Integration of Natura 2000 management plans with planning in agriculture Aquatic Warbler study case Jarosław Krogulec OTOP-Polish Polish Society for the Protection of Birds
IMPORTANCE OF POLISH FARMLAND FOR NATURE: 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Extensive grasslands in Poland are home to globally threatened species Polish agricultural land is a key area for the conservation of species which are very rare or do not exist in many western Member States Poland plays a major role as a breeding ground for common agricultural birds, which are in serious decline across the EU-15 % of EU population Aquatic Warbler White Stork Greater Spotted Eagle Ortolan Bunting Grey Partridge Yellow Wagtail Common Grasshopper-warbler Corncrake Marsh Warbler Whinchat Eurasian Skylark Eurasian River Warbler Lesser Spotted Eagle Barn Swallow Yellowhammer Red-backed Shrike
Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola Indicator species of extensively mown fen meadows
Aquatic Warbler range 2009: about 13.500 singing males
Poland holds a quarter of the world breeding population. It is Poland s biggest national bird responsibility. Aquatic Warbler world population - 2009 together c. 13 400 Lithuania (150) Poland (3155), of these 55 "Pomerania" Belarus (5410) Hungary (195) Russia (158) Ukraine (4360)
Polish AW population Podlasie region without Biebrza 4% Polesie region 15% Western Poland ("Pomerania") 2% Biebrza Valley 79%
Aquatic Warbler Species Action Plans
Granica państwa PKP PKP Brzozówka Białystok Biebrza River Valley PLB 200006 Augustów Kan. Augustowski Jez. Rajgrodzkie Rajgród Jez. Dreństwo Jez. Tajno Ełk Ełk Jegrznia Biebrza Kan. Kuwasy Grajewo Kan. Woźnawiejski Las Ciszewski Ełk Piekielne Wrota Czerwone Bagno Warszawa PKP Osowiec Sztabin Suchowola Dąbrowa Białostocka Lipsk Nowy Dwór Granica państwa Białystok Augustów Augustów Kan. Rudzki Goniądz Osowiec Twierdza Siedziba Dyrekcji BPN PKP Radziłów Mońki Wissa Białystok Trzcianne Biebrza Bagno Ławki Narew Tykocin Wizna BNP Management Plan draft since 2001
Majority semi-natural Półnaturalność siedlisk meadows in the Biebrza Valley were hand mown in the past.
L a n d u s e in 1 9 6 2 : m o w e d m e a d o w s
Koszenie w 2003 M o w e d in 2 0 0 3
Koszenie 2001 M o w e d in 2 0 0 1
Threat of plant succession (end of 90): Tree encroachment Bush encroachment Reed encroachment 1 454 ha 5 897 ha 2 690 ha Mosaic of open and forested habitat 5 110 ha Total 15 151 ha Source: BNP Management Plan draft, 2001
Needed management activities in Biebrza NP: Mowing and grazing 32 562 ha urgent 8 478 ha during next few years 14 130 ha later 9 954 ha Bush and tree removal 8 000 ha Source: BNP Management Plan draft, 2001
Protection activities executed by Biebrza NP BNP does not receive any money for active protection from state budget. All active management realized by BNP is done thanks to the external - limited - funds and AES.
NATURE CONSERVATION MEASURES IN AES 2007-2013: 2013: Variant 4 (5).1. Protection of bird breeding habitats Breeding habitat of Montagu s Harrier, Corncrake, Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Snipe, Great snipe, Curlew, Dunlin and Aquatic Warbler
NATURE CONSERVATION MEASURES IN AES 2007-2013: 2013: Date of mowing 3. Extensive management on meadows and pastures from 1 June Mown area 90-95 % Rotatnion grasslands Livestock units per ha 4 (5).1. Protection of bird breeding habitats Main requirements from 1 August 90-95 % (50-70 %) 4 (5).2. Small sedge-moss communities from 15 July 4 (5).3. Tall sedge swamps from 15 July 4 (5).4. Litter meadows Molinion and Cnidion from 15 September 50% 20% l 50% l < 0,3 LU/ha < 0,2 LU/ha < 0,2 Luha 0,5-1,0 LU/ha < 0,5 (0,5-1,0) LU/ha <0,2 LU/ha Charge of a pasture 10 DJP/ha 10 DJP/ha 5 DJP/ha Fertilization <60 kg N/ha/year < 60 kg N/ha/year Payment (PLN/ha) Out of Natura2000 500 1200 1200 800 1200 In Natura2000 500 1370 1390 910 1390
About 12 500 ha of State property was leased for farmers. Land leasers are obliged to create local scale management plans based on ornithological and botanical survey. Management plans must be approved by BNP administration.
Kombajn z przyczepą 2
Kombajn z przyczepą1
Koszenie 2005-2010
Ocena 5 (zasięgi 1)
Final graph Aquatic Warbler Bagno Lawki 1800 1600 Total number singing males 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 unmanaged managed 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 mean and 95% confidence intervals
Chełm Calcareous Marshes PLB060002
Chełm Calcareous Marshes SPA case:
Natura 2000 Man Plan draft since 2009
Chełm Calcareous Marshes SPA case: (western part o Błota Serebryskie mire) Till the late 1980thies area was drained and early mowed for hay by collective farm. After collapsing of collective farming in Poland this area was abandoned. Meanwhile project of rewetting of neighbouring areas by Chełm Landscape Park Administratiom increased water table and start the vegetation restoration. Previous early mown grasslands overgrown by sedges and Cladium stands. Since 2005 a new owner of the area starts agro- environmental programme package extensive meadow mowing after 1st of June and stopping succession. In effect first AW return to this territory and according to monitoring in 2008 there was 9 singing males and 36 in June 2011.
2011 mowing of Chełm Marshes
Rozwarowo Marshes PLB 320001
Rozwarowo Marshes the largest Pomeranian breeding site
Management recommendations slightly eutrophic sites Late summer or winter land use with stripes unmown (nest building material, wintering of prey); prevent (further) eutrophication
Annual early land use not needed not needed not needed Annual late land use Sporadic land use intensity of land use not needed not needed not needed No land use intensity and duration of drainage and eutrophication mesotrophic rather poor sites (C/N 26-33) mesotrophic medium sites (C/N 20-33) eutrophic moderately rich sites (C/N 13-20) eutrophic rich sites (C/N 10-13)
PRESCRIPTIONS FOR FUTURE: To increase uptake of AES: The complicated application and administration bureaucracy should be simplified More budget for effective grassland schemes is needed. To improve effect of the schemes: The rule that N2K Plans and other conservation plans override contradicting AES prescriptions needs to be applied across the country In the next planning period, specific N2K measures should be made possible that can prescribe certain measures not covered by the AES packages and remunerate for them (e.g. water level, water quality) The monitoring of environmental effectiveness of agri-environmental schemes should be launched.
Trends in Ecology and Evolution, September 2011, Vol. 26, No. 9 Mixed effects of farmland biodiversity conservation in old MS Conserving what is left is more effective than getting back what was lost
Ogólnopolskie Towarzystwo Ochrony Ptaków ul. OdrowąŜa 24; 05-270 Marki k. Warszawy tel: (22) 761 82 05 / 889 67 45 46 faks: (22) 761 90 51 www.otop.org.pl e-mail: jaroslaw.krogulec@otop.org.pl Ogólnopolskie Towarzystwo Ochrony Ptaków podejmuje się licznych działań mających na celu właściwą ochronę ptaków krajobrazu rolniczego i miejsc ich występowania. Wszystkie te działania opatrzone są wspólnym logo kampanii Rolnictwo Przyjazne Przyrodzie.