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