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Restoration of the Forests and Meadows in the Koli National Park

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LIFE

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE KOLI NATIONAL PARK AND THE LIFE-NATURE PROJECT 3ACTIONS WERE BASED ON PLANS 4PLANS WERE PUT INTO PRACTICE 7 Restoration 7 Slash-and-burn cultivation 8 Herb-rich forests 8 Traditional landscapes 9EFFECTS WERE MONITORED 10ACTIONS WERE AIMED AT INCREASING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT 11PROJECT IMPACT 1� Effects on the protection level of the Natura �000 area 1� Other effects of the project 14PROJECT PARTNERS AND FUNDING 15

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THE KOLI NATIONAL PARK AND THE LIFE-NATURE PROJECT

The Koli National Park comprises the central areas of the Karelian forest hill area which has come to be considered the national landscape. The National Park was established in 1991 not only to preserve the landscape, geological formations and cultural heritage, but also to protect the diverse nature and to promote the use of the area for research, nature travel and teaching. Although the National Park itself was established fairly recently, the central areas of the park have been owned by the state since 1907. This land came under the jurisdiction of the Finnish Forest Research Institute in 19�4.

At present the Koli National Park comprises nearly 3000 hectares, most of which, i.e. �554 hectares, are in the Natura �000 programme. This programme was created to protect the habitat types found in the European Union, as well as the organisms dependent on them. The programme also aims to stop the decrease in the diversity of nature. The most representative and, from a conservation point of view, the most significant habitat types found in Koli are western taiga (HT no 9010, Fennoscandian herb-rich forests with Picea abies (HT no 9050), bog woodland (HT no 91D0), Fennoscandian wooded pastures (HT no 9070) and hay meadows (HT no 6510 and 65�0).

The LIFE-Nature project LIFE to Koli – Restoration of the forests and meadows of the National Park (LIFE�003NAT/FIN/000035) was carried out in the Koli National Park in �003-�006. The aim of the project was to ensure the protection of the valuable habitat types and the diversity of species found in the Natura �000 area. The project was coordinated by the Finnish Forest Research Institute and partly funded by the EU.

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ACTIONS WERE BASED ON PLANS

The restoration plans comprise a number of measures intended to accelerate the process of restoring to their natural state the forest and mire areas altered by man. The Koli National Park restoration plans span �0 years. The aim is to restore during this time 380 hectares of stands cultivated on mineral soil and established by planting or sowing. In addition, the aim is to restore nearly 80 hectares of ditched bogs.

The most urgent targets for restoration measures are cultivated seedling stands and young forests where the range of tree species and sizes is narrow due to previous forest management actions. Restoration will also be carried out in older, even-aged cultivated stands where, for example, due to previous thinnings the amount of decayed wood is much smaller than in stands which are in a natural state. The plan also highlights the need to use fire as a means of restoration. When planning both restorative fires and the production of decayed wood, the aim is to create and maintain areal and temporal continua. The primary targets for restoration of ditched bogs are widespread, continuous ditched areas and those areas where the ditches are still draining the bogs efficiently and where natural restoration is thus slow.

The starting point for the restoration plan was to focus the measures on continuous areas comprising many stands and located near old forests in a natural or semi-natural state. It is hoped that this will

promote the living conditions of rare and threatened organisms living in natural forests. No restoration measures will be taken in areas that are structurally diverse and quickly returning to a natural state on their own. These may already have large decaying trees or show a layering of the crown structure. Ditched bogs will not be restored if their return to a natural state has already begun. This might occur because the ditches have filled up or beavers have built dams, thus raising the water level. Those areas which are actively being used for research purposes will not be restored, nor will areas that are valuable and delicate with respect to their flora and fauna.

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The slash-and-burn cultivation plan was drawn up to span 50 years. The aim is to restore a total of 150 hectares of forest that have previously been in commercial use. Each year 3 hectares will be restored by slash-and-burn methods. The chosen targets for these measures include both traditional slash-and-burn cultivation lands and stands that are suitable in terms of their soil, tree structure and location. In order to ensure their protection value, slash-and-burn measures will not be taken in areas with endangered species or habitat types that are particularly valuable with respect to their vegetation. Partly burned standing or fallen trees will be left in areas treated with slash-and-burn measures in order to increase the diversity of species on these sites; many insects and fungi cannot survive without such trees.

Slash-and-burn cultivation was the most common form of cultivation in Finland until the end of the 19th century and in Koli the tradition was continued until the 1940s. In the Koli National Park slash-and-burn cultivation has been carried out since 1994. It is the task of the National Park to both uphold the tradition and disseminate information about this form of cultivation. It is also the duty of the Park to preserve the slash-and-burn cultivation landscape so typical of the area. This landscape is characterized by deciduous forests, wooded pastures and hay glades.

