Interference of climate change and management adaptation – analysis of management objectives of BNP for 2013-

9. Implementation of adaptive management

9.2. Interference of climate change and management adaptation – analysis of management objectives of BNP for 2013-

In addition to the habitat requirements as to the management adaptation and its relation to the changing climate we assessed the management objectives of the Biebrza National Park given for

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years 2013-14. The main goal of our approach was to identify potential interactions between the planned management measures and possible impacts of climatic change that can induce either the implementation or ecological results of particular measures (Tab. 12).

Table 12. Management objectives of the Biebrza National Park, their possible reference to the climate change and proposals of adaptation.

(Source: own study)

Description of the management

objective

Possible interference to the climate change

Monitoring and climate-related management adaptation

Reconstruction and modification of 2 road culverts

- change of hydrologic regime (frequent floods in summer, culverts should be designed in order to cover potential increase of water levels in summer due to the vegetation development);

- earlier occurrence of spring floods and their smaller magnitude will require attention in culvert conservation;

MONITORING: water bodies, on which the culverts are constructed should be covered by automatic water levels monitoring in order to verify the diameter of culverts as well as their functionality in a changing hydrological conditions;

ADAPTATION: basing on the water levels monitoring in different seasons it should be decided whether the culverts are required and their function is targeted at habitat and species conservation;

2 Removal of invasive species

Lupinus polyphyllus

- the expected general increase of temperatures in winter and spring can prerequisite quicker expansion of the Lupinus polyphyllus

MONITORING: research on sample plots located within various areas of the BNP, where the species is both removed and not removed (monitoring of numbers and dynamics of Lupinus polyphyllus expansion)

ADAPTATION: basing on the monitoring of managed and unmanaged sample plots and either the revealed expansion or recession of this invasive species the decision on whether to remove or to give up the removal is required in efficient habitat management;

Reconstruction of the forest stands - removal of disease nests, preparation of soil for deciduous species (between the 16th August and 28th of February)

- the expected general increase of air temperatures in winter can entail higher dynamics of forest diseases or the appearance of new pathogens

- the expected general increase of air temperatures in winter can entail limited snow coverage, so the soil humidity in spring can be limited;

MONITORING: it is required to establish monitoring plots in managed and unmanaged forest stands in order to reveal the natural habitat dynamics; it is fairly possible that the so-far applied management measures do not sustain natural evolution of the ecosystem and will have to be adjusted/modified; growth of young trees should also be monitored in order to verify if the natural habitat conditions within the unmanaged plots are suitable for particular species of

vegetation. It is especially important to monitor the status of young forests after the critical meteorological phenomena (harsh storms, long and frost winters, permanent summer saturation) in order to

define habitats resilience to external, climate-related factors.

ADAPTATION: monitoring of unmanaged lands is required to provide a basis for the natural regional dynamics of species and populations; reconstruction of the forest stands should follow the natural dynamics and climate-related processes, especially as to the species composition of particular stands.

Preparation of soils for deciduous and coniferous tree stands

- the expected general increase of air temperatures in winter can entail limited snow coverage, so the soil humidity in spring can be limited;

MONITORING: permanent control of groundwater levels and soil humidity ADAPTATION: it is possible that if the active protection requires certain soil conditions to be mitigated in order to provide appropriate habitat conditions for particular valuable species, then maybe the new forms of soil preparation (e.g. hydro-gels) will be required to be applied; otherwise, if the soil conditions are inappropriate for certain species so far present within the habitat, then the biocenosis should be reconstructed (if required) to become appropriate for new soil conditions.

5 Fill in the tree stands with new trees

- it is expected, that due to the variable climatic conditions (warmer winters, increased frequency of extreme meteorological phenomena – summer storms, floods, increased variability in seasonal changes of climatic conditions) the species composition will require a critical review and will have to face (self)adjustment

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nurseries (mowing of herbs and invasive species)

air temperature variability in late winter/spring time can become a challenge for seeds and young trees, which can multiply the negative influence of herb species on young tree seeds.

- the expected warmer winters can induce more intensive development of herbaceous species and therefore this activity can be required in a broader extent.

self-seeding young trees in natural and unmanaged forest stands in order to define whether the autonomous reconstruction of forests proceeds appropriately; indications gained from this monitoring can provide information for ADAPTATION:

Regulation of species composition and trees density in growing forests (early clearance)

MONITORING: due to increasing intensity of extreme meteorological phenomena it is likely, that in certain tree stands the trees will be damaged. Therefore it is required to monitor the quantitative dynamics of forest damages in order to calculate, if the faced extreme phenomena did not induce the loss of particular amount of tree individuals.

ADAPTATION: it is likely that in years that are rich in extreme meteorological phenomena, additional forest stand clearances will not be required due to the high amount of trees destroyed in result of the natural phenomena.

Regulation of species composition and trees density in young forests (fall clearance) - 16th August - 28th February

Regulation of species composition and trees density in grown forests (early clearance) - 16th August - 28th February

ADAPTATION: it is likely that in years that are rich in extreme meteorological phenomena, additional forest stand

clearances will not be required due to the high amount of trees destroyed in result of the natural phenomena.

Regulation of species composition and trees density in young forests (fall clearance) - 16th August - 28th February

Application of reprellents on trees against grazing by

Cervidae sp.

- due to the prospective increasing saturation of soils, the habitats of the Biebrza Valley will not be appropriate for Cervidae and therefore the problem of tree grazing in the area will decrease,

MONITORING: it is advised to monitor the dynamics and migrations of Cervidae within the valley of Biebrza as well as the relation of grazing damages in forest stands with the hydrological conditions of the valley;

ADAPTATION: a strong monitoring background is indispensible in placing and intensity of this management measure application.

Application of mechanic covers on trees against grazing by Cervidae sp.

