Complex approach to habitat conservation by demonstrating closer-to-nature forestry practices on Natura2000 areas

Abstract

The essence of the project is to improve the condition of forest and wetland habitats of European importance in unfavourable state by applying complex measures of closer-to-nature forestry. The measures will be implemented both on the scale of individual habitats of European importance and Special areas of conservation (SACs). The project will include three protected areas: Šimonys forest (23,226 ha, 8 types of forest habitats, 3 - wetlands), Bukta forest (3,190 ha, 6 types of forest habitats) and Praviršulio tyrelis (3,215 ha, 5 types of wetland habitats, 5 - forest). As well as non-protected area - Dabravole wetland. Planned closer-to-nature forestry measures: reforestation, formation of multi-age and multi-species stands, increasing the complexity of their structure, prevention against ungulate mammals and pests, prescribed burning, ensuring enough dead wood, preservation of tree microhabitats and cavity nests, buffer zones, eradication of invasive species and improvement of the hydrological regime. The applied measures will be evaluated, recommendations for the application of close-to-nature forestry will be prepared. These practices will be discussed with foresters, forest owners, scientists and the public in the Living labs created during the project. During the project, a new method of protection of habitats of European importance will be applied - a dynamic habitat management model proposed in EU protected natural forest habitat management recommendations for Lithuanian SACs. The results of the project will be applied in forestry for sustainable management of forest and wetland habitats of European importance and increasing their resilience to climate change. The project will contribute to the implementation of EU and national goals of biodiversity protection, climate change mitigation, improvement of recommendations of management of forest habitats of European importance and improvement of national legislation.