forest habitats within con, pan, ste, bls...

ICAS

Forest Habitats within CON, PAN, STE, BLS

Biogeographical Regions – practical management

challenges from specific Natura 2000 sites

Iovu-Adrian BIRIȘ,

National Forest Research and

Management Institute, Romania

Natura 2000 Seminar CON, PAN, STE & BLS Biogeographical Region,

29th June -1st July 2015, Luxembourg

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Aim:

presenting some practical habitat management experiences from specific Natura

2000 sites/ LIFE+ projects identified by Working Group on Forests and Woodland

in the frame of “LIFE platform meeting on the management of Continental,

Steppic, Pannonic and Black Sea habitats”, Sighisoara, 28-27 May 2015.

Aspects discussed within the Working Group:

• Habitats covered by LIFE projects;

• Key issues for each particular habitat;

• Solutions and recommendations for habitat conservation;

• Relation with stakeholders (and authorities) – problems;

• Solutions and opportunities for woodland and forest conservation learned

from concrete work that was done within LIFE projects;

• key conclusions

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I. Habitats covered by LIFE+ projects: 1. hygrophilous/alluvial forests:

91E0* - Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-

Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae);

91F0 - Riparian mixed forests of Quercus robur, Ulmus laevis and Ulmus

minor, Fraxinus excelsior or Fraxinus angustifolia, along the great rivers

(Ulmenion minoris);

92A0 - Salix alba and Populus alba galleries.

2. termophilous oak forests:

91H0* Pannonian woods with Quercus pubescens;

91I0* - Euro-Siberian steppic woods with Quercus spp.;

91M0 - Pannonian-Balkanic turkey oak –sessile oak forests;

91AA - Eastern white oak woods;

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II: Key issues for each particular habitat:

91E0*:

• Replacement of the habitat with Norway spruce plantations in the floodplains

(DE);

• Channeling of streams/rivers (DE, RO, BG);

• Historical river regulation works/hydrological modifications (DE, RO, BG);

• Sand and gravel extraction from the riverbed (RO, BG);

• Forest restitution and fragmentation of ownership (RO). In Ro, management

planning is voluntary for forest properties below 10 ha according the new Forest

Code;

• Urbanization and infrastructure

network development (RO);

• Illegal cuttings, especially in the

proximity of villages (RO; BG);

• Excesive grazing (RO, BG);

• Household waste and excesive

human presures(RO).

• Hydroelectric power plants

on rivers/streams(RO);

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91F0:

• Historical river regulation works/hydrological modifications (RO);

• Invasive plant species (mainly Amorpha fruticosa, Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

(RO);

• Replacement of the habitat with black walnut (Juglans nigra) plantations in the

floodplains (RO);

• Inadequate forest management (mistakes in natural regeneration of oak, forest

harvesting without replanting, ) (RO);


planning is voluntary for forest properties below 10 ha according the new

Forest Code;

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92A0:

• Historical river regulation works/hydrological modifications (RO, BG);

• Sand and gravel extraction from the riverbed (RO, BG);

• Invasive plant species (mainly Amorpha fruticosa) (RO, BG);

• Replacement of the native poplars and willow species with hybrid poplars

plantations in the floodplains (≈ 100 000 ha in RO) (RO, BG);

• Danube and major rivers bank erosion (RO, BG);


planning is voluntary for forest properties below 10 ha according the new

Forest Code;

• Grazing by domestic animals (RO);

• Replacement of alluvial forests and wetlands with agricultural polders in

Danube Delta and Floodplain during 1960-1980 (RO).

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river terrace

dikes

Danube arm

Large Island of Braila: before (A) and after (B) river regularization works.

A B

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91AA, 91H0*:

• Clearcutting and inappropriate forest management which deteriorate stand

structure and natural regeneration process (by reducing the proportion of

pubescent oak and impeding natural regeneration and increasing the proportion

of scrubs – Fraxinus ornus, Prunus spinosa, Crataegus sp.) (RO, BG);

• Cutting without replanting followed by succession process to scrub communities

(illegal cuttings, especially for stands in the proximity of villages (RO).

