Silent Forest in spring with beautiful bright sun rays ()
Walking in the forest is a great way to stay healthy. Spending time in the trees helps you fight off sickness. Plus, being out in nature can calm you down when you are stressed. So, take a walk in the woods near your house, or visit one of these three famously wacky woods from the latest issue of our kids’ magazine, “Dandelions.”
Crooked Forest, Poland
The grove of 400 pine trees that grow near the town of Gryfino, Poland all have one thing in common: they are crooked. Each tree bends sharply north at the base and grows along the ground before straightening up and reaching for the sky. It’s a mystery why this happens since the trees beyond the grove grow normally.
Gespensterwald Forest, Germany
This forest grows right along the Baltic Sea, above a beach in the northern German town of Nienhagen. The salty sea air and wind has caused the tops of the trees to grow in a funny, twisted way. Plus, they are slanting away from the beach, so it looks as if the wind is always blowing.
Sherwood Forest, England
No one can really say who Robin Hood was, but his story has been based in this ancient forest for over 600 years. You can visit this famous forest and hike along the Giants Trail where you can see some of biggest ancient oak trees in Europe, including a massive one called Major Oak.
Not only is it good for us to take a walk in the woods, but forests also help keep our planet healthy. Here are three big reasons forests are so important.
Air
Forests are sometimes called the lungs of the Earth. All those trees and plants convert carbon dioxide into the oxygen we breathe. Plus, forests help to filter out pollution and keep the earth at a comfy cool temperature.
Water
Believe it or not, forests help create drinking water! All the dark, healthy soil cleans the rainwater as it trickles down into the earth or flows into rivers and lakes. Plus, trees release water into the atmosphere through their leaves, helping to create rain clouds.
Biodiversity
Forests contain more different species of plants and animals than any other ecosystem on earth. This is called “biodiversity.” All those differences mean that resources like food and habitats are balanced out. Humans are part of that balance, too.
