As a result of the Chernobyl disaster, tens of thousands of hectares of forest suffered massive radioactive contamination.
The forest is mainly made up of Silvestri pines (Pinus silvestris).
The signs of mutations due to radioactivity were more evident in conifers as they absorbed doses of radiation 100 times higher than other plant species, making the trunk to turn an orange/red colour.
The Red Forest is the natural area with the highest nuclear contamination on Earth.
The surveys showed that the radioactivity is not homogeneous: in some areas it has decreased over time, while in others it is still today as it was then.
The passage through the Red Forest can only be carried out by means of transport, and the crossing on foot is strictly forbidden.