A plan for the management of the traditional landscapes of Koli National Park was completed in 1998. To complement this, an updated management plan for 10 years was drawn up by the North Karelia Regional Environment Centre. The plan covers just over 30 hectares of traditional landscapes in the Park, i.e. meadows, forests established on slash-and-burn cultivation lands and wooded grazing land.

This plan presents a management programme for new traditional landscape areas. It also expands on the management directions outlined in the original plan and evaluates the ecological impact of the management methods used. In addition to ensuring the preservation of traditional landscapes, the aim of the plan is to raise the conservation level of the Natura �000 area. While the plan aims to preserve a diverse and representative range of meadow vegetation and help maintain a favourable conservation level for endangered species, it also pays special attention to the conservation of the various species of butterflies found on the meadows.

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The management plan for herb-rich forests aims at raising the conservation level of the representative her-rich forest vegetation in the Koli area. At present there are 106 herb-rich forests; their total area is over 100 hectares. The most common of the twelve types of herb-rich forests found in the Natura �000 area of the Koli National Park is the Oxalis-Maianthemum type, which is a mesic herb-rich forest. Half of the herb-rich forests in Koli fall into this group, while the other half are moist or moderately moist herb-rich forests. Dry herb-rich forests are found in Koli only in very small areas.

The management plan for herb-rich forests was drawn up at the Faculty of Forestry, University of Joensuu. It used both old research stands and new inventory data, collected by students participating in the course Team Work in Forest Management and Conservation. The aim is to carry out the 10-year plan by the end of �014. The plant species found in the herb-rich forests needing management are quite representative of herb-rich forests in general, but there are some older cultivated spruce copses that are no longer representative and in urgent need of management. The herb-rich forests that can be classified as very representative are, in particular, herb-rich forests that have developed on old slash-and-burn cultivation sites and comprise mainly grey alder (Alnus incana). If no measures are taken to increase the conservation level of these sites, the demanding species found in herb-rich forests are in danger of diminishing on at least some of these sites, and ultimately they will be lost altogether. The sites requiring urgent care in Koli are particularly spruce copses planted in herb-rich forests and older, grey alder dominated herb-rich forests that have developed on old slash-and-burn cultivation sites and grazing land and that have a strong natural tendency to be taken over by spruce.

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PLANS WERE PUT INTO PRACTICE

Restoration

During the project over 100 hectares of cultivated forests on mineral soils were restored. The aim of these measures was to promote the structural features typical of forests in a natural state. These features include, for example, an abundant variety of decayed wood, the presence of burned wood and a variety of tree species, ages and sizes.

The amount of decayed wood was increased and small clearings were made both by felling trees and by peeling live trees. Peeling is the removal of a narrow belt of bark around the tree causing the connection between the crown and the roots to be broken and thus killing the tree. The target areas for these measures totaled almost 80 hectares. Fire treatments were carried out in a number of different-sized target areas. In some cases the trees were felled before burning and in others they were burned standing. Altogether more than 30 hectares of land were treated in this way.

Almost 30 hectares of ditched bogs were restored. Ditching lowers the water level and the main aim was to restore the original water resources to the bogs, in other words to raise the water level back to its natural level. This was done either by damming the ditches or filling them mechanically. In addition, to increase the amount of decaying wood, trees were peeled and felled on naturally wooded bogs. Trees that had grown on naturally sparsely wooded bogs due to ditching were removed in order to ensure enough light for the demanding vegetation on open bogs. Particular attention was paid to peat bogs, which had originally developed from low nutrient bog types. Decaying wood that was fertilizing the ground as it was decaying was removed, as were felled trees.

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Slash-and-burn cultivation

During the project more than 15 hectares of cultivated stands were treated with slash-and-burn cultivation methods. Most of the targets were spruce dominated and were treated with traditional methods that take a number of years to complete. In some areas, however, a shorter term traditional method which lends itself well to deciduous forests was tested.

After the slash-and-burn cultivation areas in the National Park have been burned, traditional Finnish crop plants such as rye and turnip are grown. The rye is then threshed in a drying barn and some of the seeds are kept for the next season. The rest is ground into traditional rye flour and used in rye bread that is served at various functions in the Park. When the cultivation cycle has finished, most slash-and-burn cultivation areas are left alone to become reforested; in this way they will slowly return to their natural state. Some of the cultivation areas near the traditional farms in the Park have been given over to grazing. This will enable them to develop into wooded grazing land, a habitat type which used to be very common but is now very rare.

