10 Ancient Forests That Resurfaced (Or Were Recently Discovered) Around The World

Enjoy stories of ecological hope in the form of rediscovery, restoration, and rehabilitation of ancient forests around the world.

In a time of rapidly increasing climate change, instability, and environmental injustices, many tourists want to find solace in the world's most beautiful forests. Forests are some of the most magical places known to humankind. Cultures from around the world have stories and myths about the dense forests that often surrounded them. However, with forested land rapidly disappearing due to encroaching farmland, logging, and wildfires, many people fear that protected forests will someday be nothing more than a distant memory to tell future grandchildren about.

With the hope for the world's ecological future being doubted every time someone turns on the news, many tourists are hungry for stories that can reinvigorate faith in the coexistence of humanity and the natural world. Enter these ancient forests around the world, recently rediscovered places full of wonder and the magic of nature.

Related: Ancient Magic: 10 Of The Oldest Living Forests Around The World

Deep in the hills of Germany lies a long-forgotten forest with an infamous history. In 9 AD—over 2,000 years ago—three Roman legions marched into this lush, green forest of Teutoburg on a late summer day. They were never to emerge.

These legions were the victims of the famed Battle of Teutoburg, in which the native Germanic peoples launched a surprise attack on the incoming Roman army column. In the millennia that followed, the historic site of the battle was lost to time.

However, in recent years, archeologists have rediscovered the site by a local German town, giving archeological credence to the battle. Today, visitors to this ancient deciduous forest can hike its many trails at the Teutoburg Forest / Egge Hills Nature Park. Tourists here can explore hills and rivers lined with trails.

One thing visitors should definitely try to do is to visit the Exernsteine, which is a unique rock formation that has inspired local myths for centuries.

A small island called Socotra off the coast of the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa contains a big secret: the Dragon's Blood Forest. This is truly a sight seen nowhere else on Earth; the trees of this forest, called the Socotra dragon tree, are an endemic species, meaning that they are only found here due to the isolated island environment.

These trees are known for their unique appearance and characteristics, which include dark green needles that form an umbrella shape, its blood-red resin, and its bright orange berries. Although this forest has been known by locals for thousands of years, this area has only recently gained international attraction, and is still a sparsely visited tourist spot.

These vulnerable trees can live for up to a thousand years, so visitors traveling here should take time to meditate on the long and unique ecological history of this area.

Brazil is a country famous for its many rainforests, namely, the Amazon. However, another rainforest exists along Brazil's eastern coast: the Atlantic Forest. Although this forest isn't as big as the mighty Amazon, it is still a vital part of Planet Earth's global oxygen supply.

The forest has suffered immensely due to logging and deforestation to produce farmland. In recent years, though, painstaking efforts have been made to revitalize it. While only around 16% of the Atlantic Forest remains in 2023, visitors can still see some of its majesty and wonder at the Iguaçu National Park.

This park is famous for its lush rainforest, its diverse wildlife, and the spectacular waterfall system of the Iguaçu Falls.

For a forest with rich biodiversity in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, visitors should definitely check out the Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve. This reserve is part of a larger chain of forests known as the Yucatán dry forests, a unique ecoregion that is characterized by porous limestone soil, deciduous trees, sinkholes, and wetlands.

Tourists come from all over the world to witness the unique fauna of this forest, which include crocodiles, the turquoise-browed motmot, the olive-throated parakeet, and the black ctenosaur (a lizard like an iguana).

The crown jewel of this forest, however, are the bright pink flamingos that congregate in the rivers and lakes.

Volcanoes National Park is an appropriate name for this Rwandan ecological wonder; with eight volcanoes in the vicinity of the park, this area is home to fertile soil that provides the perfect growing conditions for a thriving rainforest.

This was the first national park in Africa, originally created to protect mountain gorillas from dangerous poachers. During the Rwandan Civil War, the park was unfortunately abandoned, but reclaimed in 1999 and has been a popular tourist destination ever since. Visitors to this forest can see a variety of different types of forests, from bamboo forest to rainforest.

Some of the fauna found here include the African buffalo, the spotted hyena, and African elephants. One particular animal that truly enthralls visitors who come here is the mountain gorilla. This unique mammal, with their hauntingly intelligent eyes, were once nearly wiped out by poachers.

It was in this park, the Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda, that famous ecologist and scientist Dian Fossey lived, studied, and ultimately died for these beautiful creatures.

Work to maintain the gorillas' habitat continues to this day; there is a 2022 expansion initiative by the Government of Rwanda to maintain the park and to create a bigger barrier between the wildlife and the local human settlements.

