Beech Forest (Rash Forest)

The Beech Forest (Rash Forest) lies in Mazandaran Province, in the Dodangeh district of Sari County, close to the village of Sangdeh, and is regarded as one of the unspoiled nature-tourism attractions of Savadkuh. Sangdeh is about three and a half hours from Tehran and roughly 100 kilometers from Sari. The trees of the Mersi forest, also known as the Beech Forest, are part of the ancient Hyrcanian forest, whose age goes back to the Jurassic period, up to 40 million years ago. The ancient name of this region was Hyrcania, meaning "the land of wolves," which is why these forests are called the Hyrcanian forests.

A forest is a community of trees, shrubs, vegetation, animals and microorganisms (fungi, bacteria and viruses) which, together with non-living natural factors such as soil, water, temperature and wind, form a distinct and well-defined environment, growing area and habitat. In a natural forest, small and large, sturdy trees usually grow in an irregular pattern, and wild grasses are abundant. Through evaporation and transpiration, the vegetation of forests moderates the climate of an area and helps create rain. Forests produce roughly three percent of the rainfall on Earth. Autumn and spring are the best seasons to visit the Beech Forest.

The Beech Forest is also home to many animals, including hedgehogs, sables, rabbits, deer and forest mice, while brown bears, wolves and leopards live at higher elevations. This forest is one of the most ancient forests in the world, with an age of up to 40 million years, and it is full of fossils. Activities here include cycling, photography, walking and forest trekking. Whether on foot or on horseback, you will enjoy the incomparable views of the different parts of the Beech Forest.