Europa 2011: Forest
Date of issue: 6 May 2011
UNESCO declared 2011 to be the “International Year of Forests”
and the subject of the EUROPA stamp, “Forests”, is in accord with this.
Forests
are one of the sources of life on earth, an ecological community and
habitat subject to natural factors and human intervention. They include
microorganisms living in the soil, moths, fungi, herbaceous and woody
plants living on the surface of the soil, as well as the insects, birds
and wild animals living in them. The forest is more than just a
collection of trees. The forest is the greatest consumer of
carbondioxide and the greatest producer of oxygen; it is the source of
wood as a material, a renewable source of energy and the source of many
other products; it regulates the earth’s water balance and influences
the climate; it is almost the only habitat where the food chain is
maintained without interruption, and it is the most important protector
of the environment. In addition to this, its health promoting,
regenerating effect is outstanding and welfare, cultural and aesthetic
impact is indispensable. Almost a fifth of Hungary’s territory is
covered by woods and their maintenance requires expert forest
management. The most important aims are to protect the forest in order
to preserve its biological diversity and its ability to produce and
regenerate; to help it meet environmental and economic expectations in
harmony with social demand, and to make it serve health, social,
educational and research goals. (Source: erdo.hu)
The EUROPA 2011: Forests miniature sheet contains two stamp designs. One shows a hazy end-of-summer forest detail with a colourful meadow in blossom from the Őrség area and the other the foggy mountain range of the Visegrád mountains in the winter. The border is decorated by the foliage of a tree and the background printing employs the veins of a leaf. The first day cover depicts a spring forest detail from Pécs with some ramsons in flower. Silhouettes of trees illustrate the graphics of the special postmark.
SO
Order code: 2011110040011 (miniature sheet) 2011110060012 (FDC)
Date of issue: 6 May 2011
Total face value: HUF 800
Number of copies issued: 150,000
Perforated size of the stamp: 40 x 25 mm
External imperforated size of the miniature sheet: 120 x 70 mm
Printing method: offset
Printed by Pénzjegynyomda
Designed by Imre Benedek
Photo by Steven Lovy (miniature sheet), Antal Baranyai (cover)