Trending

Bieszczady National Park turns red and gold in NASA Landsat 9 image of Poland’s autumn forests

By /

Bieszczady National Park in south-east Poland is glowing red and gold, as seen in an image from the NASA-USGS Landsat 9 satellite published by NASA Earth Observatory on 19 October 2026. The Operational Land Imager on Landsat 9 captured the scene on 8 October, as beech and other broadleaf trees across the hillsides changed colour.

Bieszczady National Park: Autumn colour on the forested slopes, with tan polonina meadows along the ridges, seen by Landsat 9 on 8 October 2026
Autumn colour on the forested slopes, with tan polonina meadows along the ridges, seen by Landsat 9 on 8 October 2026 Photo: NASA Earth Observatory/Michala Garrison, Landsat data from USGS (public domain).

What Landsat 9 saw over Bieszczady National Park

Fall colour covers the forested slopes, while patches of polonina, a type of high-mountain meadow, have turned tan, NASA said. European beech (Fagus sylvatica) dominates the forests, with species such as sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) adding to the colour. As temperatures drop and days shorten, the trees cut back on chlorophyll, the molecule plants use to make food. As the green fades, the yellows and reds of other pigments show through. The image was made by Michala Garrison of NASA Earth Observatory using Landsat data from the US Geological Survey.

Key Facts

  • Image date: 8 October 2026 (published 19 October)
  • Satellite: NASA-USGS Landsat 9 (OLI-2)
  • Main tree: European beech; beech zone up to about 1,000-1,260 m
  • Part of UNESCO’s ancient beech forest network (18 countries)
  • Wildlife: European bison, brown bears, Eurasian lynx

European beech, ice-age survivor of the Carpathian Mountains

The European beech is a descendant of ice-age survivors that has lasted for millennia across a range of climates. After the glaciers retreated, beech forests spread north across Europe from isolated refuges in the Carpathians, the Alps and other ranges, and helped reforest land that had been under ice. Parts of the national park are included in UNESCO’s network of ancient and primeval beech forests, which spans 18 countries. In this area, beech forests reach only about 1,000 to 1,260 metres (3,300 to 4,100 feet) in elevation. Above that lies the polonina, a Slavic term for subalpine meadow, made up of open grassland and shrubby thickets of rowan (mountain ash), willow and green alder. Patches of it stretch along ridge tops east-south-east of the village of Smerek and appear tan, having lost their summer greenness.

Bison, bears and lynx find refuge

The Bieszczady Mountains are known for wildlife as much as forests. European bison, once extinct in the wild, were reintroduced to the area in the 1960s and now roam the hills by the hundreds, according to recent surveys cited by NASA. Brown bears and Eurasian lynx also find shelter and food in the forests. In autumn, brown bears roam the Carpathians to fatten up before winter hibernation. NASA’s references for the piece include the park’s own information, UNESCO’s listing of the Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe, and a 2022 study in Scientific Reports on subalpine woody vegetation in the Eastern Carpathians after release from agropastoral pressure. The image is part of NASA Earth Observatory’s Fall Colors collection.

Why It Matters: Satellite images like this track how Europe's old beech forests respond to a warming climate. They also show the value of protected parks where bison and bears have returned.

Also on TrendDesh: COP17 biodiversity talks open in Yerevan as UN says fewer than half of nature targets are on track · Amazon fires: NASA satellite shows smoke over Manaus as El Niño drought fuels a long burning season

Source: NASA Earth Observatory, 19 Oct 2026 · UNESCO: Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests · USGS Landsat 9

