PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Saproxylic insects are heavily dependent on habitat conditions, such as the amount of dead-wood and old-growth trees, diversity of trees, and light. The Putna Vrancea Natura 2000 site in Romania is one of the most compact forested areas in the Carpathians. However, past forestry management practices, such as selective logging and removal of veteran trees, has simplified the forest structure and led to a sharp decrease of saproxylic insects. Hence, these species are found in few forest stands compared with their potential distribution, and are disconnected from patches of old-growth forest that represent valuable habitat. While selective logging is now forbidden in Natura 2000 sites, the presence of large areas of young forest, lacking in dead-wood and veteran trees acts to impede the increase of populations of saproxylic insects and lowers their conservation status. While most of the forest managers incorrectly designate these species as a pest, Natura 2000 managers are not aware of concrete conservation methods and wrongly believe that keeping few old-growth trees will guarantee the conservation of species. Several site managers do not even report these species. The main reasons for neglecting the conservation of saproxylic species are the fear of infestation and subjective perception of species biology.
OBJECTIVES
The LIFE ROsalia project will address threats to five saproxylic beetle species in forest in the Putna Vrancea Natura 2000 site in Romania, particularly the relative lack of favourable habitat due to removal of dead wood and old-growth forest being restricted to small and isolated patches.
Specific objectives are to:
Increase the connectivity between patches of old-growth forests in the Romanian Carpathians by creating 22 stepping-stone habitats in Putna - Vrancea Natura 2000 site, suitable for five priority and non-priority saproxylic beetle species; Increase the understanding of the role and ecosystem services provided by saproxylic beetles communities and associated habitats for biodiversity and forest resilience, and strengthen the involvement of stakeholders and the local communities in the conservation of these species in Romania; Update knowledge regarding the conservation of protected saproxylic beetles among stakeholders from the project area and Romania by actively transferring the knowledge and replicating the techniques demonstrated during the project; and Create a legally-binding national action plan for saproxylic beetles (Rosalia alpina, Osmoderma eremita, Cerambyx cerdo, Morimus funereus and Lucanus cervus) as a method to unlock the use of concrete conservation of saproxylic species at the national level in the medium and long term. The project will implement the Habitats Directive by targeting improvements in the conservation status of two priority species, Rosalia alpina* and Osmoderma eremita*, and three other saproxylic beetle species, Cerambyx cerdo, Morimus funereus and Lucanus cervus, listed in the directives annexes.
RESULTS
Expected results:
Improvement of 200 km2 of Rosalia alpina* and Lucanus cervus occupied habitats in Romania, and 100 km2 of favourable habitats for Osmoderma eremita*, Morimus funereus and Cerambyx cerdo, representing between a 20% and 10% increase of suitable habitats and population abundance in Romania; Creation of a legally-binding national action plan for the five endangered saproxylic beetle species, which will ensure the medium- to long-term conservation of these species at the national level, while avoiding costly conflicts with forest owners and managers; Contribution to changing the paradigm for saproxylic beetles, from passive conservation (some mature trees left in logged areas) to concrete conservation (actively creating areas of veteran trees and keeping large quantities of dead wood in the forest); Demonstration of how to create the next generation of veteran trees for the five saproxylic beetles in areas lacking suitable habitats, by altering 625 trees from 22 intervention areas in Putna-Vrancea covering 1 200 ha; Production of 303 sun-exposedsnags near veteran-like trees to act as reproduction habitat for saproxylic beetles that live in sun-exposed locations; Establishment of artificial and natural dead-wood habitats to attract saproxylic insects and facilitate reproduction and dispersal in the 22 stepping-stone areas by creating 171 custom-made wood mould boxes and 508 wood piles; Clearance of overgrowth over around 20 ha near newly-provided dead-wood for improving saproxylic beetle habitats; Development of participatory monitoring of insects by involving forest owners and managers to show them that saproxylic insects are not pest species and to decrease the harmful forest management techniques such as removal of dead-wood; Introduction of the use of pheromones as an environmentally-friendly forestry method, to help prevent persecution of saproxylic beetles that are wrongly considered as pests; and Actively involvement of over 1 000 professionals (forestry managers, forest owners, Natura 2000 site managers) and over 15 000 non-professionals from Romania and other EU countries in the conservation of saproxylic beetles.
