PlanningFROM

biodiversity

Best practices in forest management in Natura

2000Spain

Planing for Biodiversity, Warsaw, November 2011

•Mainstreaming biodiversity and Natura 2000 into the forestry policy

• Mainstreaming biodiversity and Natura 2000 into the forest management

WHAT PLANNING FROM BIODIVERSITY MEANS

WHAT ARE WE PLANNING FOR

•Forests can live without people. In fact, they love to!

• But people cannot live without forests… although many people don´t know it

•Forests ARE biodiversity. Forests without biodiversity are only “agriculture”

•So let's be selfish: Let's plan FOR us, let's plan FOR people FROM biodiversity

• After Sweden, the largest forest area among EU member States

• 56,27 million has. (57% of the country area, from which 60% are forest and 40% scrubland)

• 4 biogeographical regions and wide alttitudinal differences: 17 different forest types

• Ownership: 10% Estate-regional authorities, 24 % municipalities, 66% private

• Timber production: 37% forest area

• Timber harvesting: 15,7 million m3/year

Forests in Spain

4 Biogeographical Regions

116 habitat types (including 27 forest habitats

Nearly 27% of Spain (plus marine areas)

Sustainable management in practice: Valsain Forest

Guadarrama mountains (North slope)Region: Castilla y LeonDistance from Madrid: 73 km

Royal property from 1768 to 1934

Property of National Heritage from 1934 to 1982

Property of National Parks Body from 1982

Starting of timber extraction: XV C.

Starting of active management: XVIII C.

• TOTAL AREA: 10,668 ha

• OWNER: National Parks Body (Ministry of the Environment, and Rural and Marine Affairs)

• VASCULAR FLORA: 867 taxons (excluded 69 alochthonous species)

• MAMMALS: 45• BIRDS: 150 (over 100 nesting species incluing Aquila adalberti and Aegypus monachus)• REPTILES: 15• AMPHIBIANS: 10• FISH: 5

• NATURAL HABITATS: Pinus sylvestris forest as most predominant habitat. Quercus pyrenaica forests, Quercus ilex forests, riparian forests, mixed forests (Corylus avellanus, Salix sp., Fraxinus angustifolia, Prunus avium, Populus tremula, Betula alba...), Ilex aquifolium forest

• PROTECTION DESIGNATIONS:

Special Protection Area (SPA), 1988Site of Community Importance (SIC), 1998Critical Area (Spanish Imperial Eagle Recovery Plan), 2003

USES

Timber production

Cattle grazing

Mushroom and firewood picking

Hunting

Recreational use

Research (Scientific fieldwork)

NATIONAL CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION

- Resource Centre (Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs) supporting public or private groups carrying out environmental education programmes or activities, and environmental communication activities.

- Supports environmental education and information activities carried out at Valsain Forest.

VALSAIN SAWMILL

- Owner: National Parks Body

- Processes the timber felled from Valsain forest

- Production: 30.000 m3 plank under the trade mark „Maderas de Valsain” (registred trade mark, 1991) plus biomass pellets and briquettes

MANAGEMENT INSTRUMENTS

ForestryCattle grazing, other economic activitiesHunting Public use, environmental education/informationConservation of habitats and species

FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN (6th Review in force)

Complementary instruments:

Plan for the Valsain Forest Hunting Estate

PROCEDURE RULES

FOR FELLING CONTROL

FOR FIRE FIGHTING

FOR PLAGUE MANAGEMENT

FOR DEAD WOOD MANAGEMENT

FOR CONTROL AND MONITORING OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

FOR ASSESSMENT OF HABITATS AND FLORA AND FAUNA TAXONS

FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION

WHO?

- National Parks Body (coordination and approval)

- National Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs (Several Departments)

- Regional Government of Castilla y Leon (Several Departments)

FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN

San Ildefonso Municipality

National Heritage Body

Representatives of cattle breeders

Representatives of hunters

Representatives of hospitality and active tourism sectors

CENEAM (National Center for Environmental Education and Communication)

CSIC (National Council for Scientific Research)

Environmental NGOs

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN PLANNING

Species m3

Pinus sylvestris 2.622.190

Pinus nigra 2.393

Quercus pyrenaica 58.793

Quercus ilex 3.822

Pinus sylvestris potential 32.374,75

Quercus sp. potential 500

Forest timber stocks and potential

SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY IN THE FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN

General goal: To maintain an irregular forest including trees of all ages (planning from biodiversity) while producing a sustained yield of timber, and other economic benefits (planning for people)

Forest is divided into 25 working circles for different purposes (mostly production)

One circle devoted to recreational purposes (3 recreative areas, Interpretation Centre, CENEAM)

At least in 1working circle of pine forest timber is not felled in order to mantain an area of mature natural forest

METHOD: Floating periodic blocks/felling method group shelterwood cutting

Classification of different stands in the working circle by maturity of the trees:

A) Regeneration group: during the review period regeneration should be begun, continued or completed (Thinning)

B) Improvement group: stands in which regeneration has been achieved (Mature trees are felled and liberation felling is carried out to achieved optimum density)

C) Preparation group: stands with full density and almost mature trees

Pines maturity: 120 years

NO LOGGING in pine forest:

* In a radius of 100 m around Black Vulture and Imperial Eagle nests

* In a radius of 500 m around Black Vulture and Imperial Eagle nests during breeding period

* In high visibility areas (impact on landscape)

* Holly tree forests, mixed forests, holm oak forests

* In, at least, one working circle of pine forest (working circle = 400 has approx.)

CERTIFIED FOREST

Timber production: 32.500 m3/year.

Pasture for 1403 cows, 165 horses, 2500 sheeps

Game (1.296 has. 220 shooting, 41 hunting)

Recreation for 500.000 visitors/year

CO2 sink (net sequestration 33.904 t/year)

Job creation: 10% of active population in the municipality

STAFF AT VALSAIN FOREST

52 PEOPLE UNDER THE FOREST AND SAWMILL DIRECTOR (Field workers, sawmill staff, administrative staff, forest rangers, environment agents, 4 qualified specialists)

Plus assistance from public and private enterprises taken on for different technical matters

capavar@neostrada.pl