This was the presentation which I hold during the ECNC, CEEWEB workshop on Natura 2000 biogreographical process. I used the Kalkalpen National Park as an example how wilderness and non-intervention management might be implemented in Europe, in mountains and in Natura 2000 sites

1. Implementing the EC wilderness
guidance in an Alpine environment –
Kalkalpen National Park
Zoltán Kun, Chairman

2. Target
Not arguing that wilderness should take over N2000, but protect
the last pieces STRICTLY
Wilderness and Wild land are disappearing (infrastructure +
urbanisation + unsustainable development)
Growing pressure on the EU Directives to ensure minimisation of
obstacles to economic recovery
Budgetary constraints
 Priority for wilderness is downgrading
My examples will show that its possible within N2000 framework

4. Basic Information

5. Basic data
Natura 2000 code: AT3111000
Alpine biogeographical region
IUCN Category National Park (Cat. II)
Total size of protected area: 21,454 ha
Total size of relevant N2000: 20,847 ha
Size of wilderness:? (claimed between 15,000 ha and
17,600 ha)

6. The importance
of zonation
core-zones with non-intervention
management (green)
and surrounding
bark beetle control
strips (pink and
yellow)

7. Dominant N2000
habitat types
9150 Limestone beech forest
9130 beech forest
9140 sub-alpine beech
forest
9410 Acidophilus picea
forests of the montane to
alpine levels
9420 Alpine Larix decidua
and/or Pinus cembra forests
Important Annex II
species
Yellow-bellied toed
Capercaillie
Black grouse
Hasel grouse
Lynx

8. Restoration measures

9. Applying a systematic approach in
restoring wilderness
The objective is to designate 75% of the total area as
wilderness
Prohibition of extractive use
Decrease fragmentation
Closing and if needed removing existing roads (310
km)

10. Wilderness guidence document
Kalkalpen was taken as a role model for restoring
wilderness values in mountain forest
The challenge was to overcome the forestry regulation
which orders the park management to act in case of
bark beetle outbreak
 Creating an exception!

11. Legal background
Cooperation with various stakeholders (the national
state forestry company, private landowners, NGOs) in
order to prepare a wilderness development plan
Enforcing the plan through
- The district administration
- General assembly of the National Park (!)

12. Monitoring

13. Species monitoring actions
Capercaillie
Lynx reintroduction
Wilderness management practice contributed to the
apearance of 6 different species of woodpeckers

14. Ecosystem dynamics
Analysing the consequences of natural disturbances
- Bark beetle
- Avalanches
- Windfall  2008 Kyril storm resulted the increase of
deadwood from 16 m3/ha to 25 m3/ha
- Succession processes
- Floods

15. Social effect
Special emphasis is given to visitor management and
wilderness interpretation
Developing a clear message to visitors about
wilderness (As Nature Intended)
Opportunity to learn about ecosystem dynamics,
biodiversity benefits, saving genetic resources
Kalkalpen is part of a larger green belt!

16. European Wilderness Society
Polistovsky NR © Polistovsky Nature Reserve archive

17. Our Society restores the Wild Heart
of Europe and Europeans through
IDENTIFYING, DESIGNATING AND MANAGING
existing wilderness areas, EXPANDING
their size AND PROMOTING their values
for mankind!
Archipelago NP © ANP Archives

20. WWW.WILDERNESS-SOCIETY.ORG
@EUWilderness #MOREWILDERNESSINEUROPE
JOIN US TO SECURE
WILDERNESS FOR
FUTURE GENERATIONS

21. The European Wilderness Society
works to identify, designates,
manages and promotes Europe’s
wilderness, the continent’s most
undisturbed areas of nature
www.wilderness-society.org