The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species now categorizes 168 tree species native to Europe as Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered, meaning that around 58 percent of endemic tree species (i.e. those only found in Europe) are threatened with extinction. According to the report, the main threats include pests and diseases, invasive species, unsustainable logging and land use, and forest fires.
Among those listed as Vulnerable is the horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), a species native to the Southwestern Balkans but found in various parts of Europe, including Hungary. Besides being threatened by tourism, pollution, logging and forest fires in its native range, it currently faces a continent-wide decline mostly due to the severe damage caused by a pest called horse-chestnut leaf miner (Cameraria ohridella). It is an excellent ornamental plant, found in countless parks and tended forests including the Great Forest of Debrecen, with iconic spiked fruits that delight children, have venotonic and vascular protection uses in small doses, and can serve as a local and more sustainable alternative to soap nuts.
Debrecen Zoo and Amusement Park
