Challenges for the Conservation of the Norway Spruce Forests in Vitosha Nature Park after Large-scale Natural Disturbances
Journal Title: Ecologia Balkanica - Year 2014, Vol 5, Issue 0
Abstract
In 1934 was established the first national park on the Balkan Peninsula, today Vitosha Nature Park. One of its management objectives is conservation of the subalpine Norway spruce ([i]Picea abies[/i]) forests in the park. In the last 60 years, significant areas of these forests have been affected by a series of medium and large-scale natural disturbances such as windthrows, bark beetle outbreaks and fires. To study the influence of these natural disturbances on the development of Norway spruce forests in the park we made a literature review and GIS identification of the disturbed forests on the basis of actual forest maps and aerial photographs from 1966, 2005 and 2011. Our results show that in the last 60 years medium and large-scale natural disturbances affected a total of 28% of all spruce forests in the protected area. Most frequent have been the windthrows, while largest impacts have caused the bark beetle outbreaks. About 8% of all natural spruce forests have been replaced with plantations as result of the implementation of forest protection measures, which indicates worsening of the conservation status of the Norway spruce habitat in the park. In order to prevent further worsening of its conservation status, we recommend differential zoning of the park territory so that core zones are surrounded by buffer zones, as well as implementation of appropriate protection measures outside the non-intervention areas. Such measures include prompt treatment of bark-beetle infested trees, leaving sufficient amounts of deadwood in the cutting areas, tolerating natural regeneration and forming multi-species and uneven aged forest structures.
Authors and Affiliations
Alexandar Dountchev, Nikolay Tsvetanov, Petar Zhelev, Momchil Panayotov
Keywords
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