The first postage stamp from the new stamp series „Estonian Forest Trees“ will be issued
On Wednesday, 20 April, Omniva will issue a postage stamp depicting the curly birch as part of the series „Estonian Forest Trees“. This is the first postage stamp of the new series introducing forest trees of Estonia. From now on, a postage stamp from the series „Estonian Forest Trees“ will be issued once a year.
The postage stamp was designed by Jaan Saar and it was printed in the printing house Vaba Maa. The edition size of the stamps is 20,000 and its nominal price is 0.90 euros, meaning it can be sent in Estonia. The postage stamp and the first day cover will be sold in the e-shop of Omniva and in post offices all across Estonia. The first day stamp will be used at the Toompea post office at 4 Lossi plats, Tallinn.
The presentation and sale of the postage stamp will take place on 20 April at 2 p.m. at the Tallinn Botanic Garden, Kloostrimetsa tee 52. The presentation will take place within the framework of the conference dedicated to the curly birch, ‘Curly birch – an Estonian forest tree worth discovering and preserving’. The organisers of the conference are the Tallinn Botanic Garden, the Institute of Forestry and Engineering of the Estonian University of Life Sciences, and MTÜ Maarjakase Selts.
The curly birch is an inherited variant of the silver birch with a peculiar wood texture. It is extremely variable in shape: it may stand at a medium height or, more often than not, be a stocky tree with a curved or straight trunk and a crown resembling that of an apple tree. Sometimes, it also grows as a shrub or shrub-like tree. A particular characteristic feature is the appearance of knot-like thickenings or lumps of various shapes on the curly birch’s trunk and branches. Its leaves, fruits, and shoots are similar to those of the silver birch. The curly birch grows slowly, loves light, and is undemanding in terms of soil fertility. It is widespread in the Baltic Sea region, mostly in Karelia. Its distribution is mosaic in the area. It grows as single trees or groups of trees on poor soils. In Estonia, the tree can be found naturally mainly on the western islands. The total area of cultivated planted stands in our country reaches several thousand hectares. The hard, heavy, and fibrous wood of the curly birch has cross-grained wood tissue cells and a flame-patterned texture. The grooved wood surface under the bark is also unique. The beautifully patterned and expensive logs are used in the furniture and automotive industries and in carpentry. Wood from the branches is used to make jewellery and souvenirs. Due to its peculiar shape, the curly birch is a beloved ornamental tree in home gardens.
In 2022, Omniva will issue dozens of postage stamps that depict important topics, events, and people in our country and society.
