Naliboki Forest

The ancient Naliboki Forest is one of the largest woodlands in Belarus and entire Eastern Europe. It is located on the right bank of the Neman River, on the Belarusian Ridge. It is the only place where you can see tarpan-like horses of the ‘konik’ breed which population has been growing since 2019.

RR: 10 Countries RR
Date: Dec 24

Tahune Forest Airwalk

The 597 metre long Tahune Airwalk takes visitors at tree-top level to the junction of the Picton and Huon Rivers, 48 metres above river level. The airwalk is situated in the Tahune Forest area, a wet sclerophyll forest which contains many rainforest elements, including Myrtle Beech, Sassafrass, and Leatherwood trees. The footbridge is a level steel structure with a steel walkway that is suspended over the treetops.

Thanks a lot Marnie!
Date: Sept 26

The Sundarbans

The Sundarbans mangrove forest, one of the largest such forests in the world (140,000 ha), lies on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal. It is adjacent to the border of India’s Sundarbans World Heritage site inscribed in 1987. The site is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests, and presents an excellent example of ongoing ecological processes. The area is known for its wide range of fauna, including 260 bird species, the Bengal tiger and other threatened species such as the estuarine crocodile and the Indian python.

Unesco:The Sundarbans
Many thanks Zahra!
Date: Jan 30

Shennongjia

Hubei Shennongjia was listed as a World Heritage Site in 2016, because of its exceptional floral and faunal biodiversity and its protection of many rare, endangered, and endemic species. It covers a a colossal area of over 3,200 square kilometres. Thanks to its mountainous landscape and deep valleys, the reserve encompasses three climatic zones: subtropical, warm temperate, and cold temperate. This means that it can support a wider variety of plant and animal species, resulting in the unique diversity of its inhabitants.

Unesco: Hubei Shennongjia

RR: 10x10 RR

Date: Aug 22

Sinharaja Forest Reserve

Located in south-west Sri Lanka, Sinharaja is the country's last viable area of primary tropical rainforest. More than 60% of the trees are endemic and many of them are considered rare. There is much endemic wildlife, especially birds, but the reserve is also home to over 50% of Sri Lanka's endemic species of mammals and butterflies, as well as many kinds of insects, reptiles and rare amphibians.

There are 8 very beautiful waterfalls in Sinharaja forest. Those are Kekuna falls, Pathanoya falls, Malmora falls, Brahmana falls, Galdoru falls, Uran Wetuna falls, Thattu falls and Duwili falls. 

Unesco: Sinharaja Forest Reserve
Thanks so much Raveen!
Date: Aug 11

Hubei Shennongjia

Located in Hubei Province, in central-eastern China, the site consists of Shennongding/Badong to the west and Laojunshan to the east. It protects the largest primary forests remaining in Central China and provides habitat for many rare animal species, such as the Chinese Giant Salamander, the Golden or Sichuan Snub-nosed Monkey, the Clouded Leopard, Common Leopard and the Asian Black Bear. Hubei Shennongjia is one of three centres of biodiversity in China. The site features prominently in the history of botanical research and was the object of international plant collecting expeditions in the 19th and 20th centuries. 

Unesco: Hubei Shennongjia
RR: Unesco RR
Date: June 24

Quebec

The brilliant autumn colours of the Quebec Forests.
More than half its territory is covered by one of the largest forest reservoirs in the world, accounting for 20% of the total Canadian forest and 2% of the world’s forests. Forest landscapes in Québec dominate an area of nearly 900,000 km2.

RR: 10 Countries RR
Date: April 6

Białowieża Forest

The Białowieża Forest World Heritage site, on the border between Poland and Belarus, is an immense range of primary forest including both conifers and broadleaved trees covering a total area of 141,885 hectares. Situated on the watershed of the Baltic Sea and Black Sea, this transboundary property is exceptional for the opportunities it offers for biodiversity conservation. It is home to the largest population of the property’s iconic species, the European bison.

Unesco: Białowieża Forest
RR: Monthly Favourite Surprise RR - March 2022
Date: March 25

The Redwoods – Whakarewarewa Forest

Redwoods Forest is a forest of naturalised coastal redwood on the outskirts of Rotorua, adjacent to the Whakarewarewa thermal area. The 6 hectares  stand of Californian Redwoods is part of the larger Whakarewarewa State Forest. The trees were planted at the beginning of the 20th century as part of a programme to assess the viability of various exotic tree species for commercial forestry in New Zealand. Subsequently these trees have grown faster than in their native homeland due to the richer soil and higher rainfall in the area, reaching over 70 metres  height only 100 years later. The tallest redwood in the forest stands at 75 meters tall.

RR: Australia & New Zealand x World
Date: Nov 17

Laurisilva Forest

The Laurisilva of Madeira is an outstanding relict of a previously widespread laurel forest type. It is the largest surviving area of laurel forest and is believed to be 90% primary forest. It contains a unique suite of plants and animals, including many endemic species such as the Madeiran long-toed pigeon.

The 25 Fontes levada, located in the Laurisilva forest, is one of the most popular in Madeira Island. Its name lives up to the number of fountains or little waterfalls that’s possible to count once you arrive there.

Unesco: Laurisilva of Madeira
RR: 10 Countries RR (20)
Date: Dec 22

Fraser Island

Fraser Island, 190km north of Brisbane, the world's largest sand island, was placed on the World Heritage List in 1992. Birrabeen (left) is one of the Fraser Island's famous freshwater lakes. Wanggoolba Creek and rainforrest (right). Wanggoolba Creek is a fresh water creek with its source in the Pile Valley and mouth on the Western shores of the island. It's a popular tourist destination due to the crystal clear waters flowing over white sand through a rainforest valley.

Unesco: Fraser Island
Thanks again Helen!
Tag: You choose Unesco
Date: Oct 26

Central Highlands

Mountain Ash forest of Victoria's Central Highlands, a region north-east of Melbourne and at the southern most end of the Great Dividing Range. The mountain ash (eucalyptus regnans) is the tallest flowering tree in the world and grows most commonly in moist mountain areas. The soft tree fern (dicksonia antarctica) grows in mountain gullies.

Thanks a lot Chris.
Date: Feb 27