Project number: 639
Project acronym: trAILs
Project title: Alpine Industrial Landscapes Transformation
DELIVERABLE D.T2.2.6
environmental context assessment report TUM
Work package: T2 T2 – Assess AILs: assessment procedure (pilot-based)
Activity: A.T2.2 A.T.2.1: Assessment framework
Technical University of Munich, Chair of Restoration Ecology Organization: Kerstin Bär, Prof. Dr. Johannes Kollmann
Deliverable date: 07.08.2020
Version: 1st draft
Dissemination level: Project partners for review
Dissemination target: WP T2
This project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Interreg Alpine Space programme
CONTENT
1 FOREWORD...... 3
2 ABBREVIATIONS AND TERMINOLOGY ...... 5
3 PART 1: RESULTS OF THE AIL ASSESSMENT ...... 6
3.1 INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY ...... 6
3.2 RESULTS OF THE ASSESSMENT – POTENTIALS AND PROBLEMS ...... 8
Current type and intensity of use ...... 8
Vegetation structure ...... 9
Plant diversity ...... 9
Invasive alien plants ...... 10
Soil conditions ...... 11
Observed animals at the brownfield site and quality of their habitats ...... 13
Nature-protection areas, habitat types and occurring species in Tržič and its surroundings...... 15
Environmental threats: soil contamination, erosion and flooding...... 16
Summary and planning recommendations ...... 18
4 PART 2: PERFORMANCE OF THE AIL ASSESSMENT ...... 19
4.1 INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY ...... 19
The ecological importance of brownfields ...... 19
Motivation for the environmental assessment ...... 20
Methods of the environmental assessment ...... 20
Challenges of the environmental assessment ...... 21
4.2 ANALYSIS ELEMENTS REVIEW ...... 23
4.3 PERFORMANCE CONCLUSION ...... 27
5 PART 3: FEEDBACK OF THE REGIONAL PARTNER ...... 28
6 APPENDIX ...... 29
6.1 APPENDIX A – GENERAL INFORMATION ...... 29
6.2 APPENDIX B – ASSESSMENT TRŽIČ – BPT AND PEKO ...... 31
6.3 APPENDIX C – ASSESSMENT TRŽIČ - SURROUNDINGS ...... 54
7 REFERENCES ...... 61
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1 FOREWORD
The assessment report has two parts: Part 1 is a document providing essential knowledge of a specific AIL pilot site, while Part 2 is a reflection on the performance of the assessment methods in this pilot site. With the ‘learn-by-doing’ approach on four different pilot sites, the project partners have identified and gradually specified key elements of individual assessments that work for AILs.
Assessment reports are part of activity WP T2, i.e. co-assessment of AILs actual conditions in a set of five thematic assessment reports, with five deliverables for each pilot area:
• D.T2.2.2 – Existing policies on local/regional level assessment report • D.T2.2.3 – Spatial and landscape assessment report • D.T2.2.4 – Socio-demographic assessment report • D.T2.2.5 – Economic context assessment report • D.T2.2.6 – Environmental context assessment report
Together with mini reports – D.T2.2.1, the assessment reports form an input for the workshops of WP T3 (Fig. 1).
The template of the assessment report is structured to facilitate two main parts of the co- assessment of AILs:
Part 1 – Assessment of AILs which constitutes main findings of the AILs actual conditions, results of the assessments, conclusions and recommendations. Its purpose is to be used for the activities within WP T3 (dossier) – workshops with relevant stakeholders.
Part 2 – Performance of the assessment that investigates how its parts performed on a given AIL site. It is conducted through a reflection questionnaire for the research partners and regional partners of that AIL. Its purpose is to evaluate the analyses used in the assessment process and to monitor variability of the assessments throughout the AIL pilot sites.
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Fig. 1: Scheme of the WPT2 Assessment Framework with the general structure of the assessment reports, their input source (WP T1 and site visits) and output purpose (workshops).
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2 ABBREVIATIONS AND TERMINOLOGY
Alien plant = Plant taxa that occurs in a given area outside its region of origin due to intentional or accidental introduction as a result of human activity (Richardson et al. 2000).
Habitat type = A unit in an ecosystem that is defined by a unique vegetation structure and comprises an environment for certain species and communities.
Ecosystem function = Energy, matter and information fluxes linking ecosystem compartments (Meyer et al. 2015).
Ecosystem service = Functions and products of an ecosystem that directly or indirectly benefit humans; often ecosystem functions are considered a service when they can be attributed an economical value (Meyer et al. 2015).
Indicator species = One or more taxa selected based on high sensitivity to a particular environment attribute, and then assessed to make inference about that attribute (Siddig et al. 2016).
Invasive plant = Naturalized plant species that sustains viable populations over several generations without human intervention and produces reproductive offspring in very large numbers providing the species with the potential to spread over large areas (Richardson et al. 2000).
Succession = Process of change observed in an ecological community in relation to species structure and assemblage with time after disturbance (Connell & Slatyer 1977).
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3 PART 1: RESULTS OF THE AIL ASSESSMENT
3.1 INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY
Brownfields can be ecologically valuable, since they often host a mosaic of numerous habitats within a small area, and thus support a high diversity of plant and animal species. However, they might be polluted due to former use and are often colonized by invasive alien species, that are negatively affecting human health, economy and biodiversity. Brownfields in the Alpine region could be an enrichment of the local biodiversity, but also threaten the largely intact and often rare Alpine ecosystems. Therefore, an ecological assessment of former brownfield sites is a prerequisite when aiming at their transformation.
We assessed habitat units on and near the former cotton spinning and weaving mill BPT and former shoe factory Peko in Tržič, Slovenia, based on aerial photographs and verified them in the field. The site was mostly sealed or built-up, and consisted of 8–9 different habitats; only about 8% of the site was vegetated. These areas have considerable potential as habitats for plants and animals, but are currently mown and disturbed very frequently. Nevertheless, 96 plant species, ten butterfly species and one reptile species were identified on the two sites. The unmanaged areas with trees and shrubs, and the less frequently mown green spaces at the west end of the BPT site show the highest diversity in plant species and attract butterflies. Three of the identified animal species are rare and/or legally protected, and therefore have to be considered during the planning process. However, we also found six invasive alien plants. Five of them might have negative impacts on native biodiversity. Other ecological problems related to industrial brownfields are risk of erosion, unfavourable soil conditions which affect plant establishment, risk of flooding and pollution. The risk of erosion was assessed using the information about slope and vegetation cover. It is very low on the BPT and Peko-sites due to little sloping and a high degree of sealing. Some working steps in textile and shoe manufacturing can cause pollution, but there is no pollution reported for the two sites. The sites are surrounded by a river and a channel. Currently, the flood risk is low apart from one small area at the eastern end of the BPT site, where the artificial channel flows back into the river Tržič Bistrica. However, flood risk might increase in the future due to climate change.
