Preservation of wetland habitats in the upper Biebrza Valley

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

The natural and semi-natural wetlands of the upper Biebrza Valley host a number of rare and endangered European habitat types listed in the annexes of EU Habitats Directive, such as the priority bog woodlands, as well as alkaline fens, transition mires and quaking bogs and Molinia meadows. These valuable natural and semi-natural wetland habitat types host many rare flora and fauna species highlighted for conservation in the annexes of the Habitats and Birds directives. Despite the high nature value of the area, however, comparison of land-use data has shown that over the past 30 years, forest cover has grown by nearly 95%. Over the same period, the area of non-forested ecosystems has diminished by 57%. The decline of the humid grasslands/meadows is attributed to the abandonment of traditional agricultural practices e.g. grazing and/or cutting regimes, as well as altered and simplified structures of the ecological landscape. The result has been a loss of valuable European plant communities, as well as a decline in important flora species and biotopes and associated fauna.

OBJECTIVES

The project’s overall objective was to increase the biodiversity of the upper Biebrza Valley through the restoration and maintenance of the mosaic of natural and semi natural wetland habitat types. The actions targeting the conservation of the habitats benefitted also a lot of rare EU flora and fauna species.

Specific project objectives were:

Restoration of the mosaic of non-forested wetland ecosystems;

Improvement in the conservation status of associated wetland plant communities and especially of biotopes supporting rare bird species associated with the open grassland/ meadows;

Improvement of the management efficiency of the project area of Natura 2000 network sites, 92% of which are privately-owned. Natura 2000 is currently viewed by local stakeholders, such as landowners and local and regional authorities, as a factor limiting economic development. A key aim, therefore, will be to demonstrate the economic benefits of land management in accordance with nature protection policies;

Groundwater stabilisation of the targeted wetlands; and

Integration of the project’s nature protection objectives with the development of tourist activity.

 

Expected results were:

• to stabilise the groundwater level of bog woodland (*91D0), alkaline fens (7230), transition mires and quaking bogs (7140) and Molinia meadows (6410), through liquidation of drainage system on some 35 km;
• to use the results of hydrological studies carried out over the course of the project for management of four Natura 2000 sites: “Dolina Biebrzy”, “Ostoja Biebrzańska”, “Puszcza Augustowska”, and “Ostoja Augustowska”;
• to achieve sustainable land management for the targeted habitats, as well as for the habitats of the aquatic warbler through land purchase, or long-term lease of private land;
• to restore a mosaic of 460 ha of non-forested wetland habitats and to guarantee its sustainable management;
• to develop principles for forest use on some 1,200 ha of bog woodland (*91D0) and a simplified forest inventory plan for privately-owned forests;
• to integrate protection of Natura 2000 habitats and species with local development through small-scale tourist infrastructure.

 

RESULTS

The project reached most of the foreseen objectives and indicators: 754 ha (out of 751 ha) of target habitats were restored, 5,700 m of roads were repaired instead of 4,030 m, all hydro-technical and tourist infrastructures were built, and additional tourist walkways with floating crossing were installed in collaboration with the local community. However, some indicators were not fully achieved (only over 380 ha of target habitats were restored out of 460 ha). A detailed analysis of the land cover showed that there are only about 560 ha of the habitat *91D0 (out of 1,271 ha) and most of this land is located on the parcels recorded in the land register as non-forest plots, therefore, it was necessary to reclassify them into forest plots. Fortunately, up to 120 ha of the *91D0 habitat were purchased or leased to be protected in the long-term. Additional 100 ha of the *91D0 habitat are protected thanks to compensation that has been paid to hold target habitat. Finally, the project succeeded in establishing a management strategy in the project area which feeds into further regional development strategies, and therefore it contributes to a more coherent management and improved conservation measures.