Depending on the relief and the climatic influences in Croatia we can distinguish four types of the forest life:
Littoral evergreen forests- grow in the coastal area from the west coast of Istria to Dubrovnik - Holm oak, European Black Pine, Aleppo Pine
Littoral deciduous forests- grow in the north, middle and the south Coastal area, in the middle of Istria and in Dalmatinska Zagora Downy Oak, Oriental hornbeam
Continental deciduous forests – grow in the continental part of Croatia, distributed according to the height above sea level: lowland-areas: Pedunculate Oak, European Alder, Lombardy poplar, Willow gentle hills: Sessile Oak, Hornbeam, European chestnut mountain areas:
European beech -can be found in Slavonia, Podravina, Posavina, Međimurje, Prigorje and Zagorje
Continental evergreen forests – grow in the mountain and the high mountain areas of the continental part of Croatia -mountain areas: mixed forests of European beech and Fir tree -pre-mountain areas: White Spruce Pinaceae and Pine-tree -high mountain area: Mugo Pine Pinaceae and pine scrub -can be found in the area of Gorski Kotar, Velebit, Licka Plješivica, Dinara and Biokovo

Main characteristics: -the majority of trees and bushes cast away their big and flat leaves in autumn and exceed in the phase of winter inaction -in that way deciduous trees lower the process of the transpiration ( the loss of water through the leaves) and store water, and also avoid freezing -the fallen leaves under the influence of saprophytes (decomposers) ,that is, bacteria and fungi of the decomposition make humus which is rich with mineral compound and in that way make the ground more fertile -according to the abundance of the tree top that is to the amount of light in the forest we can divide deciduous forests on: - shady forests (exp. Beech) -bright forests (exp. Oak) -according to the formation and the adaptation of plants and animals in the forest we can distinguish these layers:- underground layer –the plants’ roots, insects’ larva -over- ground layer - ground layer -the layer of bushes -the layer of trees

Pedunculate Oak – grows in the marshy grounds (Slavonia) and it can grow up to 50 meters high - the top of the tree is wide and irregular -the fruit is an acorn – the food for deers, wild boars, birds, roe deers, squirrels, dormice

English Oak – grows in the rolling country area up to 400 meters above sea level and it can grow up to 35-40 meters high -the fruit is an acorn - the tree is used in the architecture

Beech – grows in the area above 400 meters above sea level and it can grow up to 30 meters high -rich top of the tree - the cortex is grey and smooth -the fruit is a nut mast –the forest animals’ food

Hornbeam – grows in the rolling country area up to 400 meters above sea level -the cortex is light grey -saw-toothed leaves

European chestnut – grows on the sour ground and it doesn’t tolerate moist - it grows in community with English Oak and Hornbeam -dense top of the tree -the cortex is grey-brownish and smooth - the fruit is a chestnut – used by people as food (cooked, roasted and in cakes)

Turkish Filbert – bushy plant, dense and branchy - the fruit is a hazelnut, which ripens in September (food for animals and people), rich with Vitamin B and E

The Dog Rose – branchy bush with thorny branches - the fruit is a dog-rose, which ripens in September and it’s rich with Vitamin C, used in the production of tea and marmalade

English holly – evergreen bushy plant - dermoid leaves, the fruit is a red berry – POISONOUS - endangered specie

Sword fern –inhabits damply grounds - it has got an underground stem - dense leaves

Moss – inhabits damply, shady grounds - spreads over the forest ground - absorbs large amounts of moist

Spring flowers – they blossom while the forest ground is still covered with snow - they are heralding spring - they are: cyclamen, hepatica, the Christmas rose, Spring snowflakes, snowdrop, saffron etc. - they are protected by law

7th A and 7th B grades with their classmaster in the forest in Sesvete

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