural habitat of spruce is between 600-800 meters and 1800-2000 meters in elevation. However, for economic reasons, spruce stands have been planted in significant areas, even outside their natural habitat.
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Wind damaged spruce (Picea abies) forest stands in the Hasmas Mountains
At the same time, it is anticipated that spruce monocultures will experience the most pronounced impact from climate change in the future. These forests have limited resilience to stressors such as drought, extreme weather events like high-intensity winds, and biotic threats that may thrive under changing conditions (e.g., the spruce bark beetle—Ips typographus). While forests will eventually adapt to these new conditions, the transition to more drought-resistant and heat-tolerant tree species is expected to be a slow process.
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Maternal galleries of spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) under the bark of a Norway spruce (Picea abies)
Windthrows provide an opportunity to introduce slight changes in species composition, mimicking the process of altitudinal migration, where species shift to higher or lower elevations in response to changing climate conditions. This will increase the resilience of forests to future climate changes.
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In November 2020, we began planting trees in the strictly protected zone of the Cheile Bicazului-HasmaÈ™ National Park.
Beech( Fagus sylvatica) seedling in the Hasmas Mountains - summer of 2024
Norway spruce ( Picea abies) seedling in the Hasmas Mountain- summer of 2024