- due to the prospective increasing saturation of soils, the habitats of the Biebrza Valley will not be appropriate for Cervidae and therefore the problem of tree grazing in the area will decrease,

ADAPTATION: a strong monitoring background is indispensible in placing and intensity of this management measure application.

13 Fencing young forests

- climate variability (warmer winters bigger variability of meteorological phenomena) can entail annual dynamics in sensitivity of forest stands to the pressures of grazing species

MONITORING: monitoring of the relation between climatic variability and variable in time pressure of grazing species as well as the resistance of tree stands to the grazing is required in order to define clear criteria of forest stands’ protection by fences ADAPTATION: a strong monitoring background of climatic and meteorological phenomena as well as the dynamics of grazing populations are indispensible in placing and intensity of this management measure application.

14 Maintenance of existing forest fences

- due to the prospective increasing saturation of soils, the habitats of the Biebrza Valley will face

MONITORING: monitoring of the relation between climatic variability and variable in time pressure of grazing species as well as

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decreasing pressures of forest- foraging species

the resistance of tree stands to the grazing is required in order to define clear criteria of forest stands’ protection by fences ADAPTATION: a strong monitoring background of climatic and meteorological phenomena as well as the dynamics of grazing populations are indispensible in placing and intensity of this management measure application.

Clearance of forest boundaries - 16th August - 28th February

- in case of prospective increase of frequency of extreme phenomena (storms) it is likely, that the fallen trees will be required to be removed from the intra-forest boundaries to keep them visible;

MONITORING: continuous control of meteorological phenomena (wind speed, storm frequency) can provide an information on potential threats ADAPTATION: field forest services of BNP should be prepared for the possible increased requirements as to the clearances of forest boundaries; the measures should be applied in defined spots and remain based on regular field monitoring of sanitary status of forest stands.

Maintenance of the sanitary status of forests: a) monitoring of forest insects in 156 life-keeping traps, b) removal of trees from forest stands infected by injuring insects and destroyed in result of extreme meteorological phenomena

- the expected general increase of temperatures in winter and spring can prerequisite changes in dynamics of the tree-invasive insect species compositions, abundance and temporal dynamics;

MONITORING: it is required to combine and analyse the multi-year data on particular insect’s population dynamics together with the climatic background. It is likely that the numbers and distribution of tree-invasive insect’s population dynamics are related to meteorological phenomena (length of winter, precipitation, seasonal fluctuations of the air temperature) ADAPTATION: once the monitoring results are preliminarily ready and the possible relation between the tree-invasive insect species abundance and meteorological conditions are revealed, it will be compulsory to prepare the scenarios for trapping and tree-stands monitoring in regard with climatic conditions;

18 Removal of invasive species

Helianthus tuberosus

- the expected general increase of temperatures in winter and spring can prerequisite quicker expansion of the Helianthus tuberosus;

MONITORING: research on sample plots located within various areas of the BNP, where the species is both removed and not removed (monitoring of numbers and dynamics of Lupinus polyphyllus expansion)

19 Removal of invasive species

Spiraea sp.

- the expected general increase of temperatures in winter and spring

MONITORING: research on sample plots located within various areas of the BNP,

can prerequisite quicker expansion of the Spiraea sp.

where the species is both removed and not removed (monitoring of numbers and dynamics of Spiraea sp. expansion) ADAPTATION: basing on the monitoring of managed and unmanaged sample plots and either the revealed expansion or recession of this invasive species the decision on whether to remove or to give up the removal is required in efficient habitat management;

Removal of invasive species

Quercus rubra, Padus serotina, Acer negundo

- the expected general increase of temperatures in winter and spring can prerequisite quicker expansion of the Quercus rubra, Padus

serotina, Acer negundo;

MONITORING: research on sample plots located within various areas of the BNP, where the species is both removed and not removed (monitoring of numbers and dynamics of Quercus rubra, Padus

serotina, Acer negundo expansion)

Manual removal of shrubs and trees, mowing and biomass removal in order to conserve alcalic fens (habitat 7230);

- the expected increase of groundwater recharge and groundwater levels as well as the projected increase of frequency and duration of floods in periods of water development is likely to impose the limitation of

contemporary observed secondary succession of trees and shrubs; - it is likely that if the prognosed climatic changes continue to follow the observed trends, any measures aimed at the reduction of secondary succession will not be necessary;

MONITORING: it is advised to establish monitoring plots that cover areas with removed and not removed shrubs and trees; additionally in both types of plots the automatic monitoring of water levels should be established in order to detect the relation between groundwater levels and shrubs/trees expansion.

ADAPTATION: on the basis of the

monitoring one should decide whether the cut-off and removal of shrubs and trees is still required, as it is possible that the open landscape of fen ecosystems will become self sustaining in result of climate-induced impacts.

Manual removal of shrubs and trees, mowing and biomass removal in order to conserve alcalic fens (habitat 7230);

the expected increase of groundwater recharge and groundwater levels as well as the projected increase of frequency and duration of floods in periods of water development is likely to impose the limitation of

ADAPTATION: on the basis of the

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Manual and automatic mowing and biomass removal in order to conserve alcalic fens (habitat 7230)

- increased frequency of summer flooding can entail illegal drainage (done by private land managers that rent the land from BNP), if the habitat conservation measures are dependent on agro-environmental schemes which benefit farmers only if the meadow is mown, regardless the conditions hydrologic

conditions. It is likely that the so far observed illegal drainage of habitats 7230 will continue and thus – habitats will decently deteriorate in result of indirect influences of the climate change;

MONITORING: it is advised to establish monitoring plots that cover areas that are unmown completely and mown on a regular basis (annually, bi-annually, every 5

In document Climate-Adapted Management Plan (CAMP) for Biebrza National Park (Page 69-83)