Share

Today’s News 20 Oct 2026 · 20 stories

  1. India New Zealand FTA comes into force on Vijayadashami with zero duty on all Indian goods1India New Zealand FTA comes into force on Vijayadashami with zero duty on all Indian goodsOct 20, 2026
  2. Swavlamban 2026: Navy innovation seminar set for 26-27 October at Manekshaw Centre2Swavlamban 2026: Navy innovation seminar set for 26-27 October at Manekshaw CentreOct 20, 2026
  3. AUSTRAHIND 2026 begins in Thiruvananthapuram with about 120 troops each from India and Australia3AUSTRAHIND 2026 begins in Thiruvananthapuram with about 120 troops each from India and AustraliaOct 20, 2026
  4. Swachhata Hi Seva 2026: Indian Bureau of Mines wraps up month-long drive with Safai Mitra honours4Swachhata Hi Seva 2026: Indian Bureau of Mines wraps up month-long drive with Safai Mitra honoursOct 20, 2026
  5. ICAR-NBAIR marks 34th Foundation Day in Bengaluru with a call to cut chemical pesticide use5ICAR-NBAIR marks 34th Foundation Day in Bengaluru with a call to cut chemical pesticide useOct 20, 2026
  6. Kartavya Bhawan-3 opens workplace creche for 30-35 children as Jitendra Singh launches blood camp6Kartavya Bhawan-3 opens workplace creche for 30-35 children as Jitendra Singh launches blood campOct 20, 2026
  7. Rajasthan Panchayat Election 2026: 247 in fray in Jaipur phase 2, phase 3 nominations open till 23 October7Rajasthan Panchayat Election 2026: 247 in fray in Jaipur phase 2, phase 3 nominations open till 23 OctoberOct 20, 2026
  8. Muhana Mandi raid: 85,000 kg of pickle and raw material seized in Jaipur, dead lizards found in tanks8Muhana Mandi raid: 85,000 kg of pickle and raw material seized in Jaipur, dead lizards found in tanksOct 20, 2026
  9. Sapno Ki Udaan: Bhajanlal Sharma tells youth drug-free, skilled young people will drive Viksit Bharat9Sapno Ki Udaan: Bhajanlal Sharma tells youth drug-free, skilled young people will drive Viksit BharatOct 20, 2026
  10. Vijayadashami 2026: Bhajanlal Sharma greets Rajasthan after Kanya Pujan at Raj Rajeshwari temple10Vijayadashami 2026: Bhajanlal Sharma greets Rajasthan after Kanya Pujan at Raj Rajeshwari templeOct 20, 2026
  11. Indonesian peacekeepers honoured by Guterres, who lays wreath for four killed in Lebanon11Indonesian peacekeepers honoured by Guterres, who lays wreath for four killed in LebanonOct 20, 2026
  12. Haiti elections on hold as gangs adapt to security crackdown, UN tells Security Council12Haiti elections on hold as gangs adapt to security crackdown, UN tells Security CouncilOct 20, 2026
  13. Sudan drone strikes hit Abyei market and Khartoum as UN condemns attacks killing children13Sudan drone strikes hit Abyei market and Khartoum as UN condemns attacks killing childrenOct 20, 2026
  14. CHAPEA Mission 2 crew marks one year inside NASA’s simulated Mars habitat, exit set for 31 October14CHAPEA Mission 2 crew marks one year inside NASA’s simulated Mars habitat, exit set for 31 OctoberOct 20, 2026
  15. Committee on World Food Security: Türk calls hunger an avoidable tragedy in a world of plenty15Committee on World Food Security: Türk calls hunger an avoidable tragedy in a world of plentyOct 20, 2026
  16. Gaza food aid cut by a third as WFP funding shortfall hits 500,000 people before winter16Gaza food aid cut by a third as WFP funding shortfall hits 500,000 people before winterOct 20, 2026
  17. Deepwater Horizon study finds Gulf of Mexico deep-sea life fell by about 60% and never recovered17Deepwater Horizon study finds Gulf of Mexico deep-sea life fell by about 60% and never recoveredOct 20, 2026
  18. Bieszczady National Park turns red and gold in NASA Landsat 9 image of Poland’s autumn forests18Bieszczady National Park turns red and gold in NASA Landsat 9 image of Poland’s autumn forestsOct 20, 2026 · Reading now
  19. Curiosity rover photographs Martian dawn over wind-carved yardang cliffs on Mount Sharp19Curiosity rover photographs Martian dawn over wind-carved yardang cliffs on Mount SharpOct 20, 2026
  20. Euclid telescope discovers its first new comet, now named C/2026 S1 (Euclid), says ESA20Euclid telescope discovers its first new comet, now named C/2026 S1 (Euclid), says ESAOct 20, 2026

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top