High Nature Value farmland in Roussenski Lom
Koen De Rijck - for EFNCP / WWF-DCP workshop, 18-19 October 2007
Outline
• Roussenski Lom Nature Park– Introduce key characteristics– Identify High Nature Value farmland
Land use
• Total area of Roussenski Lom Nature Park: about 3.400 ha
• Planned extension to about 10.000 ha
Land use
• 38% of RLNP: forest– Broad-leaf forests prevail
• 44% of RLNP: agricultural area– Arable land (50%), semi-natural grasslands (19%), mix
of arable and grassland with a lot of natural vegetation (22%)
• 13% of RLNP: transitional woodland/shrub
Land use
• 38% of RLNP: forest– Broad-leaf forests prevail
• 44% of RLNP: agricultural area– Arable land (50%), semi-natural grasslands (19%), mix
of arable and grassland with a lot of natural vegetation (22%)
• 13% of RLNP: transitional woodland/shrub
• 2% of RLNP: natural grasslands
Land use
Land use
Land use
• More semi-natural grasslands to be included in the enlargement of the park
• Land outside park mainly farmland, vast majority arable land
Land ownership in RLNP
• State ownership: 76% or 2.600 ha
• Municipal ownership: 12% or 400 ha
• Private property: 9% or 290 ha
• Other ownership: 1% or 35 ha
Land ownership in RLNP
• State ownership: 76% or 2.600 ha– almost all in State Forest Fund
• Municipal ownership: 12% or 400 ha– half in State Forest Fund
• Private property: 9% or 290 ha– mainly out of State Forest Fund
• Other ownership: 1% or 35 ha
Land ownership outside RLNP
• Municipal ownership: >30%– semi-natural grasslands, forests
• Private property: >60% – mainly arable land
HNVF Concept
• High Nature Value farmland are those areas in Europe where agriculture is a major (usually the dominant) land use and where that agriculture supports, or is associated with, either a high species and habitat diversity or the presence of species of European conservation concern, or both
HNVF Typology
• Type 1: Farmland with a high proportion of semi-natural vegetation
• Type 2: Farmland dominated by low intensity agriculture or a mosaic of semi-natural and cultivated land and small-scale features
Key features of HNVF
• Always low-intensity
• Always high proportion of semi-natural vegetation
• Often a mosaic of habitats
Land use
HNVF Analysis
• Study done by Rosen Todorov Tsonev
• Three classes of HNV farmland in RLNP:– Cultivated areas: arable land and vegetable
gardens– Natural grasslands in river terrace– Dry semi-natural grasslands on slopes
HNVF Analysis
• Cultivated areas: arable land and vegetable gardens
HNVF Analysis
• Cultivated areas: arable land and vegetable gardens
HNVF Analysis
• Cultivated areas: arable land and vegetable gardens– Large-scale intensive monoculture on
chernozem > no high nature values present– Vegetable gardens in river terrace > important
for some animals e.g. Lanius collurio, but not for plants > HNVF Type 2
HNVF Analysis
• Natural grasslands in river terrace
HNVF Analysis
• Natural grasslands in river terrace– Widely spread in RL river valley
• Along Cherni Lom (Pepelina - Cherven) and Malki Lom (Svalenik and Nisovo) of EU importance (6510 Lowland hay meadows)
– Often on the place of abandoned fields > rich in nutrients
– No special conservation value for plants, but important for many animals, e.g. Crex crex, Spermophilus citellus > HNVF Type 1
HNVF Analysis
HNVF Analysis
• Natural grasslands in river terrace– Widely spread in RL river valley
• Along Cherni Lom (Pepelina - Cherven) and Malki Lom (Svalenik and Nisovo) of EU importance (6510 Lowland hay meadows)
– Often on the place of abandoned fields > rich in nutrients
– No special conservation value for plants, but important for many animals, e.g. Crex crex, Spermophilus citellus > HNVF Type 1
– Scrub encroachment and nutrient levels are problems
HNVF Analysis
HNVF Analysis
• Dry semi-natural grasslands on slopes– Most widely spread, most valuable
HNVF Analysis
• Dry semi-natural grasslands on slopes– Most widely spread, most valuable, several
sub-types:– Pastures on loess heights and uplands– Rocky steppes– Mosaics of pastures and bushes on rock edges
HNVF Analysis
• Dry semi-natural grasslands on slopes
HNVF Analysis
• Dry semi-natural grasslands on slopes
HNVF Analysis
• Dry semi-natural grasslands on slopes
HNVF Analysis
• Dry semi-natural grasslands on slopes– Pastures on loess heights and uplands
• Along Cherni Lom (Cherven – Tabachka – Pepelina), Malki Lom and Beli Lom (Pisanets – Vetovo)
• Important orchid site, of European importance > HNVF Type 1
• Threatened by overgrazing
– Rocky steppes– Mosaics of pastures and bushes on rock edges
HNVF Analysis
• Dry semi-natural grasslands on slopes– Pastures on loess heights and uplands– Rocky steppes
• More rare, small areas on eastern Cherni Lom riverbank (Ostritsa – Tabachka)
• Several rare and endemic plant species, e.g. Ruta graveolens, habitat of European importance (6240 Subpannonian steppes)
– Mosaics of pastures and bushes on rock edges
HNVF Analysis
• Dry semi-natural grasslands on slopes– Pastures on loess heights and uplands– Rocky steppes– Mosaics of pastures and bushes on rock edges
• Habitat of EU importance, with Carpinus orientalis • Potentilla emili-popii, Poygala sibirica (only
population in BG between Koshov and Cherven), Verbascum diesckianum (Balkan endemic)
• Close to Basarbovo and Bozhichen: Chamaecytisys kovacevii (Bulgarian endemic)
• Partly in the State Forest Fund!
Conclusions
• High Nature Value farmlands present in RLNP, mostly situated in river terrace or in proximity of rocks
Conclusions
• High Nature Value farmlands present in RLNP, mostly situated in river terrace or in proximity of rocks
• Many plant and animals species, including rare ones, are depending on low-intensity farming management
• Threats of nitrate pollution, lack of mowing, overgrazing and undergrazing
• Farmland in Roussenski Lom is biotope of European significance
High Nature Value farmland in Strandzha
Koen De Rijck - for EFNCP / WWF-DCP Strandzha seminar, 26-27 June 2007