We identified the following main potentials of the sites in Tržič:
• Trees and shrubs are surrounding the site and could serve as breeding habitat for birds Preserve existing wood vegetation and increase it by planting or allowing for natural succession This would also improve the microclimate of the built environment
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• Numerous old buildings, which could offer nesting and breeding habitats for birds and bats Check for animals breeding on or inside buildings before renovation or demolition of buildings
• There were 96 plant and ten butterfly species, among them three rare or protected species Conserve existing habitat structures and enhance flower richness (e.g. by applying an adequate mowing regime) Raise awareness on local biodiversity by setting up information boards
The main problems of the site are:
• Small, largely sealed site with small green spaces Create new green spaces by unsealing or demolition of unused buildings, by allowing natural succession or by seeding with regional seeds Apply an extensive mowing regime (1–2 times per year) where possible Reduce public traffic (cars) near the green area
• Six invasive alien plants, among them five which might be problematic for native biodiversity (Tree of heaven, Japanese knotweed, Canada goldenrod, Black locust, Summer lilac) Monitor their development If necessary, decide on suitable management measures in order to reduce or eradicate them Do not allow natural succession on areas near invasive plants
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3.2 RESULTS OF THE ASSESSMENT – POTENTIALS AND PROBLEMS
Habitats within Alpine post-industrial sites structurally differ from those of other land-use types like agricultural landscapes or nature conservation areas. More specifically, we found that habitat units in brownfields are generally smaller and more diverse (Fig. A2, Fig. A3), which is similar to urban landscapes. However, in contrast to cities, brownfields generally host more early- successional habitats, since green spaces of brownfields usually experience more frequent and intense disturbance. This means, that they have a high potential for supporting wildlife, since diverse habitats attract a corresponding diversity of plants and animals. This was the result of a comparison of structural diversity on urban, agricultural, nature conservation areas and brownfields among all four pilot regions in the trAILs-project. When comparing only the different land-use types around the city of Tržič, Slovenia, similar results were achieved. With 8.3 different structures per 2 ha on brownfields, 6.6 structures per 2 ha in the city, 4 structures per 2 ha in the surrounding nature conservation areas and 3 structures per 2 ha in agricultural landscapes, the brownfields were structurally more diverse than areas of the same size in other land-use types. The habitat units on the brownfields in Tržič were smaller than on surrounding nature conservation areas and farmland, but slightly larger than in the town nearby.
However, we would expect that only small animals find sufficient space on brownfields to complete their life cycle, while larger ones depend on sufficient landscape connectivity. Since habitats of the post-industrial sites differ from those in the surrounding Alpine landscapes, they potentially host different species, therefore enriching the regional species pool.
Current type and intensity of use
The investigated brownfields in Tržič are the former cotton-weaving plant “BPT” and parts of the former shoe factory “Peko”. Both sites are located in the centre of Tržič. At the west end of the BPT-site, in the direction of the old town centre, some of the old factory buildings have been demolished a few years ago, but most of the buildings still exist and some are used as storage facilities or by small companies. A channel surrounding the site is used for hydropower. Dog- owners frequently use the green space, and most of these areas are trimmed regularly. Thus, the western part of the site already has a park-like structure. Traffic and parking cars are also common. Overall, the site is still quite lively around the large, unused central building (Fig. A4).
The former Peko area is used even more intensively, apart from a small strip next to the Tržič Bistrica. The dominant type of use is commerce; garden maintenance and leisure use are less common there (Fig. A4). Different level of disturbance at the site influence vegetation structure, soil conditions, biodiversity, and habitat suitability for certain species. In addition, some parts of the site are more threatened by environmental risks due to former or current use than others.
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Vegetation structure
The two brownfields are relatively small. They cover an area of about 13 ha and mostly consist of buildings and sealed surfaces, which make up 73% of the sites (Fig. A5, Fig. A6). Sealed or constructed surfaces are of limited ecological significance. However, especially old buildings could offer nesting, resting or breeding habitats for birds, bats or small mammals. Vegetated areas cover 8 % of the sites, 5% are non-sealed and non-vegetated. The two sites are surrounded by a stream and a channel used for hydropower. Furthermore, there is one artificial pond at the western end of the BPT area. Vegetated and particularly unmanaged areas are ecologically most interesting; however, most of the green spaces surrounding the former factories are managed and mown frequently. At the western end of the BPT area, two small green spaces are mown less frequently. At the eastern end of the BPT area, one building has been removed and it is planned to create a park here. Even though the brownfields in Tržič only consist of eight different habitat units, which is less than on the other brownfields in the trAILs project, the brownfield is still more diverse concerning vegetation structure than its surroundings. For example, the area around the city is dominated by woods (Table A6, Fig. A22). Thus, the BPT brownfield does contribute to a more diverse landscape in the area of Tržič.
Plant diversity
Within the vegetation plots, we identified 20 species in early-successional stages, 55 in managed green spaces, 24 in late-succession shrubland, 36 in late-succession woodland (Fig. A7, Table A3, list non-exhaustive). On average, 18 plants were found per plot on managed green spaces, 15 per plot with late succession wood; 10 plants per plot with late-succession shrubland, and eight in early-successional stages. Thus, managed green spaces hosted the largest number of plants in total, and the highest plant diversity per plot. Among the sampled plants were 20 grasses, one fern, 50 herbs, ten shrubs and 13 tree species. No rare or protected plants were found at the sites.
The identified plants did not differ much in their preferences for light, temperature, moisture, soil reaction (pH) and nitrogen (Fig. A1). Therefore, we conclude that the site is quite homogenous and does not promote high plant diversity.
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Fig. A1: Site indicator values after Ellenberg based on the identified plants. Bares represent the mean values, lines represent the standard error (a measure for dispersion)
Invasive alien plants
In total, six invasive alien species were found on the brownfield sites of Tržič, more than in the other three pilot sites (Fig. A9); their location is marked in Fig. A10. The highest cover of invasive alien species was found on late-successional stages with shrubs. On areas with frequent mowing, cover of alien plants was low. The Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron annuus) is not known to have a negative impact on biodiversity, human health or economy. However, it might threaten rare species in nutrient-poor grasslands if occurring in higher abundances (Info Flora 2014). The plant occurred on seven spots with up to 50 individuals per square meter. The development should be observed, but most likely no active control measures will be necessary, as stocks of daisy fleabane decrease if the area is not mown (Song et al. 2018). The Summer-Lilac (Buddleja davidii) is originally an ornamental plant which could have been planted or spread from nearby gardens. It can alter vegetation structure and soil conditions by fixing nitrogen, thus affecting biodiversity. It occurred on two spots within the mapped perimeter. Therefore, measures for management should be taken in order to avoid further spreading. Summer-Lilac can be eradicated by hoeing up the plants and digging out young shrubs (CABI 2019). Bigger shrubs should be uprooted or hoed up. To prevent the Summer lilac from spreading further, barren areas near the Summer lilac should be planted and seed with native plants (Amt der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung oJb).
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The Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) can cause allergies and affect local biodiversity by outcompeting other species in nutrient-poor grasslands, altering vegetation structure and soil conditions (Radowitsch & Klingenstein 2008; Lawrence et al. 1991; Vilà et al. 2006). It can be eradicated by removing a broad strip of the bark (“girdling”) and felling the tree two years after (Amt der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung oJa). Seedlings should be removed as early as possible by tearing out the seedling with all its roots (Kowarik & Säumel 2007). Also, there have been some reports about effective biological control with fungal pathogens and insects (Ding et al. 2006). However, applying herbicides appears to be the most effective method for controlling the Tree of heaven (Burch & Zedaker 2003).
The Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) and the Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) are even more problematic. They can affect biodiversity by forming the dominant vegetation and outcompeting other species. Robinia pseudoacacia is especially threatening biodiversity in (semi)dry habitats like for example gravel-sand pits (Řehounková & Prach 2008). It is changing light conditions and the microclimate, and alters soil conditions by fixing nitrogen, which in turn can endanger specialised plants and invertebrates (Rice et al. 2004). It occurred on four spots within the BPT site, where the city council plans to create a park. Thus, it should be reduced by repeated cutting. Also, competition by other trees (e.g. through succession) is known to reduce black locust (Vítková et al. 2017). Japanese knotweed and Canada goldenrod can also cause problems for water management, agriculture and forestry. Canada Goldenrod can be eradicated by mowing or grazing at least twice a year, and weeding young plants (Voser-Huber 1983; Kowarik 2010; Starfinger & Kowarik 2003; Hartmann et al. 1995). Concerning the Japanese Knotweed, no efficient methods for removing the species are known yet. Frequent mowing might reduce the stocks, however, this method is not always successful (Nehring et al. 2013).
Soil conditions
Within the vegetation plots, we took soil samples and analysed soil pH, soil texture and nutrients (chloride, nitrate, phosphate, sulphate, sodium, ammonium, potassium, magnesium, calcium) in the lab. At pH < 5, i.e. under acidic conditions, heavy metals can be mobilized, Aluminium (Al3+) can reach toxic concentrations and some nutrients are less available for plants (Amelung et al. 2018). In general, pH tends to decrease with succession, as more and more organic material is accumulating, which releases humic acid. This leads to soil acidification (Amelung et al. 2018). Soil samples taken in Tržič showed pH values between 7.2 and 7.5. In Tržič, pH was slightly basic on bare soil and early succession but neutral in wood areas (Fig. A11). Therefore, it can be confirmed that pH decreased with succession, but there are currently no problems with acidification at the site.
The proportion of fine soil (<2 mm grain size) increased slightly with succession, but varied hardly between the different successional stages. It was highest on managed green spaces and around 50% on average.
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Vegetation development highly depends on the water retention capacity of the soil, which can be derived from the soil texture. On plots with woody vegetation the soil was mostly loamy sand (sand with about 15% clay). On plots with pioneer vegetation, soil was mostly sand mixed with silt. On sandy soil mixed with clay or silt, water retention capacity was higher, and more water was available for plants than on sandy soil (Amelung et al. 2018). Anyhow, plots with woody vegetation were rather dry; soil water only made up 3.5% of the soil sample. Tree species tolerating dry soils, such as Norway maple (Acer platanoides) and European hornbeam (Betula pendula), naturally dominated on these plots. It should be considered that tree species adapted to moist soils might not survive there.
Plots with pioneer vegetation contained more water and had a better availability of soil water, thus vegetation development was not limited by water supply on these plots. On mown areas, soil texture varied between loamy sand and silt loam, with increasing content of silt. On plots with shrub vegetation, soil consisted mostly of silt with shares of loam and sand. On these kind of soils, water retention capacity, delivery of plant-available soil water and nutrient supply were high (Amelung et al. 2018). As a result, plants on the areas with shrub vegetation profit from a high availability of soil water; water made up 15% of the soil samples. Soil conditions on mown areas were also favourable for plants, resulting in rather dense vegetation cover. On average, only 6% of the plot area was not vegetated – a lot less then in scrub (15 %) or woodlets (23%). However, studies showed that dense weed cover is disadvantageous for butterflies (Loram 2004).
High level of nutrients are the main problem for failure of many ecological restoration projects, as target plant species are outcompeted by more productive plants (Hölzel et al. 2009). Compared to limiting values from the literature (Blume et al. 2011), the measured concentrations of chloride and potassium were mostly low at all successional stages. Concentrations of nitrate and magnesium were low to medium; sulphate and sodium were medium on all successional stages. Based on these findings, there are currently no problems with over-fertilization. However, calcium increased in late-successional stages and mown areas. In contrast to nitrate, ammonium concentrations were high on all plots, most likely because nitrate is washed out more easily than ammonium (Pulford 1991). Furthermore, phosphate was high on wooded and mown areas as well as on early-successional plots and late-successional scrub.
Overall, there were few areas with nutrient-rich soils (Fig. A12), while an intermediate nutrient level would support high species richness, both for plants and insects. In order to avoid the development of a homogenous vegetation dominated by invasive alien and other highly productive plants, measures against eutrophication should be taken. First, the invasive plants Black locust and Summer lilac should be controlled (see section invasive alien plants). Second, fertilization of the lawns should be stopped and plants with a high need for nitrogen should be planted on sites with high nutrient levels. In the first years, the vegetation should be mown regularly with removal. After a couple of years, the concentration of nutrients should then reach lower levels. Then, the areas can be sown with local seeds and mown less frequently (Kiehl 2009).
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Observed animals at the brownfield site and quality of their habitats
During two sampling dates in summer, we identified 10 butterfly species on the BPT and Peko areas; six species were found on intermediate-successional stages or areas with low mowing frequency, four on managed green spaces, one on early-successional stages and one on bare ground. Thus, intermediate-successional stages and green areas with low mowing frequency host most butterfly species. In general, the highest diversity of butterflies was found on the western part of the BPT area (Fig. A14). This was most likely due to the presence of extensively mown grassland with a higher abundance of flowers and plants of intermediate successional stages. On the other managed green spaces almost no butterflies were present, because these areas were small and mown more frequently, which resulted in a short and uniform grass vegetation with few flowers. Some of the green areas were occasionally used for storage or as parking lots. Habitat suitability for butterflies was assessed by combining flower richness and vegetation cover per subarea with the average number of food plants for caterpillars and nectar plants for adults within each successional stage (Fig. A15). Only non-sealed surfaces were taken into account. With these criteria, most of the BPT site appears suitable and some areas are very suitable for butterflies. However, the habitat model lacked detailed information about mowing frequency and uniformity of the herb height, which are important habitat criteria for butterflies, too (Steffan-Dewenter & Tscharntke 1997). If mowing frequency was added, habitat suitability became much lower. The presented habitat suitability map therefore rather shows the development potential of butterfly habitats, if green areas are mown less frequently in the future.
Two of the occurring butterflies, the Old-World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) and the Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius) are listed as rare in the Slovenian Red list for threatened butterflies (Carnelutti 1992). Both butterflies were found at the western side of the BPT Area, one more individual of the Old-World Swallowtail was found next to the river within the Peko site (Fig. A14).
