Project: Safeguarding the Romanian Carpathian ecological network modeled on large Carnivores

Transcription

1 Project: Safeguarding the Romanian Carpathian ecological network modeled on large Carnivores 1. Rationale 2. The Romanian Carpathians (some ecological and cultural features) 3. Conservation goals 4. Modeling reserve networks using MARXAN 5. Results 6. Application of results

2 Rationale Carpathians of Romania are important as one of the last bastions for large carnivore populations in Europe, beside containing a plethora of other biological and landscape diversity values. There ecological connectivity and robustness are still fairly pristine compared to the rest of natural Europe. Yet current developments will cause large-scale restriction of natural areas i.e. through habitat fragmentation and deterioration, and human encroachment. Main causes are the fading away of traditional land-use practices, land privatization, switch to industrial forestry and highway development without mitigation. Fundamental is the lack of landuse planning and sound conservation laws based on modern nature management (hunting management instead). Accession to the EU implies adoption of conservation legislation (Habitat and Bird Directives), including the allocation of protected areas for so-called qualifying species and habitats (Natura 2000). However, the current set of candidate Natura 2000 areas (the old national parks system) are hardly connected within a cohesive ecological network and these areas fall short as robust core areas for stable mingling large carnivore populations and their prey. Our project aimed to as rationally as possible determine what is needed to safeguard ecologically important populations of large carnivores (lynx, bear, wolf) in the Romanian Carpathians within a robust and conservation managed network of natural areas. At the same time we aimed to envelop other biological and landscape diversity values.

3 The Carpathians

4 Romanian Carpathians km 2 Contains large and connected semi-natural to old-growth forests Botanically rich montane and stream valley grasslands

5 Landscape and biological diversity Romanian Carpathians harbour ecologically meaningful (relatively stable) populations of large carnivores and herbivores Percentage of European large carnivore populations: 40% wolf (2750 animals) 35% European brown bear (4350 animals) 22% Eurasian lynx (1800 animals)

6 Intricate culture-nature relationships Small-scale traditional farming and forestry Transhumance and rotational montane grazing for cheese making (brinza) Active hunting management Rich peasantry and folklore

7 Impacts of unplanned development Habitat fragmentation, constriction and impoverishment Isolation of animal populations and increased mortality Habituation of animals (e.g. bears at garbage dumps) Poaching Pollution Case: particularly vulnerable is the brown bear

8 Conservation goals Secure a coherent system of large core areas with representative biodiversity and viable populations Secure robust ecological linkages between cores Maintain habitat quality and ecosystem dynamics (habitat mosaics of forests, grasslands and streams) Protect and manage ecologically meaningful populations of large carnivores and wild herbivores. See book: Large Carnivores and the conservation of biodiversity (Ray et al. 2005). Protect and manage keystone species Maintain the co-existence of people and nature (culture-nature relationship) The wolf is regarded as a keystone species for the Carpathians, driving an important part of the diversification of ecosystems The European bison is a target species for reintroduction, which together with the beaver, alpine marmot and bearded vulture will improve Romania s montane ecosystems

9 Modelling reserve networks Use of MARXAN and CLUZ in GIS Criteria: 1. Conserve a certain population of target species based on ecological requirements (we choose 60% of the current target species populations) in the most suitable habitat areas; for large carnivores undisturbed natural areas with sizeable prey populations). 2. Ensure best configuration (high surface area and least boundary length) and ecological connections 3. Limit social and economical impact (e.g. avoid industrial areas and costly restoration) CORINE Land Cover Map of Romania was used to incorporate land-use features

10 Results Modeling first reveals landscape permeability for large carnivores on basis of habitat suitability, infrastructural barriers and disturbance, locality disturbance (urban influences)

11 Marxan then models networks of reserves needed to conserve chosen percentages of up to 75% of the current large carnivore populations in the Romanian Carpathians Note the strange outliers produced as well (?)

12 Matched and corrected MARXAN results for 60% large carnivore conservation with actual animal disribution/population and landscape data The yellow-delineated area and connecting riversis the area needed to conservation manage ecologically effective large carnivore populations, their prey and other important species. Panels represent centers of known large populations of target species.

13 The area includes other known important landscapes and biodiversity hotspots

14 Application of results Results allow targeting of areas for ecological corridors and mitigation measures for transport infrastructure Allocation of robust ecological network components (core areas, buffer areas and linkages) Develop nature conservation-based land use planning in Romania The huge yellow-delineated conservation area inspired the idea of sustainably managing the Romanian Carpathian as a grand European Wilderness Park, similar to Yellowstone National Park (Michael Soulé), to be pursued in Phase II Modeling with field survey allows the localization of areas for ecological linkages and wildlife passages like ursiducts

15 Collaboration A&W consultants Wildlands Project (Prof. dr. Michael Soulé) ICAS National Forestry and Wildlife Management Institute (Romania) Ministry of Environment and Water Management (Romania) Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management, Fisheries (PIN-MATRA program)

16 Further information and book available from: Erwin van Maanen ( George Predoiu ( PDF downloadable from: