By Wigry National Park
Text and photos: Paulina Pajer-Giełażys; Video: Maciej Romański
Primeval forest (2012)Wigry National Park
Living trees
Living trees contribute to their environment by providing oxygen, improving air quality and the climate, conserving water, preserving soil and supporting wildlife.
During the process of photosynthesis, trees take in carbon dioxide and produce the oxygen we breathe.
Living Trees
Old, hollow trees are the most valuable in the forest ecosystem. Tree hollows are natural nesting places for many birds, as well as hiding places for other animals, such as bats.
Oaks in an old forest (2012)Wigry National Park
Dead trees
Living trees are not the only valuable element of the ecosystem in a national park.
Dead, decomposing trees create a unique environment for many organisms: plant, animal and fungi.
The lesser spotted woodpecker (2012)Wigry National Park
It is estimated that dead trees can be inhabited by as many as 1,500 species of fungi, 1,300 species of insects and over 100 species of vertebrates.
Some species of birds, such as the eurasian three-toed woodpecker and lesser spotted woodpecker nest almost exclusively in dead trees.
Dead tree (2012)Wigry National Park
Big, fallen trunks, on which young trees are growing, are called "nanny" trees. Fallen trees also protect young plants, growing between them, against herbivores.
Dead tree (2021)Wigry National Park
Fallen trunks are reservoirs of water and nutrients for the next generation of trees and other plants.
Dead tree 2 (2021)Wigry National Park
The decomposition of a big oak can last over 100 years, providing food and a living environment for a huge number of organisms. It is no wonder that this process is often referred to as “the second life of a tree”.
The saboteur (2018)Wigry National Park
Large, fallen trees are sometimes used by different animals as a shortcut. However, there is also a saboteur, who damages the natural "bridge" and shortens its durability.
Dead leaf (2021)Wigry National Park
Although they seem deprived of life, dead trees are the keys to the functioning of many organisms and the ecosystem as a whole.
Paulina Pajer-Giełażys, Maciej Romański (film)
