A lonely tree does not make a forest. At least, this is what a Kyrgyz folk proverb says. And indeed, it is true. The forests in Kyrgyzstan are unusual — primarily mountainous. Among the ancient Turks, the forest served as an object of worship. And since the forest grows on mountains, the ridge covered with trees is personified: it receives its "own" name. On such a hill, in ancient times, all members of the clan community would gather, where sacrifices were made to Jer-Suu — the main deity, embodying the forces of nature — with a request to protect people and livestock from diseases and misfortunes.
In addition to coniferous forests, the republic has fir-spruce, juniper, nut-bearing, maple, poplar-willow, birch, and mixed forests.
Nowhere else on the planet, except Kyrgyzstan, does the Semenov fir grow — an astonishingly beautiful, slender tree with dense and lush evergreen foliage. The wood of the Semenov fir significantly surpasses spruce in quality: it is light, soft, yet very strong. Fir resin is used to make a balm that heals wounds, and the needles are used to produce essential oil, which is utilized in the perfume and pharmaceutical industries. The most "beloved" places for the Semenov fir in the western Tien Shan are the shady, moist slopes with a steepness of over thirty degrees.
Kyrgyzstan is home to the largest nut-bearing forest massifs on the planet. Here, the main tree is the walnut. It grows in the south of Kyrgyzstan, primarily in the regions of the Fergana and Chatkal ridges, at altitudes ranging from 800 to 2000 meters above sea level on northern slopes. Relict trees, which have enormous tent-like crowns, can reach up to two meters in diameter. In August, once freed from their husks, the nuts fall, carpeting the ground with a solid layer.
Walnuts are not only a delightful taste, not just a component of Eastern sweets. They are one of the most calorie-dense foods on earth: the nutritional value of walnuts is three times that of bread and ten times that of cow's milk. Only specialists can appreciate how much that is: three hundred kilograms of nuts per hectare. Moreover, besides the fruits, the wood is highly valued — strong, elastic, and resistant to decay. There is also another — the most unique and expensive — product of nut forests. This is the walnut burl, which consists of growths on the trunk of the tree, mainly in the butt part. The wood of the burl grows 1.5 to 3 times faster than normal wood. It is much heavier and harder. So hard that it serves as material not only for small carpentry works but also for turning products. Burls form not only on walnut trees but on any hardwoods. However, the walnut burl is especially valued, reaching two meters in diameter, with beautiful patterns on the cuts. Besides Central Asia, burls grow only in rare places in the Caucasus. The value of the burl is evidenced by the fact that on the international market, the price of one gram is equivalent to the price of one gram of silver.
Nut-bearing forests are famous not only for walnuts. Apple and pear trees, Sogdian plums, and cherries also grow here. The mixed fruit forest is interspersed with maple, forming large massifs, especially attractive in autumn. "Dressed in crimson and gold, the forests..." — is this not about them? The decorativeness and beauty of maple leaves are captivating. Not without reason are autumn maples a favorite motif in old Chinese and Japanese engravings. The maple leaf also adorns the flag of Canada — as a symbol of this country rich in maple forests. The area of maple forests in Kyrgyzstan exceeds forty thousand hectares.
In the valleys of the Naryn, Alabuga, At-Bashi, Suusamyr, and Talas rivers, laurel-leaved and Uzbekistan poplars can be found. These are wild-growing trees. In populated areas, one can see decorative varieties: pyramidal, silver, and balsam poplars. Poplar is especially willingly used in decorative landscaping: unpretentious, fast-growing, and well-rooted from cuttings and root suckers — it creates a unique color in Central Asian cities, reminiscent of the sharp peaks of its pyramids visible on the horizon of the Tien Shan mountains.
Forests of Turkestan and Tien Shan birch are found in all regions of the republic. In appearance, birch in Central Asia is sharply different from Russian birch: lacking the power and majesty, it is small and slender, its soft, curly crown and light trunk add delicate touches to the natural mountain landscape.
Such is the greatest wealth of the forest-meadow-steppe landscape of Kyrgyzstan. The reader may be surprised: for it was also mentioned about juniper forests. And this — is a special conversation.