On the western end of the BPT site, there was a small artificial pond with a modest reed belt. Even artificial pools can serve as habitats for dragonflies (Goertzen 2008). However, no dragonflies were observed during the two sampling dates. One explanation might be that the pond contained trash and was too rich in nutrients (“eutrophic”), discernible by the amount of algae floating on the surface. Therefore, the pool itself would be unsuitable for dragonflies. Secondly, isolation has a huge effect on species richness of dragonflies in artificial ponds (McCauley 2006). Dragonflies are quite mobile and can move between separate ponds. Depending on weather and habitat, different studies report movement distances from around two kilometres (Conrad et al. 1999; Hassall & Thompson 2012; Angelibert & Giani 2003) up to seven kilometres (Mauersberger 2003) for different dragonfly species. Nevertheless, the artificial pond at the BPT site might be too isolated, as there have been no reports about relevant dragonfly species in around Tržič (Subic 2020), and there are no standing water bodies among the mapped habitat types around the city
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(Table A6). Analysis of aerial photographs showed that there is no other pond or lake within a distance of 2 km that could serve as dragonfly habitat.
Another animal group which often occurs on brownfields are reptiles. However, only one Slowworm (Anguis fragilis) could be observed within a pile of branches on the eastern end of the BPT site (Fig. A14). There were a few structures such as woodpiles, walls and flagstones, which could serve as habitats for thermoregulation, hiding and hibernation of reptiles. The demolition of buildings at the eastern parts of the BPT site resulted in an area with bare soil, and bare soil is important for reproduction of lizards (Glandt 2018). The river and the channel were accompanied by trees and shrubs, which potentially offer natural hibernation habitats, but were very small and often disturbed by strollers with dogs. Furthermore, there were several walls within the perimeter, but they did not offer holes and niches. Thus, they were unsuitable for hiding, but might serve as habitats for sunbathing. The numerous unused or underused buildings offered potential alternative hibernation habitats. The sealed surfaces could serve for sunbathing, but are frequently disturbed by traffic. Overall, there were a few potential habitat structures for reptiles, but a lack of undisturbed or hardly disturbed areas, where reptiles might find shelter. Therefore, the overall habitat quality for snakes was low.
For lizards, there was at least one area at the western side of the BPT site were egg-laying-, sunbathing-, hibernation habitats and hiding places where close to each other (Fig. A17). However, this area was very small and isolated. Most reptile species, except Common Wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) and Slowworm (Anguis fragilis), require habitats >3.5 ha in order to form sustainable populations (PAN 2017). Consequently, the BPT site was too small for most reptiles. Furthermore, the roads, rivers and hills surrounding the site would impede an exchange with other reptile population outside the brownfield. Even if green spaces were mown less frequently and new habitat structures would be created by allowing natural succession (increase of tree and shrub vegetation), allowing decay of walls, creating spots with bare soil and compost heaps, habitat suitability for reptiles would remain low at the Tržič brownfields due to migration obstacles and disturbance.
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Nature-protection areas, habitat types and occurring species in Tržič and its surroundings
The city of Tržič lies in a valley surrounded by the Natura 2000 protected area “Karavanke”, which covers an area of around 23’000 ha and hosts three plant species and eight animal species protected by European law (Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning (Ministrstvo za okolje in prostor) 2016a) (Table A7). Among them is the Lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hippopsideros), a bat which not only breeds in caves but also in attics of old buildings, provided they are dry and have an entrance opening (Landesamt für Umwelt (LfU) oJ). The Lesser horseshoe bat might also use buildings in Tržič as a summer habitat and use the surrounding forests for hunting. The common European viper (Vipera berus) might use undisturbed areas within the city as a temporary habitat or stepping stone between more suitable habitats. The other species are found in wet meadows, woods or rock habitats and will not find habitats in the city or at the brownfield of Tržič.
Detailed mappings of habitat types around the city pointed to a wide range of protected habitats (Table A6). These include among others calcareous rocky slopes, semi-natural dry grassland, hay meadows, beech and fir forests (Bioloski institut Jovana Hadjija in Geografski institut Antona Melika & Znanstevnoraziskovalni center (SAZU) 2015). Several protected or rare plant and animal species occurred around Tržič (Subic 2020) (Table A5; Fig. A21). It is likely that the reported mammals – the Greater and Lesser mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis and Myotis blythii), the Lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros), and the Stoat (Mustela erminea) – also occurred in the old buildings and trees around the BPT site. The butterfly Large blue (Phengaris arion) could also occur on brownfields, provided there are different types of micro habitats (Spitzer et al. 2009). But the species also depends on a certain food plant (Thymus drucei) and host ant species (Myrmica sabuleti) (Casacci et al. 2011). Animals that occur around the brownfield site should be kept in mind during the planning process and habitat connectivity should be improved, if possible.
The Natura 2000 protected area “Karavanke” is connected to a 4330 ha special protection area for birds with the same name on the border to Austria. This protected area hosts at least five important European bird species, e.g. the Eurasian three-toed woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus) and Northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) (Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning (Ministrstvo za okolje in prostor) 2016b). These species require pine forests (woodpecker) and stony pastures (wheatear), which means that the BPT area was most likely no suitable habitat for them, but might serve as a stepping stone. Another local protected area lies northeast of Tržič (“Ostanki grajskega parka gradu Neuhaus”), an ancient oak forest and former park of the castle Neuhaus, covering an area of 3 ha. There is no information on protected or rare species occurring there (Agencija RS Za Okolje 2020), but old, structure-rich parks are often rich in plant- and animal species and offer a certain kind of wilderness (Wittig 1991). The network of protected areas and valuable ecological features in the municipality Tržič is displayed in Fig. A20. It enables species movements and exchanges between different populations and is therefore important for conservation of biodiversity in the region.
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Environmental threats: soil contamination, erosion and flooding
In the process of textile manufacturing, fibers containing residues from pre-processing such as metals, fats and solvents can end up in water and air. Furthermore, numerous auxiliary chemicals are used during weaving, e.g. antistatic agents, machine cleaners and biocides (U.S. EPA/SEMARNAP Pollution Prevention Work Group 1996). Residues of these substances might pollute water, air and soil around weaving mills, too.
Investigating the previous use of different buildings allows a rough estimation of undocumented contaminations. Fig. A18 shows the buildings and areas which might have been polluted due to the working steps which originally had been carried out there. In weaving mills, contamination with cotton dust (particulate matter in the size of 1.0, 2.5, 4.0 and 10.0 m) is a common issue as long as the factory is in use (Tahir et al. 2012). Furthermore, mineral oils, fatty acid esters, silicones and different additives are used in the weaving process and residues might still be found after the factory shut down (Schönberger & Schäfer 2006). Another step during textile manufacturing is bleaching with hydrogenperoxide, sodium chloride or sodium hypochlorite. During bleaching with hydrogenperoxide, wastewater is enriched with complexing and stabilizing agents and the removed by-products (Schönberger & Schäfer 2006). Residues might still be found near the bleaching plant. Bleaching with chlorite can cause air pollution with chlorine dioxide (Schönberger & Schäfer 2006). Apart from the buildings and machinery for yarn processing, additional infrastructure is needed at a textile manufactory. These include warehouses for storing oil and chemicals, oil tanks, gas stations and compressors. Here, pollution with mineral oil, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyl, dioxines and residues of the stored chemicals is possible (Burmeier & Wenzel 2012; Burmeier & Enzer 2012). These substances can affect human health by causing cancer (Mastrangelo et al. 1996; World Health Organization 2016).