• Costly management and conservation measures(RO, BG);

• Replacing of oak based forests with non-native species (eg. Robinia

pseudacacia, Pinus nigra) (RO, BG);

• Grazing by domestic animals (RO, BG);

• Drought/changing in temperature and precipitation regime, affect seed

production and quality, seed germination and trees dieback (RO, BG);

• Insects/defoliators and diseases which affect the trees health and seed

production (RO, BG);

• Land erosion and landslides (RO, BG);

• Illegal cuttings, especially for stands in the proximity of villages with

poor/unemployed people and gipsy communities (RO; BG).



Code;

• Small isolated populations which causes inbreeding (RO).

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91I0*, 91M0:

• Clearcutting and inappropriate forest management which deteriorate stand

structure and natural regeneration process (by reducing the proportion of oak

species and impeding natural regeneration and increasing the proportion of

scrubs – Fraxinus ornus, Acer tataricum, Prunus spinosa, Crataegus sp.) - (RO);

• Replacing of oak based forests with non-native species (eg. Robinia

pseudacacia) (RO);

• Costly management and conservation measures (RO, BG);

• Grazing by domestic animals (RO);

• Drought/changing in temperature and precipitation regime, affect seed

production and quality, seed germination and trees dieback (RO);

• Insects/defoliators and diseases which affect the trees health and seed

production (RO);



Code;

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III. Solutions and recommendations for habitat conservation

(examples of concrete work that was done within LIFE projects,

techniques, restoration work put into practice etc.)

For habitat 91E0 (experience from DE - LIFE07 NAT/D/000214:

Rehabilitation of streams in the "Arnsberger Wald "):

• Eliminate the spruce with non-destructive methods;

• removing of young spruce is essential;

• restoring the stream to ensure the water level (re-flooding the

area);

• replanting the black alder and protecting it against browsing by

deer, grazing etc.

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For habitat 91F0 (experience from RO - LIFE05 NAT/RO/000176;

LIFE06 NAT/RO/000177):

• ensuring natural water regime by re-flooding the area;

• amending the current management plan (In Ro, the provisions of forest

management plans are compulsory, any changes should be approved

by the central authority for forestry);

• creating favorable conditions for oak regeneration (removing

understorey –herbaceous and scrub layers);

• applying regeneration cuttings by opening gaps (group shelterwood

forest system);

• planting oak seedlings and maintaining the existing/advanced

seedlings of accompanying species;

• weeding, removing of shoots;

• Controling of invasive plant species;

• enclosing against browsing/grazing;

• appropriate silvicultural activities;

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For habitat 92A0 (experience from RO - LIFE06 NAT/RO/000177);

• cutting the hybrid poplar stands;

• amending the current management plan (In Ro, the provisions of

forest management plans are compulsory, any changes should be

approved by the central authority for forestry)

• removing of Amorpha fruticosa by mechanical and chemical

methods;

• Soil preparation;

• replanting the white and black poplars;

• Supporting natural regeneration of poplar native species;

• weeding and controling Amorpha sprouts.

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For oak species based habitats: 91AA, 91H0*91I0*, 91M0 (experience

from BG - LIFE09 NAT/BG/000229; RO - LIFE11 NAT/RO/828)

• removal of coniferous plantations progressively to allow natural

regeneration of oak;

• amending the current management plan (In Ro, the provisions of

forest management plans are compulsory, any changes should be

approved by the central authority for forestry)

• regenerative cuttings: removing undesirable competing

vegetation/understorey –herbaceous and scrub layer. Clear-cuttings

must be banned!

• Soil preparation for planting acorns and saplings (manualy and

mechanised);

• planting acorns and saplings;

• protecting the regeneration/plantations against browsing / grazing;

• Care of the seedlings during the next growing sezons.

•

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Black Sea Oak Habitats - Conservation and restoration of Black Sea

oak habitats (LIFE09 NAT/BG/000229)

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IV. Relation with stakeholders (and authorities) – problems

• lack of knowledge of forest owners and/or administrators regarding the

conservation;

• lack of/or weak availability for cooperation among stakeholders.

