Presentation of Life Project

Conservation and Restoration of Black Sea Oak

Habitats

LIFE09 NAT/BG/000229

A/P M. Broshtilova

Ms. V. Tsakova

Coordinating Beneficiary – Balchik State Hunting Area (Balchik SHA)

Total budget - 681 831 €

EU contribution - 511 373 € (75 %) of total costs)

Project duration – 36 months /from 01.02.2011 till 31.01.2014/

Associated Beneficiaries:

◦ Nesebar State Hunting Area / Nesebar SHA/

◦ Executive Forest Agency / EFA/ – Sofia

◦ Oak Forest Experimental Station /OFES/ - Burgas

PROJECT DATA

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OBJECTIVES

Overall project objective: Restoration and long-term conservation of local oak habitats in the Black

Sea coastal area.

Specific project objectives:

◦ Restoration of priority oak habitat types on an area of 115 ha in two

protected zones from the Natura 2000 network– “Batova River Valley” in

the region of Balchik State Hunting area, and Emine – Irakli in the region

of Nesebar State Hunting Area.

◦ Elaboration of an Action Plan for restoration and management of the

habitats

◦ Decrease of unfavorable impact of free movement of people and grazing

on the restoration area by constructing of a 12 km long fence;

◦ Awareness rising of nature conservation of Black Sea coastal woodland

◦ Improving fire safety in forests; growing opportunities and the ability to

absorb carbon dioxide.

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THE PRIORITY HABITATS, SUBJECT TO THE PROJECT ARE AS

FOLLOWS:

- Sub-continental peri-panonic scrub woodlands (40A0).

- Pannonian woods with downy oaks (Quercus pubescens 91Н0)

- Pannonic woods with Quercus petraea and Carpinus betulus (91G0)

- Euro-Siberian steppic woods with oak Quercus spp. (91I0),

- Eastern white oak forests (91AA)

- According to the National Priority Framework for Action during the

next period 2014 – 2020 for Natura 2000 zones the conservation status of all habitats is U1 unfavourable-inadequate.

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The targeted areas are mainly oak habitats whose condition has deteriorated due to their being managed as scrubby habitats for decades on, and the clear felling system being applied. The natural recovery is badly affected and needs active and scientifically proved methods to be improved.

Severe anthropogenic pressure exists in the targeted areas, coming from adjacent territories, settlements and sea resorts – mainly people passing by and livestock grazing.

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Preparatory phase: This covers the period from 01.02.2011 till 31.05.2012 and Actions A1 – Scientific workshops and discussions with stakeholders, and A2 - Elaboration of an Action Plan for restoration of the target Habitats and their sustainable management.

Conservational phase: This covers the whole project period and all the actions from components C (Conservational actions) and D (Public awareness and dissemination of the project results). Within the framework of this phase the oak habitats were restored in the targeted areas, where larger areas were covered.

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C Actions /Conservational actions/

С.1. Collecting of reproductive material - oak acorns and seeds from

concomitant tree species with local origin - Prunus, Fraxinus, Malos,

Sorbus, etc.

10 292 kg of seeds from following oak species have been collected:

Quercus cerris , Quercus robour, Quercus pubescens, Quercus frainetto

and concomitant species.

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С.2. Growing of seedlings in a nursery.

Under the project 430,200 seedlings were produced, grown on an area of 5 ha in the

nursery of Sokolovo, owned by Balchik SHA. Seedlings produced are as follows:

Tree species Number

Turkey oak (Quercus cerris) 344280

Raywood ash (Fraxinus oxycarpa) 30480

Sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) 16920

Norway maple (Acer platanoides) 8520

Hungarian oak (Quercus frainetto) 6560

Downy oak (Quercus pubescens) 7080

Pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) 16360

TOTAL 430200

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For the purposes of this action

a disc harrow and a

motocultivator were purchased.

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С.3. Regeneration cuttings (removal of shrubs and undergrowth)

The proposal envisaged an area coverage of

115 ha – 90 ha in Balchik SHA and 25 ha in

Nesebar SHA. Due to the financial resources’

savings made, mainly in part Project progress

monitoring (Action E2), the area coverage

under Action С3 was significantly expanded to

206.4 ha

This action creates conditions for oak saplings to

be competitive on the shots of hornbeam

/Carpinus orientalis/, flowering ash /Fraxinus

ornus/, hawthorn / Crataegus monogina/ and

cornel /Cornus mas/.