Therefore, soil samples should be taken and analysed for toxic substances at and near these buildings prior to site transformation. In case pollution with mineral oil and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is confirmed, the affected soil can be decontaminated in-situ, i.e. without removing it, by phytoremediation. In this process, living green plants are used to remove, degradate or contain contaminants. Phytoremediation is feasible for shallow sites with low to moderate levels of contamination (Chandra et al. 2017). To reduce pollution with hydrocarbons, e.g. Black nightshade (Solanum nigrum), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), Ryegrass (Lolium perenne), White clover (Trifolium repens) and Celery (Apium graveolens) could be planted on the affected site. These plant species can take up hydrocarbons or stimulate microbial communities which decompose hydrocarbons ( (Meng et al. 2011; Kumar et al. 2017; Sun et al. 2011)
So far, no soil contamination has been confirmed for the BPT and Peko site by the reasearch programme on soil pollution in Slovenia (ROTS), led by the Slovenian National Environmental
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Agency (ARSO). During the site visit, it was confirmed by the owners of the site that there are no toxic substances at or around the buildings. Therefore, decontamination is not necessary here.
Furthermore, we assessed the risk of flooding and erosion based on existing data. Because most of the site is sealed and flat, risk of erosion is currently low. The site is surrounded by the stream Tržič Bistrica and a channel for hydropower production. Natural erosion might occur within the river bed of Tržič Bistrica, but the water course is confined by walls. Only a small area on the western end of the site, where the channel flows back into the river, has a risk of being flooded ( Fig. A18). As this area is not built up or used in any other way, occasional flooding is currently not problematic. The flood risk should, however, be kept in mind for future planning and e.g. storing of material and construction of new buildings should not be allowed there. As the flooded area is quite small and the river shows almost no natural structure, it’s ecological value, e.g. as habitat for floodplain species, is low. However, due to climate change, flood peaks increased in the alpine region during the last century, and 100-year flood events are expected to occur five times more often than in the past (Allamano et al. 2009). Therefore, the risk of flooding at the site should not be underestimated.
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Summary and planning recommendations
An overview of potentials, threats and recommendations is provided in the Appendix (Fig. A19).
The city of Tržič is surrounded by a Natura 2000 protected area with many different habitats. Therefore, many species might use the brownfield as a stepping stone, but not as permanent habitat. As the former BPT area is very small, largely sealed and frequently disturbed, its ecological value is low, especially compared to the surrounding protected areas. Nevertheless, the existing green space could be improved to offer more habitats, e.g. for insects. The plans of establishing a park and reinforcing green infrastructure is a huge chance for biodiversity at the site and within the city of Tržič. However, species-poor multicut grasslands and non-native tree species, which are often found in modern city parks, are of limited ecological value. In order to create a park which does not only serve human visitors, some parts should be sown with a regional seed mixture and must be mown less frequently. Moreover, existing old trees and shrubs should be preserved, and only native tree species should be planted. Stormwater generated in the park and the industrial area could be collected in a semi-natural pond with aquatic plants, which could serve as habitat for amphibians and dragonflies. Sealed surfaces should be kept to a minimum, i.e. pathways for pedestrians should not be sealed and parking lots should preferably be paved with permeable materials. This way, surface runoff is reduced and the risk of erosion and flooding decreases.
The asphalted part of the brownfield is of limited ecological value. If the buildings are kept in use in the future, it is recommended to increase vegetation cover around them. This could be reached by unsealing and seeding, preferably with regional seeds or plants. Leaving the area to natural succession is also possible, but in this case a monitoring is required in the first years in order to avoid further spreading of invasive alien plants. If possible, it would be optimal to mow these green spaces just once or twice a year and not fertilize them, thus increasing flower diversity and offer a rich nectar habitat for insects. The plantation of trees links the advantages of being beneficial to wildlife (birds, bats, beetles …) and to humans by offering shade and cooling on hot summer days. Preserving some of the old buildings does not contradict ecological aims, as they offer nesting habitats to birds.
In general, we recommend to eradicate the most critical invasive alien plants or to reduce them, if removing them completely is not possible. Furthermore, the development of other invasive alien species should be monitored. Finally, we would like to point out that the species list in this survey does not show the complete inventory of the site. It is inevitable to do a detailed field survey on planning-relevant species before site transformation, especially on buildings, in order to avoid harming rare and protected species and their habitats.
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4 PART 2: PERFORMANCE OF THE AIL ASSESSMENT
4.1 INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY
The ecological importance of brownfields
Brownfields can be ecologically diverse, including rare and endangered plant and animal species (Kattwinkel et al. 2011), since they offer a wide range of spatio-temporarily heterogeneous habitats (Godefroid et al. 2007). For example, within one site, soils can be variable, e.g. sandy next to compacted soil, and contain a diverse anthropogenic legacy, including hydrocarbons, heavy metals or coal. During active industrial use sites are disturbed through for example traffic, construction, demolition, soil extraction and deposition. When an area is no longer used a series of plant communities develop, i.e. succession takes place. First short-lived, pioneer plants colonize, that can cope with unstable substrate and microclimatic fluctuations; later structurally more diverse communities with tall ruderal herbs establish. Finally, woody vegetation takes over, when areas remain undisturbed and unmanaged (Mathey et al. 2015). Most brownfields simultaneously support several of these successional stages on various substrates, which largely determine the species present, their diversity, ecosystem functions and services (Mathey et al. 2015).
Environmental conditions and organism assemblages in brownfields can be similar (“analogous”) to natural habitats or largely differ from pristine ecosystems (“novel”; Lundholm & Richardson 2010). Thus, anthropogenic ecosystems may host indigenous species, because they structurally and functionally resemble natural ecosystems. They may also act as an alternative habitat for species, whose natural environments have been degraded or destroyed. This is the case for example for the endangered amphibian species Bufo viridis, which has its largest populations in railway areas, or Alytes obstetricans, which regionally only occurs in brownfields (Rebele 1996). Climatic, hydrological and soil conditions of brownfields as well as species interactions might also be largely influenced by humans rendering direct comparisons with natural areas impossible (Lundholm & Richardson 2010). Such “novel ecosystems” often host invasive alien species that start spreading into the Alps (Dainese et al. 2014). Novel ecosystems have a considerable level of self-regulation in terms of ecosystem processes (e.g. decomposition, nutrient cycling, biomass production) and can be ecologically as interesting as ancient natural ecosystems (Kowarik 2018).
Brownfields offer many important ecosystem services. The above-described provision of habitats to plant and animal species and near-natural ecosystem processes are an indirect benefit to humans. By preserving biodiversity, these sites provide natural resources as the basis for economy and well-being (European Comission 2015). Besides that, brownfields also offer more direct services to humans. Within a matrix of sealed surfaces, green areas can regulate the microclimate and therefore locally mitigate climate change (Mathey et al. 2015). Vegetated areas reduce erosion, that is especially relevant on mining sites; post-industrial wilderness can also provide a nature experience to humans (Kowarik 2018).
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When brownfields need to be transformed due to social, economic or ecological reasons, impacts of future use on the above-described wilderness and their associated species, ecosystem processes and services need to be considered. In most European countries, it is necessary to estimate impacts of development projects (e.g. construction of factories, roads etc.) on species (and habitats) that are legally protected; and if the impact cannot be avoided, it usually needs to be compensated by establishment of new protected areas or restoration (Moilanen & Kotiaho 2018). Besides these legal requirements, a sustainable transformation needs to assume its ecological responsibility, e.g. by promoting endangered species or avoiding the spread of invasive alien species to intact natural ecosystems in the surroundings. Furthermore, in some cases an economic or social transformation might not be possible and the only sustainable future for the site would be “ecological transformation”. In this case, the environmental setting will be particularly important.
