Forests

Around 60 % of Åland is covered by forest. This year’s Europa stamp theme therefore suits Åland Post perfectly! Artist Anette Gustafsson painted the picturesque edge of a forest. More than 40 varieties of trees and shrubs can be found in the Åland forests, roughly speaking. Pine-forests dominate the northern parts of Åland, whereas the southern parts consist of deciduous forests. On main Åland, we mostly find mixed forests. Spruce, pine and yew are three types of conifers native to Åland. Pine is the most common type of tree, both in dense forests and on bare cliffs. Spruce, on the other hand, needs nutritious soil to thrive. Common juniper, a shrub more than a tree, is also common in Åland. In the outer archipelago, junipers grow low, trailing along the cliffs, whereas the ones found in fertile soil are often tall and lofty. Noble trees such as ash, oak, elm, maple and lime tree are relatively common, ash being the most common species native to Åland. Other common types of deciduous trees are birch, alder, aspen, rowan, Swedish whitebeam, bird cherry and Finnish whitebeam. Thank you Ella for this lovely card.