Herb-rich forests

During the project restoration and nature conservation measures were carried out on nearly 10 hectares of herb-rich forests. Both natural and planted spruce trees were removed from herb-rich forests dominated by deciduous trees because in these spruce threatens rare and endangered plant species. Spruce was not removed from moist herb-rich forests that are naturally spruce dominated. Particular care is taken in those areas where plants requiring shade, such as galde fern (Diplazium sibiricum) and tree lungwort (Lobaria pulmonaria), are found. In order to increase the amount of decayed wood, some of the spruces were peeled and some were felled. The crowns and branches of the felled trees were removed from the herb-rich sites and burned so that their needles were not left to acidify the soil. A particular issue in the restoration of herb-rich forests in Koli is the preservation of littleleaf linden (Tilia cordata). To ensure this, selected spruces were removed.

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Traditional landscapes

At the beginning of the project there were �6 hectares of traditional landscapes that were undergoing regular management measures. During the project management measures were

initiated in two traditional landscape target areas totaling 5 hectares. This brought the total area of traditional landscapes being managed to 31 hectares.

The traditional landscapes that had not been managed were in danger of being reforested and losing their meadow vegetation. These areas were restored by removing trees and shrubs and by regular

mowing or sheep grazing. Mowing, grazing and the removal of trees are used as management measures also on the previously managed traditional landscapes in the Park.

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EFFECTS WERE MONITORED

As part of the LIFE to Koli project various monitoring programmes were planned and initiated. These focus on the implementation and effects of different restoration and conservation measures in the Natura �000 area of the National Park. The aim of the monitoring is to determine the usefulness and ecological effects of different restoration measures, to evaluate their cost effectiveness and to assess the risks in their use. The monitoring data collected during the LIFE project was analyzed at the Finnish Forest Research Institute in a research project on the effects of restoration measures.

The monitoring of the effects of restoration is based on data from a series of experiments collected into a research register and the establishment of permanent research sites. Some of these sites were established on the areas undergoing management treatments and others

as controls on untreated sites. The aim of the monitoring and the related research is to determine the ecological impact of the restoration measures on the commercial forests and ditched bogs, all of which differ in terms of their habitats, stages of development, flora, fauna and macro fungi species. The studies will focus on the effects of the measures taken on the abundance of various plant and macro fungi species found in the bottom and field layers as well as changes in the tree structure. Any changes in the health of the stands and the risk of forest damage will also be evaluated.

In addition to monitoring the effects of restoration, the LIFE project also monitored changes in the vegetation and charted the plant and insect species found in the traditional landscapes. This monitoring will continue after the project is finished. The Finnish Forest Research Institute will be responsible for the permanent research sites and reporting the results of the studies.

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ACTIONS WERE AIMED AT

INCREASING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE

ENVIRONMENT

The Koli National Park has become a significant centre for showcasing and developing activities aimed at environmental education. It has approximately 100 000 visitors each year. In Koli the focus of environmental education has been on slash-and-burn cultivation, geology, biological diversity and nature conservation, restoration, traditional landscapes and cultural tourism.

During the LIFE to Koli project three new signposted nature trails were set up in the Natura �000 area. These were The Koli Hills and Herb-rich Forests Trail, The Slash-and-burn Cultivation Trail and The Restorer’s Trail. The signposts set up along the trail contain information about target areas in Finnish, English and Russian. The trails are suitable for schoolchildren, students, tourists, researchers and those responsible for the planning, maintenance and monitoring of national parks and other conservation areas. A separate guide was made for each trail. These contain background information on the theme of the trail, teacher’s notes and an exercise intended for schoolchildren. The guides can be downloaded from the Koli National Park’s website.

The project produced a leaflet and a poster exhibition on its aims and activities. Two DVD programmes on slash-and-burn cultivation and the management of heritage landscapes were also produced. In addition, three guidebooks concerning slash-and-burn cultivation, the management of meadows and the restoration of cultivated forests and peatlands were published. Finally, an information booth presenting the LIFE project was established in the Koli village centre in conjunction with tourist information services.

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PROJECT IMPACT

Effects on the protection level of the

Natura �000 area

At the beginning of the LIFE to Koli project, in the Natura �000 conservation area of the Koli National Park there were a total of 418 hectares of forests in a natural or semi-natural state belonging to the western taiga (HT no 9010) habitat type. Of these 68% were at least 1�0 years old. There were also 5 hectares of forest fire sites in the area. These were the result of slash-and-burn cultivation measures begun in 1994. During the project restoration measures aiming to increase this habitat type were carried out on an area of more than 100 hectares. In addition, slash-and-burn cultivation measures were

taken on more than 15 hectares of land. Thus, by the end of �006 the management measures taken will have raised the share of forests of this type to nearly �5% of the whole Natura �000 area of the National Park. Once all the restoration and slash-and-burn cultivation measures have been carried out, i.e. in 50 years’ time, it is expected that the share of these forests will have risen to more than 35%. More than one third of these habitat types will be the result of various slash-and-burn cultivation measures.