• lack of technical education/ knowledge and training concerning forest

management and conservation needs among forest owners;

• negative attitude of forest owners and/or administrators concerning the need of

conservation of their forest area;

• divergent positions/expectations of forest/land owners and Natura 2000

administrators/custodians related to forest habitat;

• Low interest of some local authorities concerning Natura 2000;

• Lack of instruments/mechanism or too burocratic instruments to stimulate the

involvement of land/forest owners in conservation projects/activities;

• lack of funds for management and conservation for small forest owners;

• missing of approved management plans for Natura 2000 sites;

• conflicting provisions in forest and nature conservation legislation/un-

harmonized requirements between forest and nature conservation legislation

(eg. Wildlife vs forestry, biodiversity vs Forestry, agriculture vs forestry);

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V. Solutions and opportunities for woodland and forest conservation

learned from concrete work that was done within LIFE projects

Land owners:

• should be involved at every stage of the process (from the very

planning phase, i.e. the restoration project should be developed

together);

• must be permanently informed of the issues observed, actions initiated

etc.

• provide access to information/knowledge and training;

• funding instruments for forest habitat management and conservation

(subsidies, compensations for forest owners, tax dispensation etc.)

Natura 2000 sites administrators/custodians:

• Educate the youngsters!;

• Practice with students!;

• Gain the support of authorities!.

• Promote active citizenship-work with volunteers;

• Establishing longer/medium term management agreement with land

owners and/or local authorities.

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National level (government and policy-makers):

• harmonize nature protection with forest laws and regulations;

• capacity building for being able to approach the management of forests from an

integrated perspective (not a purely forestry or a purely conservationist one);

• should do continuous, sustained assessment and evaluation of the

conservation status of forest habitats as a whole (not just assess the forest

from a typical forestry point of view, which focuses mostly on the trees as

source of wood);

• provide adequate instruments for all stakeholders for supporting nature

conservation;

• arise awareness of stakeholders concerning nature conservation;

• adapt forestry activities/operations to nature requirements;

• provide compensation measures/payments for conservation activities;

• ensure law enforcement;

• communication platforms regarding forestry issues should be set up at national

level

• specific legislation should be developed and incentives provided to encourage

the protection of privately-owned forests (in agreement with the land

stewardship concept);

• land owners and specialized organizations/institutions, but also representatives

of local communities should be involved (as stakeholders) in the development

of forestry plans at all stages.

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The key conclusions of the group on Woodland and Forests:

• involve directly the stakeholders from the concept phase and at

every stage of the process. Project objectives should be very

clear/operational and easily understandable and accessible for all

the stakeholders ;

• better/less burocratic funding instruments for forest habitat

management and conservation (subsidies, compensations for

forest owners, tax dispensation etc.). Oak based habitats

management and conservation require higher costs and better

technical knowledge and training in comparison with other forests!

• adapt forestry activities to the requirements of habitat conservation

and use innovative and efficient habitat restoration technologies.

Review/update forestry norms/standards and consequently forest

management plans to ensure flexible and efficient measures for

habitat conservation;

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An brief overview on the status of forest habitats within CON, PAN, STE,

BLS BGR in Romania

BGR BGR area Forests pSCI

ha % ha

% from

BGR no ha

% from

BGR

ALP 5006703 21 3555363 71 125 1754352 35

CON 13473135 55 3058530 23 241 1349165 10

PAN 1400962 6 32543 2 40 113632 8

STE 3722028 15 240334 6 50 548665 15

BLS 531171 2 7467 1 9 152838 29

MARINE

BLS 231649 1 0 0 12 221208 95

Total 24365648 100 6894237

• Very low % of forest area in PAN, STE, BLS and below average at national level in

CON;

• in PAN, STE, BLS almost exclusively termophilous oak species based communities

(the silviculture of oak species is costly and more complex comparing with beech or

coniferous species);

• small and dispersed forest bodies;

• Intensive managed forests (→ lower % of natural forests);

• significant share of plantations with alochtonous species (eg. Robinia pseudacacia,

poplar clones, coniferous species, etc.);

• affected by natural disturbances (insects/defoliators, diseases, drought, etc.);

• Difficulties in natural regeneration of oak species;

forest habitats within con, pan, ste, bls...

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