Related: Gorilla Conservation Gets A Boost With New Research Center In Rwanda

One truly unconventional and spectacular forest is the Great African Seaforest. This forest isn't like the others here: this one is completely underwater! Instead of tall trees, this forest is made up of bamboo kelp, a foundation species for this ecosystem, which grows from the rocky ocean floor all the way to the surface. It can grow up to 26 feet in height!

This forest, despite being in the ocean, is just as important to the Earth's ecological health as any other; kelp forests provide a rich habitat for hundreds of marine species, they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and help stabilize incoming waves from ravaging the shoreline.

Visitors here can access this forest through scuba diving and snorkeling. One famous example of this forest in media is from the popular 2020 documentary, My Octopus Teacher. For stunning views of the Great African Seaforest, visitors should check out the documentary before their trip.

Some of the wildlife that tourists can see here include pyjama sharks, southern mullet, Cape salmon, and, of course, octopi.

Part of the Western Ghats region of India, the Bhimashankar Wildlife Reserve is one of the most unique forests a tourist will ever visit. This area is known as one of the world's most biodiverse locations; in recent years, this area has seen extensive rehabilitation efforts to restore lost forestland.

With green cliffs and streaming waterfalls, this dense forest will truly take any tourist's breath away. The biggest draw to this park isn't its waterfalls, however. What brings in tourists from all over the world are the mysterious trees that glow bright green during the rainy summer monsoon season.

Although these trees seem mysterious and otherworldly, they're perfectly in-line with the area's ecology; scientists know exactly what makes them glow so brightly. It's because the trees are covered in small, moss-like fungi that emanate a bioluminescent glow.

Visitors can also see a vast array of wildlife here from wild boars, Pangolin, and gray langurs to even tigers. They should especially be on the lookout for the Indian Giant Squirrel!

Related: These Are The 10 Most Beautiful Waterfalls In India You Should See

One of the most important biospheres that are often overlooked are the mangrove forests found on tropical islands. One of the best places in the world to see mangrove forests is in Belize. Tourists will be able to gaze upon thousands of mangroves growing along the shoreline, their twisting roots diving into the silty waters that are home to many intertidal marine species.

Historically, these forests have faced many dangers due to deforestation. Traditionally, this was done to create picturesque white sandy beaches for foreign tourists to visit. However, in doing this, the beaches were left with an unprecedented problem: the tides were washing away the beaches, sometimes washing away whole islands!

This happened because the mangroves, which resort designers had deemed as being unsightly, were a key element in preventing shoreline erosion due to storms. Today, these forests are being replanted, and are recognized for their vital importance to their local ecosystem.

Related: 10 Semi-Secret Facts You Probably Didn't Know About Belize's Blue Hole

Visitors to this region will be able to stay in shoreline bungalows, and will fall asleep to the sound of the tide. Waking up will be different; visitors will be awakened by the sound of howler monkeys!

One of the most truly unique sights in the world is the Lesvos Petrified Forest, located on the island of Lesbos in Greece. This once-thriving ancient forest was at its peak 20 million years ago, but fell victim to the volcanic activity of this area.

The towering subtropical trees were completely petrified in the prehistoric pyroclastic blast. Due to this volcanic eruption, this forest is now known for providing scientists and archeologists with a clearer picture of Miocene forest ecosystems.

Today, the site is a popular tourist destination on Lesbos, and is home to 150 fossilized trees spread out across the area. Tourists here can visit the nearby natural history museum to gain a further appreciation for this newly uncovered ancient forest.

The largest forest in the United States, the Tongass National Forest, has been the subject of rediscovery for many Americans since the 2023 announcement of new protections that would prevent logging a 9.3 million acre chunk of the park.

This park, located in southeast Alaska, is known as being one of the last swaths of unmarred old-growth temperate rainforest in the world. Amid towering red cedars and sitka spruces, visitors can enjoy seeing a wide variety of natural wildlife.

Some of the biodiversity of this area include bears, eagles, deer, and wolves. Salmon are also native to this region, and have been feeding the First Nation Tlingit people for countless generations. As this forest is found on the coast, visitors can also see marine wildlife, as well, in the many fjords that this region is famous for.

Animals like orca whales and humpback whales make this area unforgettable. Visitors also have to look out for waterfalls, too, which are especially beautiful in the spring and summer.

These ancient forests around the world are insightful and exciting travel destinations for those invested in the stories behind them—and conserving them for future generations to enjoy.

Arianna Helene Winslow is a writer and a historian with a deep love for travel. Since completing an MA in Ancient History in 2019 from the University of Manchester, she has been working as a freelance writer. Arianna has lived in three different countries (Japan, England, and the United States) and has travelled to even more for work and vacations. When she isn't writing, she can be found sewing, embroidering, or drawing.