Protection of natural resources of Kampinos Forest – Natura 2000 Site, through the renaturalisation of bought-up land.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

The protection of European habitat types and species within the Puszcza Kampinoska Natura 2000 network site has been facilitated by the renaturalisation of areas bought by the state and permanently managed by the Kampinos National Park (KPN) authority. The land purchase programme began in 1975 and continues today with various minor modifications. As soon as land is acquired, KPN begins the renaturalisation activities. This normally includes scientific research, monitoring and implementation of the park's protection plan. Protection measures are determined after evaluating the natural quality of each plot of land and its surroundings. The opinion of the park's Scientific Council is sought and permission is requested from the Minister of the Environment.

OBJECTIVES

The overall strategic objective of the project, ActiveKPN, was to conserve several valuable European habitats and species through concrete conservation activities. The location of the project area in the vicinity of Warsaw, the capital of Poland, causes enormous pressure for the site, specifically the threat from urbanisation. The project actions therefore aimed to stimulate an increased level of activity to address these pressures and other conservation threats to several target habitats and species found within the project area; and to increase their rate of progress towards a favourable conservation status. This would be achieved by carrying out renaturalisation activities on areas of purchased land in the Kampinos National Park. A Management Plan for the park highlights how such actions are in line with EU Biodiversity Strategy targets.

Specific objectives were as follows

To improve the conservation status of important European habitats and species found in the park (i.e. these are protected by national legislation and also listed in the annexes of the Habitats and Birds directives). Target species included: beaver (Castor fiber), otter (Lutra lutra), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), various amphibians and reptiles, the corncrake (Crex crex), crane (Grus grus), bittern (Botaurus stellaris), and the scarce large blue butterfly (Maculinea teleius) and large copper butterfly (Lycaena dispar);

To reduce the pressure of urbanisation on the purchased land;

To improve the hydrological condition of marshland areas within the Kampinos National Park;

To improve the effectiveness of ecological corridors by eliminating strips of privately-owned land (often fenced) within the park. This was identified as an especially important measure for the large mammals, as well as the reptiles and amphibians;

To stop intensive farming activities and the associated use of chemical fertilisers/pesticides causing groundwater pollution;

To increase the park’s CO2 absorption capacity as a result of the growth of biomass in forest ecosystems introduced on former arable land;

To eliminate or reduce various threats, including from forest fires, road accidents, poaching, the picking of forest fruits, the destruction of raptor nests and beaver dams, littering, and uncontrolled visits to protected areas;

To increase, through awareness raising activities, public acceptance and support for conservation measures aimed at the preservation of the park’s natural resources and, notably, the renaturalisation of the land purchased by the state.

RESULTS

The overall objective of the ActiveKPN project (i.e. to conserve the target European habitats and species through concrete conservation activities) was successfully achieved through the planned renaturalisation actions carried out on purchased areas of land. These actions also helped mitigate threats such as habitat fragmentation and pressures from urbanisation.

All the specific project objectives were met. In total, thanks to the works, the conservation status of six habitat types and 11 species including mammals, birds, insects and plants are expected to show significant improvements in the long term. And, as well as these individual outputs, the wider project goals were also achieved, for example, by increasing public awareness of the conservation measures within the Natura 2000 network site through the dissemination of information about the project.

A total of 200.56 ha of land was purchased under the project (i.e. a fraction over the planned land purchase). Eighteen farmsteads located on these newly purchased areas of land were demolished under the project. The initial stage of the project also included acquisition of all material necessary for the monitoring of the habitats and species and for carrying out the concrete renaturalisation actions which included afforestation, removal of shrubs, mowing and selective planting supporting natural succession. Initial estimates made under the project’s application, were subsequently adjusted to reflect the actual conservation needs on the purchased land, established through monitoring.

Renaturalisation works were carried out on each of the purchased plots of land. However, due to different natural conditions, (for example, high water, or advanced stage of natural succession) it was found to be not always necessary, or even advisable, to perform these works across the entire area of the land plots. Indeed, in some cases these activities were conducted on only fragments of a given plot, according to nature expertise and the practical knowledge of park employees. Nevertheless, in order to strengthen the ecological impacts of the project, these works were also extended to other parts of the Puszcza Kampinoska Natura 2000 network site. In all, the works were carried out on 234 ha of land i.e. slightly more than initially forecast.

All of the information activities planned within the project were implemented. These included printed publications, construction of information boards and organisation of various educational activities both in education centres of the park and during special events, such as KPN Open Days or classes with students from universities in Warsaw. Monitoring of natural conditions on purchased land were also carried out. In total, the state of natural conditions was assessed on more than 200 ha of purchased land, as well as on adjacent areas. Botanical surveys also covered the monitoring of invasive species and identified the location of the various protected and valuable species on the purchased land.

Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Conservation Plan (see "Read more" section).