Dainava Forest

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Dainava Forest
Lithuanian: Dainavos giria
Druskininkų‑Varėnos miškai
Ulos akies laukyme.jpg
Dainava Forest and Ūla River
Map
Map showing the location of Dainava Forest
Map showing the location of Dainava Forest
Geography
LocationAlytus County, Lithuania
Coordinates54°07′05″N 24°34′19″E / 54.118°N 24.572°E / 54.118; 24.572Coordinates: 54°07′05″N 24°34′19″E / 54.118°N 24.572°E / 54.118; 24.572
Area1,450 km2 (560 sq mi)
Ecology
Forest coverpine (c. 90%), birch (3%), spruce (3%), black alder (3%)[1]
Faunaroe deer, red fox, grey wolf, lynx

Dainava Forest (Lithuanian: Dainavos giria) also the Druskininkai-Varėna Forest (Lithuanian: Druskininkų‑Varėnos miškai), historically the Hrodna Forest (Polish: Puszcza Grodzieńska),[2] or the Gudian[3] Forest (Lithuanian: Gudų giria) is the largest forest in Lithuania. Located in Dzūkija region (also known as Dainava) in southern Lithuania, it covers the total area of 1,450 km2 (560 sq mi) of which 1,290 km2 (500 sq mi) is covered by trees. A large part of the forest is protected by the Dzūkija National Park and the Čepkeliai Nature Reserve.[1]

The Dainava Forest mainly consists of pine trees. There are some birch, spruce, black alder groves. Soils are sandy, light, densely covered by cup lichen. The forest is rich in edible mushrooms, billberries, cranberries, and cowberries. Collection of these mushrooms and berries are an important part of the local economy. The fauna includes many endangered species, such as the gray wolf, wood grouse, black grouse, hoopoe, Eurasian eagle-owl, osprey, mountain hare, stoat, Coronella austriaca, great capricorn beetle, and Lucanus cervus.[1]

Most rivers belong to the basin of Merkys River, including the Ūla, Katra, , Varėnė, and . These rivers are characterized by their clear, cold water, and numerous tributaries. Also, there are some tiny thermokarst lakes and bogs, including Čepkeliai Marsh, the largest bog in Lithuania.[1]

Dainava Forest is the most sparsely populated region of Lithuania. Some of the villages were little affected by agricultural reforms and have preserved traditional Dzūkian folk architecture, which is now preserved as architecture monuments.[4] These villages include Marcinkonys, Zervynos, Latežeris, Lynežeris, Dubininkas, Margionys, Musteika.

Gallery[]

  • Pines of Dainava forest

  • Ethnographic Lynežeris village in the depths of the forest

  • The sources of Varėnė river

  • Wild rosemary undergrowth in Dainava forest near Musteika

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d "Dainavos giria". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos institutas. 2001–2015. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  2. ^ http://maps.mapywig.org/m/WIG_maps/series/100K_300dpi/P33_S39_NOWY_DWOR_(1926)-1931_300dpi_bcuj298234-285455.jpg |map-url= missing title (help) (Map). NOWY_DWOR_(1926)-1931. 1:100000 (in Polish). Wojskowy Institut Geograficzny. 1926. § 33-39.
  3. ^ Note: "Gudija" is a synonym for "Belarus" in Lithuanian
  4. ^ Algimantas Černiauskas, Mindaugas Lapelė. Didžiųjų girių apsupty. Vilnius: Gamtos pasaulis, 2012.

Sources[]

  • Dainavos giria. Tarybų Lietuvos enciklopedija, T. 1 (A-Grūdas). Vilnius, Vyriausioji enciklopedijų redakcija, 1985, 374 psl.
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