PROOF
In this spot in Romania’s Carpathian Mountains, the tree line is marked with Norway
spruces, which are sculpted in winter by the forces of wind and snow.I AM DRAWN TO THE serenity and sheer
beauty of pristine nature. Being in it
heightens my perceptions and narrows
my focus. As I concentrate on the sur-
roundings, an inner stillness fills me
and helps me capture a sense of place.
This was the case when I packed my
camera equipment and ventured into
some of Europe’s old-growth forests
to highlight these unique environ-
ments that have remained intact for
centuries, despite recurrent threats of
human disturbance.
The visits were often challenging
because of unfavorable weather con-
ditions and the distances I had to cover
while going multiple times to the most
photogenic locations. But the joy of the
experience always prevailed. Hiking off-
trail through the foggy laurel forests of
Madeira, I was enveloped by trees that
may have been up to 800 years old and
whose trunks provided me with shelter
when clouds released a sudden down-
pour. It felt like entering a holy space.Roaming the intact Scots pine
forests of northern Sweden and the
mountain tree lines of southern Nor-
way rewarded me with the sense of
freedom I always get in the Scandi-
navian wilderness. The beech stands
rising from the steep slopes of Italy
kept me in awe of the power that for-
ests shielded from exploitation can
possess. I feel privileged that I was
granted access to explore and photo-
graph these wonderlands.
Excluding Russia, only about 2 per-
cent of the forest areas in Europe are
primary, or have never been cleared,
reflecting a dazzling richness of life
that once filled vast wooded ecosys-
tems. Most of the areas are now pro-
tected, but as the human population
continues to grow—with devastating
impacts on the planet and its living
creatures—the future of these forests
is far from certain. I, for one, hope that
they will still be standing for many
centuries more.THE BACKSTORY
OLD-GROWTH FORESTS ARE EUROPE’S NATURAL HERITAGE.
MOST ARE PROTECTED, BUT ARE THEY SAFE?