Istarske toplice - Motovun Forest - Višnjan

Motovun forest

The forest in the Mirna Valley is truly unique. It originally covered about 1,300 hectares but the accumulated drinking water of Botonega took up one part of it. Presently it spreads over 800 hectares, proclaimed a special reserve of forest vegetation.
Truly, there were more forests like this in the Mediterranean, but they were mostly cleared and turned into agricultural surfaces. The Motovun forest is the last preserved type of lowland Mediterranean autochthonous forest of common oak, narrow-leafed ash and elm. During the Venetian rule, it was protected by strict provisions on forest species. Later, during the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, it served as a reserve for supplying the shipbuilding industry with construction material which is why it was referred to as the pearl of the navy. Already Venice had large drainage canals dug, but they were not maintained. The forest was devastated during the French administration when one quarter of its lower part was cut down, and the canals were completely neglected. Later, Austria abolished the navy reserve-forest, the devastation by cutting continued, and the forest began to dry because the canal network was not maintained. It was not until the 19th c. that the canals were renovated and the excess of drainage water regulated.
Many tales and legends were told about the wealth of the forest and its exploitation. Not even author Vladimir Nazor could resist them, having written his Veli Jože.

Over the last fifty years, Motovun forest underwent significant changes. The elm nearly disappeared due to disease, and it was noticed that the oak and narrow-leafed ash started to dry after the construction of the new road, the regulation of the Mirna River bed and the construction of the accumulation lake in the Botonega valley. Stagnation of the surface water that could not flow away created swampy land, but luckily the destiny of the forest is nowadays in the hands of experts. It is the best known habitat of the truffle, the precious underground mushroom. The most prized is the white truffle that, due to specific climatic conditions, has a unique flavor and exceptional aroma.

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