At one time there were more than 1�0 hectares of bogs in the Natura �000 area of the Koli National Park of which over 60% were ditched. During the LIFE to Koli project restoration measures were taken on an area close to 30 hectares of ditched bogs to restore the bog woodland (HT no 91D0) habitat type. This means that more than 40% of the ditched bogs have been restored. As a result, the area covered by this habitat type will nearly double and in time will cover nearly 3% of the total Natura �000 area. Once the �0-year restoration plans have been carried out, this habitat type will comprise nearly 5% of the total Natura �000 area.

Based on inventories of natural resources it has been established that there are approximately 110 hectares of Fennoscandian herb-rich forests with Picea abies (HT no 9050) in the Natura �000 area of the Koli National Park. This amounts to about 4% of the total area within Natura �000. The LIFE to Koli project ensured that this habitat type will survive by carrying out management measures in more than 9 hectares of these forests, which is more than 8% of the total area occupied by the habitat type.

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The glades, deciduous forests developed on slash-and-burn cultivated lands and the grazing lands of Koli are nationally valuable traditional biotopes. The most representative of these with respect to their range of species are the Fennoscandian wooded pastures (HT no 9070), lowland hay meadows (HT no 6510) and mountain hay meadows (HT no 65�0). When the project began, the total area of the traditional biotopes on which regular management measures were being taken was �6 hectares. During the project,

an additional 5 hectares were restored and are regularly either mown or grazed. Owing to this the share of the traditional biotopes in Koli National Park will remain 1% of the total Natura �000 area.

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Other effects of the project

The LIFE-Nature funding received enabled the project to employ several local people, particularly for the construction work and the fieldwork. In addition, a number of mostly forestry students from different educational institutions were employed. All jobs were temporary, lasting between 4 and 6 months. Some of the work during the project was contracted to local businesses.

Those working in the project became qualified in the methods and use of modern restoration and conservation techniques. The information received during the project on the applicability of various methods, the diversity of local nature and the aims and effects of the restoration measures was transmitted not only to those working in the project, but also to the general public. This was achieved through various theme trails, guidebooks, newspaper articles, radio interviews and newsletters. The restoration of habitats in Koli and research related to it were discussed in many seminars and research meetings. The project and its achievements have also been introduced both to domestic and foreign visitors in many presentations on the National Park. The project benefited particularly from the cooperation between local LIFE-Nature projects. This included project coordinator meetings and joint briefings for various interest groups and the general public.

The experiences gleaned from this project and the results of the research spawned by it can be used to plan and execute future restoration and conservation projects receiving LIFE-Nature funding in the Natura �000 network. The monitoring and individual research projects have strengthened the fieldwork in the National Park and generated new multidisciplinary research which has been of interest internationally. In particular, the research on restoration has formed a basis for multidisciplinary cooperation among various research, monitoring and administrative units.

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PROJECT PARTNERS AND FUNDING

The project was managed by the Joensuu Research Unit of the Finnish Forest Research Institute. Other partners in the project were the Faculty of Forestry at the University of Joensuu and the North Karelia Regional Environment Centre. The project also cooperated with other research projects within the Finnish Forest Research Institute and other Finnish LIFE-Nature projects. The project was monitored by a steering committee comprising representatives from all the partners and Metsähallitus, the state-owned Finnish forestry enterprise.

The total budget for the project was 664 1�7 Euros, half of which were received from the EU LIFE-Nature funds. The project was also funded by the Finnish Ministry of the Environment, the Finnish Forest Research Institute, the North Karelia Regional Environment Centre and the University of Joensuu. Funds received from the Finnish Ministry of Labour were also used to carry out the work.

CONTACT INFORMATIONFinnish Forest Research InstituteJoensuu Research Unit Yliopistokatu 6 FI-80100 JOENSUUFINLAND

Telephone: +358 10 �111

Finnish Forest Research InstituteKoli National ParkYlä-Kolintie �� FI-83960 KOLIFINLAND

Telephone: +358 10 �111

http://www.metla.fi/hanke/8025

Content: Kalle Eerikäinen and Eevi NieminenTranslation: Lisa Lena Opas-HänninenCover image: Ismo Hyttinen Layout: Leena Karvinen© Finnish Forest Research Institute

Vammalan Kirjapaino Oy, Vammala �006

LIFE to Koli – Restoration of the Forests and Meadows in the National Park LIFE�003NAT/FIN/000035