A long time ago, forests covered more than half of Earth’s land surface. Nowadays, they cover a little under 10%. The effects of deforestation are devastating, and yet, people continue to cut them down without hesitation. When people think of forests, they usually thing of trees, but there is much more to a forest than this. They represent entire ecosystems bound together by harmony, and balance. They represent a continuous flow of energy, nourishment, tranquility and beguiling creatures. Have you ever ventured deep inside a forest? Where the rush of fresh air fills your lungs, and the world suddenly becomes completely still? It is the only place where you can truly escape reality. But then, there are also those spooky forests that remind us of the Blair Witch Project. The ones where people commit suicide, or simply vanish. We have decided to present to you three bizarre and magical forests that will probably not make you feel very serene.
1. The Red Forest
“A light wind swept over the corn, and all nature laughed in the sunshine.” (Anna Bronte)
After the accident at Chernobyl (April 26, 1986), tens of thousands of hectares of forest were contaminated with radioactive waste. Signs of radioactive mutation to conifers were evident right away: having absorbed over 100 doses their radio-sensitivity increased 2-3 times, and they suffered a complete loss of conifers, growth anomalies or average radiation damage. Most of the Worm Wood Forest turned ginger-brown and died. Soon after, the population of wild boar has exploded, and most of the natural fauna and flora was damaged. Nearly 30 years have passed, and there is still some unnatural behavior coming from the forest. Some people have also stated that they have witnessed UFO sightings in the area.
2. Dark Entry Forest
The Village of the Damned, also known as Dudley Town, is a very strange place in Cornwal, Connecticut. Initially it was a thriving community known as Owsbury, but strange sightings, murders and mass suicides started to be reported. It was also said that most of the town’s people suffered from hallucinations with demons. Obviously, the simple-minded peasant could only conclude that the town was cursed, so people started to move away… or die. (scientists later explained that the residents must have succumbed to mass hysteria or indulge to too much contaminated groundwater which lead to their deaths… or maybe there is indeed something out there). The fact of the matter is that the thick forest that sits in the shadow of the Bald, Woodbury and Coltsfoot Mountains is patrolled by a group known as the Dark Entry Forest Group. The forest is unnaturally quiet, and there have been reports of orbs, lights and unusual sounds coming from it.
3. Hoia-Baciu Forest
Situated in the picturesque country of Romania, near the city of Cluj Napoca, there is a lesser known Bermuda Triangle: the Hoia-Baciu Forest. I’m not a great believer in ghost stories, UFOs or anything of the sort, but this particular forest caught my attention. For those who are passionate about the inexplicable, the following occurrences will probably excite you. There have been some strange reports regarding intertwined trees, paranormal activity, strange lights and extra-terrestrial creatures:
- It all started when Emil Barnea captured a photo of an UFO, hovering above the tree tops. The images were analyzed and considered authentic by specialists in UFO sightings. It was considered that Emil Barnea had paranormal powers. Also, the witches from the neighboring villages also consider that the forest is enchanted. They refer to it as a world between worlds.
- The fact that there are certain trees from which strange liquid flows (like lava), but the next they there is nothing. There have also been reports of trees that entwine one day, but are straight the next one.
- Symbols on the ground which look a lot like the simple pictographs from the crop circles made by aliens
- strange sounds, and people who “dematerialize” (we know it sounds strange but bear with us). In the photo you will also see a strange creature, or spirit in the background.
Are they Nothing but Urban Myths?
According to historians, these strange sightings have nothing to do with the “traditions” of the area, and they are nothing but urban myths. The UFO photographs taken by Emil Barnea are that of a 15 cm plate thrown in the air, and the trees could be an effect of radiation. Daniel Roxin considers that not everybody can feel the strange phenomena and vibrations of the forest, and one must be receptive to them. Fact or fiction? We may never know.
