Contents Introduction. Natura 2000 network significance and forest cover. Current threats to Natura 2000 conservation objectives related to forestry. Guidance from the European Commission. Integration between forest management and Natura 2000. A case study: natural disturbances. The Vaia windstorm of October 2018 in the South-Eastern Alps: natural disturbance or climate change? Precedents from North America and Europe and their implications. The concept and management implications of the «unpredictable disturbances» for Natura 2000. The case of Białowieża Forest.

1. Forest management
and Natura 2000: perspectives
from the South-Eastern Alps
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Credit:ThomasCampagnaro Credit:ThomasCampagnaro Credit: ThomasCampagnaro Credit: ThomasCampagnaroCredit: Tommaso Sitzia
Natura2000 Biogeographical Process
Alpineand Continental Region
Forest management and Natura2000 in the
Alpineand Continental biogeographical
regions:bridgingresearch and practice
Recallingthehistoricconcept of sustainableusein forestry toNatura2000
Padova,21-23June,2016
Venue:PadovaUniversity – BoPalaceandBotanical Garden
Fieldvenue:MontelloandCansiglioforests
Tommaso Sitzia
tommaso.sitzia@unipd.it
International Online Seminar
Focus on forests
24 November 2020

2. Overview of the presentation
• Introduction
– Natura 2000 network significance and forest cover
– Current threats to Natura 2000 conservation objectives related to
forestry
– Guidance from European Commission
– Integration between forest management and Natura 2000
• A case study: natural disturbances
– The Vaia windstorm of October 2018 in the South-Eastern Alps:
natural disturbance or climate change?
– Precedents from North America and Europe and their implications
– The concept and management implications of the «unpredictable
disturbances» for Natura 2000
– The case of Białowieża Forest

4. Forest habitats
make up almost
one third of the
area of Annex I
habitats: over
500,000 km2. This
represents over
50% of the total
area in Natura
2000 and around
21% of the total
forest resource in
the EU

5. European Union species
linked to forests
• 121 Annex I Habitats Directive species
– 11 amphibians
– 23 mammals
– 44 invertebrates
– 43 plants
• Some 63 species listed in Annex I of the Birds
Directive are also considered to be closely
associated with forests

7. Forest habitat types
• In total 85 forest habitat types in Annex I,
including 29 priority habitats
• Examples in the following slides

8. 9110 – Luzulo-Fagetum beech forests

9. 9130 – Asperulo-Fagetum beech forests

10. 91D0
* Bog woodlands

11. https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/state-of-nature-in-the-eu-2020

12. https://www.
eea.europa.e
u/publications
/state-of-
nature-in-the-
eu-2020
boschive che hanno il centro azien-
dale nella valle stessa, se si esclu-
dono casi rari nei quali si ha notizia
di lotti voluminosi assegnati a ditte
boschive austriache. In questo sen-
so, un'analisi della situazione loca-
le è interessante quanto quella re-
gionale.
Secondo dati recenti (GRIGO-
LATO, in verbis) in Valle del Boite
operano 8 ditte boschive, nelle qua-
li lavorano 19 persone. L'età media
del titolare è di circa 45 anni. Le
ditte più produttive della valle arri-
vano a lavorare annualmente circa
5.000-6.000 m3
. Il parco macchine
è costituito da 39 motoseghe, 19
trattori, di cui 30% cingolati, 14
verricelli, 7 rimorchi forestali, 2 te-
leferiche, 1 cippatrice, 1 processo-
re, 1 skidder e 2 forwarder. Una
ditta fuori provincia svolge abi-
tualmente servizio di cippatura.
La struttura del personale, la
dotazione e la capacità operativa
delle imprese boitane rispecchia gli
standard medi di quelle regionali
(Tabella 3.1) con eccellenze date
dalla disponibilità relativamente
elevata di mezzi innovativi.
Uno studio svolto nel 2005, ma
relativamente attuale, sui problemi
e sulle aspettative del comparto
delle imprese boschive, svolto in
un contesto territoriale molto vici-
Photo: S. Grigolato

13. https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/state-of-nature-in-the-eu-2020

14. Forest cover changes (clear-cut areas in
both coppices and high forests) averaged
by 25 km × 25 km grid (from Borrelli et al.
2016).
2000-2012the impact of forestry is not the same everywhere

15. Management models and best practices
• http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/nat
ura2000/management/habitats/models_en.ht
m
• http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/nat
ura2000/management/best_practice_en.htm

16. Guidance from EC

17. Links to the two reports
• http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/info/pu
bs/docs/nat2000/n2kforest_en.pdf
• http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura
2000/management/docs/Final%20Guide%20N20
00%20%20Forests%20Part%20I-II-Annexes.pdf
• http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura
2000/management/docs/Final%20Guide%20N20
00%20Forests%20Part%20III.pdf
• (extracts in the following slides)

18. Necessary management practices
For a number of sites, it may be that existing
forestry management practices are precisely the
reason why a particular habitat or species is in a
good degree of conservation in the first place. In
such cases it will be important to ensure that
these practices are continued also into the
future, and possibly even extended to other
areas

19. Historical and current
management
Forest habitats of
Community interest which
have been established by
historical and current
management and which
would disappear or change
into other forest types under
non-intervention
management will require the
continuation of active
management
Photo: A. Rizzi

20. Logging
Logging can have positive
effects in one place, for
example by allowing more
light to reach the soil or by
removing unwanted species,
but represent a problem in
another place where it could
lead to the degradation of
the structure and functions
of a protected habitat type
Appropriate measures,
restrictions or limitations can
be included for instance in
the elaboration of forest
management plans

21. An optimal capercaille habitat is very rich in structure and niches
Source: FOEN (2001): Auerhuhn und Waldbewirtschaftung

22. Natural succession
• In the case of natural succession occurring in
semi-natural habitat types, measures would need
to be taken to halt this process if it is likely to
negatively affect species or habitat types for
which the site has been designated (ECJ Ruling C-
06/0458).
• The provision does not apply when the process
cannot be influenced by active management (e.g.
climate change-induced deterioration)

24. Photos by F. Angeli
24

25. Photo by Fabio Angeli

26. Integration
• A forest management plan can also serve as Natura 2000
management plan if Natura 2000 objectives are integrated
• Also in this case, the forestry measures not necessary for
the conservation management of the site should be
screened with a view to excluding the likeliness of negative
effects on the site and the results of this screening should
be documented in the management plan.
• Both in the case of Natura 2000 management plans that
integrate 'normal' forest management measures, as in the
case of forest management plans that integrate Natura
2000 conservation measures, a close cooperation between
the competent nature and forest authorities and the
interested forest owners and managers is necessary

27. Forest management plans Natura 2000 sites
An example from the South-Eastern Alps:
integration is possible
in green: forest management plans or Natura 2000 sites
in red: windthrown areas after the Vaia (or Adrian) storm (October 2018)

28. http://foresta.sisef.org/contents/?id=efor3070-01628
impact of the Vaia storm on the South-Eastern Alpine forests

30. During his life,
Abraham Lincoln held
many jobs including
surveyor in the 1830s
Historic catastrophic windstorms in North America

31. In Wisconsin
between 1834-
1873: 413
windthrown areas
of more 1 hectare
(the largest: 3785
ha) in pre-
settlement forests
(Canham e Loucks
1984)
United States General Land Office Survey
of Wisconsin (1834-1873)

32. (Canham e Loucks 1984)
Prior to the 4 July 1977 storm
in Wisconsin, the potentially
catastrophic effects of
thunderstorms on forests of
temperate regions were
generally not recognised
… presettlement records (see
previous slide) … indicate that
thunderstorms were a major
source of catastrophic
disturbance to forests
thunderstorm downbursts
appear to be a previosly
unrecognised but potentially
significant natural mechanism
for the maintenance of a
diversity of successional forest
communities
32

33. Implications, reactions…
• Large clearcuts would reduce the
length of exposed perimeter for a
given area cut (Savill 1983)
• Smith et al. (1987) recommend
that peatland black spruce (...)
be harvested before they reach
20 or 21 m (rotation period)
• In an extensive silviculture
context, relying on large
clearcuts as the main harvesting
method, windthrow remains a
minor concern (Ruel 1995) http://www.clearcutoregon.com/

34. Historic catastrophic windstorms in Europe
Storms in Northern France (1900-2000)
8
9
10
11
12
1900 1925 1950 1975 2000
Windspeed(Beafourtscale)
Year
Garnier 2012, modified

35. … and from 1500 to 2000 !!
(archives produites par les juridictions forestières, Garnier 2012, modif.)
8
9
10
11
12
1500 1550 1600 1650 1700 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000
Windspeed(Beafourtscale)
Year

36. Paradoxically, the
storms have
contributed in some
provinces of the
Kingdom of France,
known for their
peculiarities, to the
emergence of forestry
claims against the
legislation in force, as
against the great
ordinance of Colbert
on forests and water
of 1669 (Garnier
2004)
Implications, reactions…

37. unpredictable disturbances
and Natura 2000 according to the
European Commission
• Frequently asked questions on Natura 2000 of the European
Commision (faq n° 34): «unpredictable natural disturbances
being part of the ecosystem dynamics should not be
interpreted as deterioration (storms, fires, floods, etc.) »
• p. 29 Commission Notice no. 7621 / 2018: it may be necessary
to adopt both measures intended to avoid external man-
caused impairment and disturbance and measures to prevent
natural developments that may cause the conservation status
of species and habitats in SACs to deteriorate’. For instance, in
the case of natural succession or of climate change effects…
37

38. Salvage logging in the South-Eastern Alps

39. 39

40. http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/02/european-court-backs-
opponents-logging-primeval-polish-forest
40

41. Conclusions
• A great part of the Natura 2000 network is composed by forests
• Appropriate measures can be included in the elaboration of forest management plans
• Forest management should be regarded as a necessary practice for the conservation of some
species and habitats
• Forestry is a partner also for conserving open habitats
• Forest management and planning should be integrated with the Natura 2000 conservation
objectives
• A case study: in the past, forestry practice has always reacted to supposedly «unprecedented
events», like catastrophic windstorms, searching for new paradigms
• The same is happening in South-Eastern Alps after the storm Vaia (or Adrian)
• A controversial point is whether catastrophic windthrowns are either:
– «unprecedented»
– significant natural mechanism for mainteinance of diversity
– a consequence of the antropogenic climate crisis
• The above point influences how the authorities should act after these events:
– One one side, they may avoid developments that may cause the conservation status to deteriorate (for
example bark beetle outbreaks)
– On the other side, they could consider those developments part of the ecosystem dynamics