Motivation for the environmental assessment
While there is extensive literature on the diversity, ecosystem processes and services of brownfields or wastelands, most of them focus on urban areas, and no studies exist specifically on post-industrial landscapes in mountains. Thus, it is unknown how their species dynamics, ecosystem processes and services differ from lowland brownfields. Especially, the importance of some ecosystem services like habitat provision, hazard prevention, microclimate regulation or recreational services might be strongly affected by the surrounding environmental context. Alpine ecosystems, for example, are have more adverse habitat conditions and are less affected by intensive land use than those in the lowlands. This might make them less challenging for restoration, e.g. because plant invasions are less prominent (Alexander et al. 2016), and the need for a local cooling effect or leisure areas might also be less urgent than in urban areas.
The ecological assessment within trAILs aims at identifying the ecological value of Alpine post- industrial sites as basis for transformation, restoration or conservation. Specifically, we want to (i) provide an overview of the ecological status quo in terms of habitat and species diversity as well as ecosystem processes and services, (ii) develop recommendations for managing areas of high ecological value in order to ensure their conservation, and (iii) identify degraded or damaged areas as well as potential measures for their restoration.
Methods of the environmental assessment
The environmental assessment consists of three main steps (Fig. 2).
1) We sampled data on biodiversity, ecosystem processes and services (Table 1). We started by delimitating habitat units, mostly corresponding to successional stages on aerial photographs, that we later verified in the field (Table A1). Within each habitat unit, we assessed representative indicators for habitat and species diversity, ecosystem processes and services (Table 1), including the aesthetic preferences of stakeholders by conducting an online-survey, showing them representative pictures of habitat units. Thus, we can
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include the recreational service function of brownfields into our analysis. In this survey we also asked stakeholders to rank indicators according to their importance. 2) Results of individual indicators and stakeholder perception were then combined using multifunctionality approaches (Byrnes et al. 2014, Manning et al. 2018). This resulted in an integrative map showing conservation hotspots and their threats. Data of all four pilot sites were compared using statistical modelling, that will inform about underlying drivers of species assemblages, ecosystem functions and services. 3) Finally, we interpreted the results in order to derive general and site-specific management recommendations for Alpine post-industrial sites.
Fig. 2: The environmental assessment included three main steps. Data were sampled in the field as well as during the workshop. Maps of individual indicators were brought to the workshop. Final planning recommendations were given after the workshop and explorative data analysis. For more details, see Table 1. ES = ecosystem.
Challenges of the environmental assessment
The main challenge of the ecological assessment was caused by the schedule of the trAILs project contrasting seasonal periods of ecological sampling.
1) Since the workshop in Tržič was scheduled for June 2020, we had to do field sampling in the year before, since most ecological indicators can only be sampled from mid-May to September. 2) While time and travel costs were restricted within the project, there were many potential taxonomic groups and indicators for ecosystem processes and services; many of them require frequent sampling over longer time periods (e.g. butterflies should be sampled at least three times) or the installation of measuring devices (e.g. temperature loggers). Since
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we could only assess selected indicators, we provide theoretical recommendations on a complete environmental assessment. We also carefully selected those indicators, that are most relevant to the project team and goals. 3) Another challenge were uncertain weather conditions. Sampling of animals requires favourable weather (e.g. at least 17 °C with little wind for butterflies) in order to be reliable. Despite careful planning of the sampling dates, the conditions during sampling were not perfect. Also, the different target animal groups have different times of activity, e.g. amphibians are most active in spring, reptiles can be sampled best in spring and autumn, life cycles of butterflies differ between the species. Due to time restrictions, only two sampling dates for animals were possible, and therefore compromises had to be made.
Another challenge of the environmental assessment in Tržič was the difference to the other pilot sites. While the sites in Borgo San Dalmazzo, Eisenerz and L’Argentière-La Bessée had originally been used for cement and metal processing, the BPT site was a textile manufacture. Therefore, the structure of the brownfield is hardly comparable to the other brownfields within the trAILs project, e.g. there were a lot more buildings and sealed surfaces and hardly any unmanaged vegetated areas. Also, the site was much smaller than the other pilot sites. Because of these differences, the assessed animal groups were hardly representative for biodiversity in Tržič. For future assessments it is recommended to rather monitor birds and bats on buildings, or insects occurring on smaller green spaces, such as wild bees or beetles.
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4.2 ANALYSIS ELEMENTS REVIEW
Table 1: Environmental context assessment. The step numbers correspond to Fig. 2. Analysis element Output description Output usage Usefulness for this AIL Step
1. Landscape Assessment of habitat units based Brownfields can be ecologically The structural comparison of brownfields structure on aerial photographs. valuable. Habitat diversity and with other land-use types reveal their structures differ from other land-use degree of uniqueness that is worth being Comparison of brownfield structural
types. conserved. For this AIL, structural diversity with agricultural, natural diversity on brownfields is comparable to and urban land use. structural diversity in urban areas. Format: maps, graphs 2. Habitat diversity Definition of habitat units based on The definition of habitat units sets the The definition of habitat units could differ aerial photographs and site scale for further on-site analyses. They depending on the person mapping
1.1 Remote mapping Remote 1.1 verification. are representative for certain plant and habitats on aerial photographs and/or on animal species, ecosystem functions and site. Assessment of structural diversity services. based on (i) diversity of habitats and (ii) plant communities (plant An increased diversity of habitats In order to increase the openness, height, food resources) increases the diversity of plants and representativeness of delimited habitat
animals. units, an unambiguous and reproducible Certain plant and animal species protocol was established.
depend on a specific communities.
Formats: maps, graphs 1.2 On site mapping site On 1.2
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3. Species diversity Frequency and abundance of (non- Brownfields can be highly divers, While plants can be sampled in one site )native species, including degree of including rare and endangered plant visit at any time between May and rarity. The analysis includes plants and animal species. Some of them September, a representative assessment and three selected animal taxonomic might be protected by law. We also of many animal taxonomic groups groups (reptiles, butterflies, expected a high abundance of invasive requires repeated surveys (e.g. three dragonflies). alien species. visits); this means it can be resource and time consuming. Therefore, three animal Biodiversity status quo is the basis for groups, that were expected to be identifying environmental targets (e.g. ecologically meaningful at all pilot sites, conservation of protected species or where selected. diverse communities), environmental Formats: maps, tables, graphs threats (e.g. invasive alien species) and Later it turned out that other animal environmental management options groups would have been more suitable (e.g. managing green spaces). for monitoring biodiversity on the BPT brownfield (e.g. animals breeding on buildings, wild bees) due to the high number of buildings, small and frequently mown lawns. 4. Habitat Assessment of (i) habitat conditions Specific habitat conditions and A representative and quantitative analysis conditions and including soil pH, soil type and processes (or functions) determine of some ecosystem processes and ecosystem contamination as well as of (ii) successional dynamics of (semi)natural services needs to be repeated at several processes ecosystem processes including soil ecosystems, including the establishment points of time throughout the year (e.g. nutrients, water retention and of plant and animal species. They (i) can soil biological activity differs according to erosion. be a conservation target on their own, season). This would require repeated site and (ii) need to be taken into account visits, that are costly. Therefore, fewer
for future conservation and restoration measurements were done and only a few Formats: maps, tables, graphs strategies. conditions (disturbance regime, soil
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5. Ecosystem Assessment of ecosystem processes, Vegetated areas of brownfields provide nutrients and soil structure) and services that are relevant for humans. It important ecosystem services, i.e. can ecosystem services (erosion protection, includes an estimate of erosion be useful for human purposes. They can aesthetic landscape appeal) could be protection (plant cover and slope), protect from erosion, have a cooling assessed. and aesthetic landscape appeal effect or serve as recreation areas. Therefore, a comparison between the (ranking of pictures by stakeholders four pilot sites is possible, but at workshops and online). comparison with literature is not possible.
