Restoration advancement

Assessment of project development by an external expert, Action C.1. LIFE to Alvars project

Helena Lager, Eje Rosen

June, 2017 LIFE to alvars project is implemented with the contribution of the LIFE+ financial instrument of the European Union

Introduction.

This paper is a report from the visit in March 2017, compiled in the frames of LIFE+ project called LIFE to Alvars carried out in West . The main aim of the project is to restore 2500 hectares of alvar grasslands together with reintroduction of traditional management, livestock grazing. The goal of the report is to summarize the impression got during the field visits of the project areas in Mach 2017 and give some suggestion about the restoration work implementation. To assess the success and the quality of alvar grassland restoration carried out in the frames of the LIFE to Alvars project a fieldwork tour together with the project coordinator of Environmental Board, Annely Esko, Bert Holm and several other stakeholders was carried out from 11th to 16th of June 2017 in Hiiumaa, Saaremaa and Muhu Island.

Project areas visited

12. May – Hiiumaa island project areas

Aruküla project area in Hiiumaa island (nr 4 on the map) 128,1 hectares of alvars are restored on Aruküla project area. Work is carried out by using harvester, guillotine cutter to remove pine trees and bigger junipers and chain swipe mower is used for chopping smaller junipers and stumps. Restoration work is carried out 2015-2017. First better reserved areas were cleaned and grazing restarted in the project area. Then in the second stage pine stands were removed and grazing continued. Area is grazed with sheep for 2 seasons. Some parts of the project areas were recently finished and vegetation cover was still in recovery stage. No major issues were found on the site.

Sarve project area in Hiiumaa island (nr 5 on the map) 77,1 hectares of alvars are restored on Sarve project area. Work is carried out by using guillotine cutter to remove pine trees and bigger junipers and chain swipe mower is used for chopping smaller junipers and stumps. Some birch stands are left growing as these are characteristic to Hiiumaa alvars. Restoration work is carried out 2015-2017. Area is grazed with sheep for 1 season. Some parts of the restored are have a problem with leafy shrubs regrowth. Pulling up the shrubs could be a more permanent solution for the problem. This could be tested on some sites if there would be a possibility to do it mechanically.

Käina-lahe - Kassari project area in Hiiumaa island (nr 6 on the map) 13 hectares of alvars are restored on Käin-lahe – Kassari project area. Work is carried out by using guillotine cutter to remove pine trees and bigger junipers and chain swipe mower is used for chopping smaller junipers and stumps. Restoration work is carried out 2015-2017. Area is grazed with sheep/horses for 2 season. This site is popular tourist destination during the summer season. Some parts of the restored are have a problem with leafy shrubs regrowth.

Heltermaa-Vahtrepa project area in Hiiumaa island (nr 3 on the map) 115,6 hectares of alvars are restored on Heltermaa-Vahtrepa project area. Work is carried out by using harvester, guillotine cutter to remove pine trees and bigger junipers and chain swipe mower is used for chopping smaller junipers and stumps. Restoration work is carried out 2015-2017. Area is grazed with highland cattle for 2 season. This area is quite wet as during the Soviet time communication cable was buried along the coastline creating higher ground between the alvar and sea area thus preventing the excess water from reaching to the sea. No major issues were found on the site.

Kallaste-Vohilaiu project area in Hiiumaa island (nr 2 on the map) 55 hectares of alvars are restored on Kallaste-Vohilaiu project area. Work is carried out by using guillotine cutter to remove pine trees and bigger junipers and chain swipe mower is used for chopping smaller junipers and stumps. Restoration work is carried out 2015-2017. Area is grazed with highland cattle for 2 season on Vohilaiu islet and 1 season with Aberdeen angus cattle on Kallaste. No major issues were found on the site.

13. May – Saaremaa island project areas

Atla- project area in Saaremaa island (nr 9 on the map) 28 hectares of alvars are restored on Atla-Eeriksaare project area. Work is carried out by using harvester and guillotine cutter to remove pine trees and bigger junipers. Self-built swipe mower is used for chopping smaller junipers and stumps. Restoration work is carried out 2015-2017. Area is grazed with sheep/horses for 2 seasons. No major issues were found on the site.

Türju project area in Saaremaa island (nr 8 on the map) 19,2 hectares of alvars are restored on Türju project area. Work is carried out manually. Restoration work is carried out 2015-2017. Area is grazed with highland cattle for 2 seasons. Comments: mowing with chain swipe mower could reduce the tussocks on the area and is recommended to improve this area.

Lõu project area in Saaremaa island (nr 7 on the map) 136 hectares of alvars are restored on Lõu project area. Work is carried out using harvester, guillotine cutter to remove pine trees and bigger junipers and chain swipe mower is used for chopping smaller junipers and stumps. Restoration work is carried out 2015-2017. Area is grazed with highland cattle for 1 seasons. Area was within the grazed area – pine stands were removed. No major issues were found on the site.

14. May- Saaremaa ja Muhu island project areas

Vanamõisa- Suure-Rootsi project area in Saaremaa island (nr 5 on the map) 187 hectares of alvars are restored on Vanamõisa- Suure-Rootsi project area. Work is carried out using harvester, guillotine cutter to remove pine trees and bigger junipers and chain swipe mower is used for chopping smaller junipers and stumps. Restoration work is carried out 2014-2017. Area is grazed with Angus and Aubrac cattle for 2 seasons. No major issues were found on the site.

Ilpla project area in Saaremaa island (nr 4 on the map) 56 hectares of alvars are restored on Ilpla project area. Work is carried out using harvester, guillotine cutter to remove pine trees and bigger junipers and chain swipe mower is used for chopping smaller junipers and stumps. Part of the restored area was a pine plantation and visible soil disturbance from the planting holes is visible on the site. Restoration work is carried out 2016-2017. Area is grazed with Hereford cattle for 1 seasons. No major issues were found on the site.

Võrsna project area in Saaremaa island (nr 3 on the map) 54 hectares of alvars are restored on Võrsna project area. Work is carried out partly manually and partly using harvester, guillotine cutter to remove pine trees and bigger junipers and chain swipe mower is used for chopping smaller junipers and stumps. Part of the restored area was a pine plantation and visible soil disturbance from the planting holes is visible on the site. Restoration work is carried out 2015-2017. Area is grazed with Hereford cattle for 2 seasons. No major issues were found on the site. Some parts of the restored are have a problem with leafy shrubs regrowth. Pulling up the shrubs could be a more permanent solution for the problem. This could be tested on some sites if there would be a possibility to do it mechanically.

Kahtla-Kübassaare project area in Saaremaa island (nr 1 on the map) 49 hectares of alvars are restored on -Kübassaare project area. Work is carried out using harvester, guillotine cutter to remove pine trees and bigger junipers and chain swipe mower is used for chopping smaller junipers and stumps. Restoration work is carried out 2015-2017. Area is grazed with Highland cattle for 2 seasons. No major issues were found on the site.

Paenase project area in Muhu island (nr 2 on the map) 16,5 hectares of alvars are restored on Paenase project area. Work is carried out using harvester, guillotine cutter to remove pine trees and bigger junipers and chain swipe mower is used for chopping smaller junipers and stumps. Restoration work is carried out 2015-2017. Area is grazed with Hereford cattle for 2 seasons. Some pine stumps could be cut lower. No major issues were found on the site.

Nõmmküla-Üügu project area in Muhu island (nr 3 on the map) 25 hectares of alvars are restored on Nõmmküla- Üügu project area. Work is carried out partly manually and partly using harvester, guillotine cutter to remove pine trees and bigger junipers and chain swipe mower is used for chopping smaller junipers and stumps. Part of the area is a Üügu cliff. This area is not accessible with machinery and work was carried out manually. Restoration work is carried out 2015-2017. Area is grazed with sheep for 2 seasons. Manually restored areas has some juniper stumps. No major issues were found on the site.

Lõetsa project area in Muhu island (nr 4 on the map) 70 hectares of alvars are restored on Lõetsa project area. Work is carried out partly manually and partly using harvester, guillotine cutter to remove pine trees and bigger junipers and chain swipe mower is used for chopping smaller junipers and stumps. Part of the area is a Rannaniidi cliff. This area is not accessible with machinery and work was carried out manually. Restoration work is carried out 2015-2017. Area is grazed with sheep, cattle and horses for 2 seasons. Manually restored areas has some juniper stumps. No major issues were found on the site.

Simisti – Võiküla project area in Muhu island (nr 5 on the map) 29 hectares of alvars are restored on Simisti-Võiküla project area. Work is carried out partly manually and partly using harvester, guillotine cutter to remove pine trees and bigger junipers and chain swipe mower is used for chopping smaller junipers and stumps. Cut material was burned on site as the only access road to the area is old cobble stone road with weight restrictions so that the material could not be removed from the site. Some burn sites are visible. Restoration work is carried out 2015-2017. Area is grazed with sheep and Highland cattle for 2 seasons. No major issues were found on the site.

15. May- Muhu island project areas

Koguva project area in Muhu island (nr 1 on the map) 277 hectares of alvars are restored on Koguva project area. Work is carried out using harvester, guillotine cutter to remove pine trees and bigger junipers and chain swipe mower is used for chopping smaller junipers and stumps. Restoration work is carried out 2014-2017. Area is grazed with Hereford cattle and sheep for 2 seasons. No major issues were found on the site. Some parts of the restored are have a problem with leafy shrubs regrowth. Pulling up the shrubs could be a more permanent solution for the problem. This could be tested on some sites if there would be a possibility to do it mechanically.

HIIUMAA ISLAND

MUHU ISLAND

SAAREMAA ISLAND

Conclusions

During 6 day fieldworks most of the LIFE to alvars project areas were visited. Overall, the scale and the result of the restoration work is impressive. No major problems were encountered. Main issues involve leafy shrubs regrowth of the species that grazing animals do not like to eat. Repeated mechanical removal is suggested on these sites. Pulling out method could be tried out as one of the options. Also cutting the leafy shrubs regrowth patches again with the chain swipe mower will eventually result in weakening and disappearing of the regrowth.