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С.4. Soil cultivation According to the proposal under the

project a total area of 115 ha must be

cultivated as follows: mechanized soil

cultivation -20 ha, manual soil cultivation

-95 ha (on 45 ha - creation of planting

platforms and on 50 ha -formation of

terraces).

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Manual soil cultivation, including formation of

terraces – 75.5 ha on the area of Balchik

SHA and 20 ha on the area of Nesebar SHA.

Total 95.5 ha.

Created planting platforms and terraces were

sowed with acorns (Action С5) and planted

with seedlings (Action С6) in the second

year.

Mechanised soil cultivation – 20.1 ha on areas

of Balchik SHA, planted with seedlings.

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С.5. Acorn sowing – in the first year and partially in the second year

Total area of 79,5 ha was sowed with

acorns – 75,5 ha of them in Batova River

Valley Protected Zone and 4 ha in Emine-

Irakli Protected Zone.

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С.6. Planting of two-year-old seedlings

Under the project 463,500 seedlings

(430,200 seedlings produced under Action

С2 and 33,300 seedlings produced by use of

own resources of Nesebar SHA) were

planted in Batova River Valley and Emine-

Irakli

Total area planted with seedlings: 36,1 ha,

which is exceeding by 16,1 ha the area

initially planned under the project.

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С.7. Amendments of the current forestry management plans in

accordance with Bulgarian laws.

The amendments of the Forestry management plans (15 amendments made by Balchik

SHA, and 1 amendment made by Nesebar SHA) were made in 2011 , which were

approved by the Ministry of Environment and Water and the Executive Forest Agency in

Sofia.

С.8. Removal of artificially grown coniferous plantations in Emine-Irakli Protected Zone

12 ha of atypical for the habitat,

artificially grown coniferous plantations

of Austrian pine were cleared, and the

area was re-afforested with oak

seedlings.

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This activity improves moisture retention in the

soil and ensures the interception of saplings.

During the second and third year of the project

actions were implemented for seedling growing

on an area of 428.5 ha (380.5 ha in Balchik

SHA and 48 ha in Nesebar SHA).

С.9. Growing (hoeing) during the second and third year

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С.10 – Fencing – construction of a 13,8 km long fence

A 13.8 km long fence was constructed under

the project, which contributed significantly to

be achieved the desired effect of the

restoration of the target habitats in Batova

River Valley Protected Zone.

As a result, the damages to the flora and

fauna caused by unregulated livestock

grazing and excessive human presence

(camping, motor vehicle intrusion, tourism)

were limited to an area of 16.5 km2, and also

the fire hazards were diminished. The

protective fence significantly increases the

chances for survival of the newly planted

trees, because it hinders soil treading, and

also the gnaw damages caused by domestic

animals were stopped. The protective fence

will have material contribution to the

improvement of the ecological status of the

priority habitats.

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7 boards and cubes are mounted as

follows:

•Two double-sided Information boards

with dimensions 1,40 m x 0,8 m. are

mounted in front of the nursery

Sokolovo and in the forest of Batovo,

at the beginning of the area afforested

under the project.

D Actions /Public awareness and dissemination of the project results/ These activities aim to raise not only public, but also professionals’ awareness of LIFE+

Instrument and in particular of our project.

D.1. Informational boards and cubes

• Two information full-coloured boards with

dimensions 2.6 m x 1.6 m are mounted on

the building of Balchik SHA and on the

building of the Oak Forest Experimental

Station (OSDG Burgas).

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• One billboard with dimensions

1.2 m x 1.2 m is placed alongside the road

II-71 km (Albena– Silistra).

•Two 3D Cube boards with dimensions

1 m x 1m x 1 m – one is mounted in

front of the administrative building of

Nesebar SHA, and the second one is

located in the courtyard of the hunting

hut Batova, Balchik SHA.

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The project website

http://www.lifeplus.dlsbalchik.eu/

was created on 19.05.2011 by a

contracted external company. The

website maintenance and support

was assigned to the company Club

Predpriemach (Club Entrepreneur)

Ltd – as part of a contract for

promotion through communication

campaign, signed on 17.08.2011,

together with the commitments

assumed under the

implementation of Action D.5

D.2. Website

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D.3. Workshop for the Bulgarian Forestry authorities

•The two-day seminar was held in the premises of Balchik SHA in November 2013 as a

two-day workshop with the forest authorities concerned under Action D3. A very useful

discussion was held on the management of oak forests within the Natura 2000 Protected

Zones and the specific methods of management of the oak habitats, located in the

Batova River Valley Protected Zone and Emine-Irakli Protected Zone in relation to their

conservation and restoration.

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D.4. 8 informational seminars

8 informational seminars were held in Balchik,

Burgas, Nesebar and Sofia from 2011 till

2013. As a result of the workshops held, it

was achieved the following:

• Increasing the public awareness of the

Natura 2000 network;

• Improving the involvement of forestry

professionals and the public with the issues of

conservation and sustainable forest

management in Natura 2000 network;

• Understanding the role and importance of

oak ecosystems in the Black Sea region;

• Understanding the need to adapt forest

management to climate change.

• Exchange of information on sustainable

methods and practices for restoration,

management and conservation of forest

ecosystems in the Black Sea region.

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This action was assigned for implementation by a contract dated 17.08.2011 to the external

company Club Predpriemach (Club Entrepreneur) Ltd, which was announced as successful

tenderer under competition for assignment of small public procurement with subject:

„Promotion through communication campaign of the project LIFE09 NAT/BG 000229“.

• Production of promotional materials – plastic artworks, magnetic cards, flash

memory sticks, CDs, named Come to Bulgaria, Leave a Tree in the Motherland

• Multiple publications, interviews, video reports in the regional and national media,

and international bulletins;

• Initiative, named “I support the restoration of the Great Bulgarian Oak Forest”,

under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rosen Plevneliev;

• Acorn Festival in Bourgas;

• Initiative of “Albena” Recreational Complex for awareness rising in tourist about the

oak forests and the possibilities for ecotourism initiating;

• Six presentations of the project at external events

• Initiative with school pupils for planting of an oak forest and formation of ecological

culture and knowledge;

D.5. Media and events project promotion

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• Building of a club, named “Friends of the

Black Sea oak forest”

• Involvement of public media – BTA, BNR,

BNT and the private televisions of bTV,

Bulgaria on Air, Travel TV, TV Europe, as media

partners;

• Involvement of the Bulgarian community

abroad through an initiative, called Come to

Bulgaria, Plant a Tree in Your Motherland, in

cooperation with the State Agency for Bulgarian

Abroad, the Bulgarian community in Chicago

and TV1, broadcasting in the USA and West

Europe.

• Production of a film with a duration of 20 min,

named The World is an Acorn”, aired 29 times

on the following TV channels: TV1, TV Europe,

Travel TV and Community TV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUu3K4yz96

E&feature=youtu.be

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KEY DELIVERABLE AND OUTPUTS

10,292 kg of acorns collected (oak and accompanying species)

430,200 saplings cultivated in a nursery and planted in NATURA 2000 sites

115.6 ha of soil prepared for planting

79.5 ha of oak acorns planted

65.2 ha of afforested sapling area

206.4 ha of regeneration cuttings removed

13.8 km long protective fence in Batova River Valley protected Zone

7 informational cubes and boards

4 scientific workshops with stakeholders

1 two-day workshop for representatives of Bulgarian forest authorities

8 informational seminars

Massive information campaign via national, regional and local media,

including production of a film “World is an Acorn”

Layman’s report

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A differentiated and essentially different approach has been proposed, for the future management of the oak forests along the Black Sea Coast. This approach is set up upon the basic principle of the PERMANENT FOREST.

This principle requires the instant termination of the even (shelterwood) regeneration cuttings and their replacement with uneven (air-gap) cuttings of low intensity.

Another important contribution offered by the elaboration hereto is that together with the generally valid rules and actions referred to all oak habitats, differentiated, specialized measures are described too, with reference to every single habitat along the Black Sea Coast.

Another contribution of the elaborated work is the conception that the restoration of a species (vegetative or animal) is impossible without the microclimate subtilizing forest environment’s being restored to its original condition.

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Developing and implementing a successful model for the restoration

of oak habitats and conservation of biodiversity in the target areas and

creating prerequisites for replication of the results in other areas.

Accumulation of a database for sustainable management and

conservation of biodiversity in support of the development of future

management plans for the two target Natura 2000 areas.

Specific methods are proposed for managing the oak habitats

aiming at conservation and restoration of oak habitats. Measures

(management activities) are proposed for sustainable management, incl.

adaptation of forest habitats to climate change and preventing damage

from natural disasters (detailed in the After-LIFE Action Plan).

Contribution to the practical management of the ecological network

in Bulgaria.

Enhancing the capacity of the team members through accumulation

of expertise, technical skills, networking, effective management of public

funds, etc.

BEST PRACTICE LESSONS

Batova river valley BG0000102. Territory: 18459,24 ha

Natura 2000 zone Emine – Irakli. Territory 11282,8 ha

91 AA* Bushes with Juniperus ssp.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!