Formats: maps, tables, graphs, pictures 6. Stakeholder Ranking of most of the above Ecosystem services are perceived The questionnaire proved to be an perception mentioned analyses elements: (i) differently by different stakeholders. The important tool to find out what is
species diversity, (ii) ecosystem perceived importance needs to be taken important for the stakeholders. It was processes and (iii) ecosystem into account for identifying distributed via an online platform and will services by stakeholders at environmental targets and for be distributed at the workshop. However, workshops and online. developing conservation or restoration motivating stakeholders and citizens to strategies. participate can be problematic. The
higher the number of participants, the
Format: table more reliable are the results. Only then 1.3 Workshop survey Workshop 1.3 will it be possible to use the results to frame planning recommendations.
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7. Environmental Integration of status quo analyses A spatial visualisation of targets and The map makes it easy to sum up potentials and (species diversity, ecosystem threats will help identify conservation potentials, threats and planning threats functions and ecosystem services) and restoration zones. recommendations for different parts of and stakeholder ranking in order to the site and pass on the essential identify environmental potentials information of this assessment to the (targets) or threats, e.g. invasive alien stakeholders. species, erosion, contamination
2..1 Descriptive analysis Descriptive 2..1 Format: map
8. Underlying Statistical analyses for understanding Statistical analyses help understand Statistical analyses showed the most drivers) underlying drivers of species relationships between targets (plant and important differences in biodiversity
diversity, ecosystem functions and animal diversity, ecosystem processes within different parts of the site (e.g. services using data of all four pilots. and services) and explanatory variables other types of disturbance and
analysis (connectivity, habitat conditions) and successional stages) and also differences
serve as a basis for deriving in soil conditions between different parts Formats: statistical models, graphs 2.2. Explorative data Explorative 2.2. management options. of the site. 9. Environmental Management measures for At the site scale: Spatially explicit Since planning recommendations are not management conserving or restoring biodiversity, strategy for valorising the AIL from an legally binding, the usefulness for the site
recommendations ecosystem processes and services environmental perspective cannot be evaluated yet.
At the Alpine scale: General guideline
3. Planning 3. for practitioners how to include Formats: map, text environmental aspects into their transformation strategy
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4.3 PERFORMANCE CONCLUSION
Which elements of the method were found crucial based on the results of the assessment and Table 1?
The mapping of habitat units is crucial, since it can be done on aerial photographs and even if it is not guaranteed, that it is without mistakes, it can serve as a basis for further analyses. Therefore, it allowed us to estimate in a desktop research, which habitats were already present. The field sampling is crucial too, as a reliable evaluation of the habitat potential of the site is only possible if the occurring species are known. Also, it is essential to predict possible restrictions because of rare and protected species and to find adequate measures for management of invasive species.
What modifications of the method will be considered for future assessments of AIL?
The mapping protocol for habitat units on aerial photographs was gradually adapted during the assessment of other pilots and might have to be adapted to other AILs. For example, the number of vegetation plots had to be adapted to be representative for the actual area size for each habitat unit. Not all habitat units were present at every AIL, for example, in Tržič, the intermediate successional stage was not present. The mapping needs to be adapted to this, too.
Furthermore, the target species had to be adapted to the history, size and structure of the site. Large, undisturbed AILs can host other species than small, largely sealed and disturbed sites without connection to other habitats. In Tržič, the target species that had been selected for the other pilot sites barely found any suitable habitats at the site. For future assessments, other target species have to be selected, e.g. bats, birds breeding on buildings, wild bees or beetles, as these groups might be more frequent on largely sealed sites with small, intensively mown green spaces.
For all pilot sites within the trAILs project, the only parameter investigated for indicating the uniqueness of brownfields in comparison to other land-use types was structural diversity. A detailed mapping of species was only done on the brownfield itself, but not in the surroundings. Species lists from surrounding nature conservation areas were available to some extend, however, it is hard to compare these two sources. For future assessments, detailed mappings on randomly selected areas around the site, preferably in various land-use types, would be beneficial. This way, statements on uniqueness and ecological value of the brownfield would be more accurate and it would be easier to decide whether the natural elements on the site need to be conserved or improved.
Another problem occurring during all the environmental assessments was the lack of participation of the stakeholders in the survey and discussion on environmental topics other than pollution and flood risk. In order to improve the dialogue with the stakeholders on environmental aspects, additional questions will be prepared and included during the round table discussions. Perhaps also a short summary with questions should be given to the stakeholders prior to the workshops.
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5 PART 3: FEEDBACK OF THE REGIONAL PARTNER
Do you find the results useful and which ones? Yes, data are very useful. The biodiversity of the place was tackled for the first time.
Have you learned something about the site that you did not know before? What was it? Yes, that biodiversity matters and has to be taken into account for further steps in redesign of the site.
Will you be able to use any of the results and how? Yes, will be used for further development of green infrastructure on the site and beyond.
Will you be able to take any additional actions based on the assessment results, what are they? Yes, actions to preserve, develop natural heritage – biodiversity on site and beyond.
Which analysis elements are more useful (look at the spreadsheet 4.2 and appendix results)?
All elements are useful.
Any suggestions to make this assessment method better?
Perhaps to make a comparison with other areas in Tržič and define the simbiozis of plants and animal life space, perhaps also to ask policy makers and inhabitants - awareness of the topic.
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6 APPENDIX
6.1 APPENDIX A – GENERAL INFORMATION
Fig. A2: Number of individual habitat units within a fixed landscape perimeter in brownfields compared to other land uses, i.e. agricultural land, nature conservation zones or urban landscapes. Results are based on all four pilot regions. Two circular areas of 3 ha were randomly selected per land use type and country. Different letters indicate significant differences.
Fig. A3: Mean area of individual habitat units in brownfields compared to other land use types for all four pilot sites.
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Table A1: Criteria for the delimitation of habitat units in AILs. Habitat units <10 m2 area or 2 m width are integrated into larger habitat units (exceptions: vegetated walls, single trees and bare as well as vegetated rocks).
