To celebrate the International Year of Forests, the theme for PostEurop’s postage stamps for 2011 is trees and forests. Europa stamps have been produced by many European countries and demonstrate some wonderful and varied designs. Here are some of my favourites.
France Europa stamp - probably my favourite design - it depicts leaves as trees and includes small forest ecology icons such as the red squirrel, Boletus and jay.Russia Europa stamp - silver birch forest and magpieSpain Europa stamp - beech forest, perhaps in the foothills of the Pyrenees?Romania Europa stamps - a woodland glade in sunlight on one design, a red squirrel and pine tree on anotherPoland Europa stamp - the iconic European bison in a strong graphic designNorway Europa stamps - one shows forest management using modern machinery, another the natural forest ecosystem of NorwayJersey Europa stamps - four beautifully illustrated stamps including silver birch, English oak, beech and lime.Iceland Europa stamps - showing the beauty of wood and a microscopic view of the underside of a leaf on two separate stampsGreenland Europa stamps - silver birch in snow and pine trees near the shore in two stampsFinland Europa stamps - a clever two-stamp design featuring a four-way reflection of a forest in a lake and in summer and autumnal coloursDenmark Europa stamp - a charming design featuring an inquisitive red squirrelAndorra Europa stamp - conifer trees in the PyreneesAland Islands Europa stamp - an atmospheric forest from this small island in the Baltic SeaMoldova Europa stamps - actually maybe these are my favourite! The design is diamond rather than square and features some strong images including forest fire and bleeding wood, alongside deer, owl and forest.
If you have a philatelic interest and want to see more trees on stamps, particularly historic stamps, have a look here.
