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An estimated 900 plant species grow in the Kursiu Nerija National
Park, with 31 of them are on the Red List of Lithuania.
70% of the land in the National Park is covered by forest (6852 ha). More than
a half of the stands were planted by humans.
Coniferous woods are prevalent in the Kursiu Nerija National Park (80%). It consists
mostly of Scotch pine (Pinus silvestris) - 53% and dwarf mountain
pine (Pinus montana) - 27%. The later was introduced in 1850. It is
a native tree of mountain areas in the Central and Southern Europe. In favourable
conditions the mountain pine reaches 10 m in height, but on the dunes it is just
1 m high. Even being blown over with sand it stays alive for several years.
Other pine species in the park are: Jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.),
Austrian or Corsican pine (Pinus nigra), Weymouth pine
(Pinus strobus L.) Bishop pine (Pinus murrayana) and
Crimean pine (Pinus palasiana). They grow in small groups and do
not cover large areas.
Spruce stands in the National Park occupy only 68 ha and consist of Norway
spruce (Picea abies), white spruce (Picea glauca) and
Colorado spruce (Picea pungens).
Other coniferous species are common juniper (Juniperus communis),
common silver fir (Abies alba), Colorado white fir (Abies
concolor), European larch (Larix decidua) and blue Douglas
fir (Pseudotsuga caesia).
Deciduous trees reside in only 20% of the land in the Spit. The biggest share
(1028 ha) belongs to the natural birch stands (Betuleta) with a
little admixture of pines. Alder stands (Alneta) cover only 206
ha. Only few hectares in the Curonian Spit are overgrown with oak (Querceta)
and ash (Fraxineta) stands.
Besides indigenous tree species, there is rather large variety of introduced species,
such as: field maple (Acer campestre), sycamore tree (Acer
pseudoplatanus), tartar maple (Acer tataricum), ash-leaved
maple (Acer negundo) common beech (Fagus
sylvatica L.), red ash (Fraxinus pensylvanica),
wild privet (Ligustrum vulgare) etc. |
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Mountain pine stands in the Curonian Spit
Curonian spit pine forest
Oak-groves are in Curonian spit uncommon
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