This year’s Europa Issue from Faroes is available to purchase at FACE VALUE on the WOPA website, for more information please visit the website :

http://wopa-stamps.com/

Forest Growth on the Faroe Islands Forests – not exactly what one associates with the Faroe Islands – rather the contrary. The North Atlantic archipelago is known for its treeless appearance. Climatic and geographic conditions, human influence and centuries of sheep-breeding have left the islands practically treeless.

Forests of the Past But it has not always been that way. If we go back to the volcanic period millions of years ago, we note that there have been periods of extensive forest growth. Charred wood residues, and prints from leaves and needles are found in the coal strata in Suðuroy and Mykines. These finds indicate more favorable times on the mini-continent, which the current Faroe then were part of. Cypress, yew and juniper, giant sequoia and various kinds of deciduous trees – it’s hard to imagine today.

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published May 7th, 2011

In the crust of the Earth there are numerous underground holes naturally formed, some of them of large sizes, called caves.

The appearance of the caves is the result of the erosion caused by the infiltration of the waters rich in carbon dioxide which dissolved the soluble rocks, especially limestones. These complex systems of galleries, vast and high chambers developed on one or several levels are connected by funnels and pits.

In caves, there are often rivers, cascades and lakes as well as mineral formations such as stalactites, stalagmites, columns and curtains that are formed after the precipitation of the calcium carbonate from water. Caves may also appear on the sea shore due to erosion or in volcanic regions during the process of lava solidification.

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published May 5th, 2011

A new Commemorative issue of stamps featuring “Sailors’ Valentines” became available for purchase on February 14, 2011.

The stamps have been issued in sets of four (4) denominations. Official First Day Covers are also available.

The Sailors’ Valentines represented in this issue were all made of natural colour shells, collected mostly from Barbados beaches and around the world. These intricate works of art except for the $2.75 stamp image which was created by American shell artist Pamela Boynton, and the 10¢ which was made by a Barbadian artist, were all made by Barbadian Daphne Hunte who is well known locally and internationally for her Shell work and Sailors’ Valentines creations.

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published May 2nd, 2011

The peony or paeony is a name for plants in the genus Paeonia, the only genus in the flowering plants family Paeoniaceae. They are native to southern Europe, East Asia and western North America where they grow in grasslands, brushwoods and in valleys between mountains. It is a flowering plant appreciated because of its frost-hardiness, longevity and stamina, its beautiful and lasting leafage, height of the shrub, size and beauty of the flower as well as the diversity of its shapes and colours, its long period of blossoming and durability as a cut flower. They have meaty, tuberous roots called bulblets and large seeds in erect follicles.

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published May 1st, 2011

Parrots are birds making part from the Psittaciformes Order and they belong to the Psittacidae Family. We recognize them after their curved beak.

They are found in the entire Southern hemisphere of the Earth, from Australia to India, from Southeastern Asia up to Western Africa, but also in Southern and Central America.

Many parrots’ species can imitate the human conversation and different sounds.

Romfilatelia introduces into circulation the postage stamps issue „Parrots“ whose stamps illustrate the following parrots’ species: the Illiger’s Macaw, the Scarlet Macaw, the Yellow-collared Macaw, the Eastern Rosella, the Budgerigar and the Cockatiel.

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published April 30th, 2011

The souvenir sheet dedicated to the flowers of the Republic of San Marino features three values with as many flowers: “Verissimo del Titano” Delphinium, “Sant’Agata” Dianthus and “Repubblica di San Marino” Rose.

The Delphinium Belladonna known as “Verissimo del Titano” features the colours of the current flag. Saint Marino was bequeathed Mount Titano by Donna Felicita for having miraculously healed her son, Verissimo.

The Dianthus Carnation known as “Sant’Agata”: the carnation, a white flower historically the symbol of purity, is linked to Saint Agatha fellow patron of the people of San Marino.

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published April 29th, 2011

This stamp issue is now available on WOPA at FACE VALUE. Please visit the website for more details:

http://wopa-stamps.com/

Red campion, Silene dioica

The plant is widely known as red campion, while its botanical name is Silene dioica. Red campion is a member of the carnation family, of the genus Silene. In addition to the red campion, its relative the moss campion (Silene acaulis) grows on the Faroe Islands. The Faroese name bjargablóma (mountain flower) is given to the flower because it is a mountain-dwelling wildflower that grows in attractive dense cushions with pink and occasionally white flowers. Only in the Faroe Islands is the word ‘mountain’ linked to the plant’s name, so the Faroese name is accepted as being original.

Red campion grows in steep rocky slopes and in inaccessible lower-mountain areas. Red campion is a rare plant. It is not found on any of the smaller islands or on Sandoy or Eysturoy. It is considered to be an indigenous Faroese plant, i.e. it was brought to the islands by the wind, ocean currents or birds and not by human activity.

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published April 28th, 2011

In response to the philatelists’ interest in the topic Flora, Romfilatelia introduces into circulation thepostage stamps issue “Peonies”.

The peony, spread over the temperate Eurasia, is the flower often described in Europe as “the thornless rose” and mentioned for the first time around 77 A.D. by Pliny the Elder.

The Common Peonies (Paeonia Officinalis) were used in the old popular medicine for the treatment of certain disorders. The infants used to wear a collar made of this plant seeds around their neck to calm toothaches. The petals and roots were used for the treatment of asthma, epilepsy and gout.

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published April 15th, 2011