Additional criteria for Habitat unit Mapping protocol for aerial photographs on-site verification
Successional stages
Bare rocks Vegetation cover <10%, consolidated substrate, min. area 4 m2
Vegetated rocks Vegetation cover >10%, consolidated substrate, min. area 4 m2 Vegetation cover <10%, Bare soil loose substrate Early succession with pioneer Vegetation cover <50% Potentially to be vegetation defined in the field Intermediate succession with Vegetation cover >50%, ruderal or herbaceous dominated by ruderal or herbaceous vegetation plants Late succession with Vegetation cover >50%, spontaneous shrubs dominated by shrub species Late succession with Vegetation cover >50%, spontaneous wood dominated by tree species Other habitat units
Sealed or asphalted (for traffic) Sealed or asphalted surface
Linear feature, frequently or permanently Open trails disturbed by traffic
Built-up (e.g. buildings) Temporary and permanent buildings
Artificial vegetated walls, min. length 20 m, Vegetated walls Potentially to be min. height 2 m defined in the field Vegetated area, that is regularly managed Managed green space (e.g. (mown, grazed, ...) or includes ornamental gardens) plants Trees or tree groups dominated by trees Single trees or tree groups with >50 cm DBH Ponds, ditches, rivers or streams, that are Open water permanently filled with water
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6.2 APPENDIX B – ASSESSMENT TRŽIČ – BPT AND PEKO
?
Fig. A4: Type and intensity of current use of the two brownfields. The state of the large building is uncertain to this point. Parts of this building might be used for storage or as garages, the rest of the building is unused.
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Fig. A5: Composition of habitat units in Tržič as delimited in Fig. A1.
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Fig. A6: Habitat units of Tržič as defined in Table A1.
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Table A2: Number and size of sampling plots per habitat unit for sampling structural diversity and plant species and collecting soil samples. Number and size of planned plots follows recommendations of Traxler (1997) and was adapted on site to match the relative the number of subareas for each successional stage
Number of Size of mapped plots Habitat unit Area in Tržič (m2) mapped plots (m)
Successional stages
Bare rocks - 0
Vegetated rocks - 0
Bare soil 4645 3 1x1
Early succession with pioneer 701 4 2x2 vegetation Intermediate succession with ruderal or herbaceous vegetation/ managed 2382 0 2x2 green space with low mowing frequency Late succession with spontaneous 3096 3 5x5 shrubs Late succession with spontaneous 3148 3 5x5 wood Complex mosaic of different - - - successional stages Other habitat units
Sealed/ asphalted (e.g. traffic) 30419 - -
Open trails 5621 - -
Built-up (e.g. buildings) 69663 - -
Vegetated walls - - -
Managed green space (e.g. gardens) 21546 4 2x2
Single trees or tree groups 3531 - -
Open water 14468 - -
Temporary water - - -
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A) The BPT-area is mostly built-up, some B) Small green spaces near the buildings are buildings are under preservation order. mown frequently.
C) The stream Tržič Bistrica is surrounding both D) Artificial pool on the BPT site, which could sites. attract dragonflies
E) One of the green spaces with low mowing F) Branch piles like these can offer hiding places frequency, which can offer habitats for various and hibernation habitats for reptiles. insect groups, e.g. butterflies.
Fig. A7: Habitats and landscapes of the “BPT” site within the delimited perimeter (Fig. A6). Pictures: K. Bär and K. Strobl, 2019
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Table A3: Occurring plant species at the BPT site and frequency for each successional stage.
Frequency (no of ocurring plots) Invasive Scientific name Slovenian name early succ. managed green space late succ. shrub late succ. wood species*² Ferns
Equisetum sylvaticum Gozdna preslica 1
Gras
Arrhenatherum elatius Visoka pahovka 2 1
Brachypodium pinnatum Trava navadna glota 1
Bromus erectus Pokončno stoklasa 1
Carex humilis Šaš nizki 2 Carex montana Šaš gorski 1 Carex muricata Šaš Pairajev 1 Carex pilulifera Šaš obloplodni 1 Carex sylvatica Šaš gozdni 1 Dactylis glomerata Pasja trava navadna 3 1 Elymus caninus Bored navadni 1 Festuca rubra Bilnica 1 1 1 Helictotrichon pubescens Ovsika puhasta 1 Holcus lanatus medena trava volnata 1 Lolium perenne Trpežna ljuljka 2 Melica nutans Kraslika previsna 1 Poa annua Latovka enoletna 4 1
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Frequency (no of ocurring plots) Invasive Scientific name Slovenian name early succ. managed green space late succ. shrub late succ. wood species*² Poa compressa Latovka dvoredna 2 1 Poa nemoralis Latovka podlesna 1 1
Poa pratensis Latovka travniška 1 1
Poa trivialis Navadna latovka 2
Herbs
Achillea millefolium Navadni rman 3 2 1
Aegopodium podagraria Regačica navadna 2
Ajuga reptans Skrečnik plazeči 1 1
Bellis perennis Navadna marjetica 1
Campanula rapunculoides Zvončica repuščeva 1
Centaurea jacea Glavinec navadni 1
Cerastium fontanum Smiljka studenčna 1 3
Chaenorrhinum minus 1
Clematis vitalba Navadni srobot 2 3
Daucus carota Navadno korenje 1 1 1
Erigeron annuus Enoletna suholetnica 1 2 x
Fragaria vesca Gozdna jagoda 1 1 1 1
Galium aparine Plezajoča lakota 1
Galium mollugo Navadna lakota 4
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Frequency (no of ocurring plots) Invasive Scientific name Slovenian name early succ. managed green space late succ. shrub late succ. wood species*²
Geranium pusillum Krvomočnica pritlična 1
Geranium robertianum Smrdljička 1 2
Geum urbanum Navadna sretena 1
Glechoma hederacea Bršljanasta grenkuljica 2
Hedera helix Navadni bršljan 1 2
Heracleum sphondylium Navadni dežen 1
Hieracium pilosella Kosmatica 1
Knautia arvensis Njivsko grabljišče 2
Lamium orvala Mrtve koprive 1 1 Lathyrus pratensis Travniški grahor 1 1
Leucanthemum vulgare Travniška ivanjščica 2
Listera ovata Jajčastolistni muhovnik 1
Lotus corniculatus Navadna nokota 1 1
Medicago lupulina Hmeljna meteljka 2
Phyteuma ovatum 1
Pimpinella major Veliki bedrenec 1
Plantago lanceolata Ozkolistni trpotec 1 1
Plantago media Srednji trpotec 3 2
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Frequency (no of ocurring plots) Invasive Scientific name Slovenian name early succ. managed green space late succ. shrub late succ. wood species*²
Primula acaulis Trobentica 3 1
Prunella grandiflora Črnoglavka velecvetna 1
Ranunculus acris Ripeča zlatica 3
Ranunculus lanuginosus Kosmata zlatica 1
Salvia pratensis Travniška kadulja 1
Saxifraga tridactylites Kreč triprsti 1
Silene vulgaris Navadna pokalica 2
Solidago canadensis Zlata rozga kanadanska 1
Symphytum officinale Navadni gabez 1
Taraxacum officinale agg. Navadni regrat 4 5 1
Thymus pulegioides Materina dušica polajeva 1 Trifolium pratense Črna detelja 1 5 Trifolium repens Plazeča detelja 3 1 Veronica chamaedrys Vredenikov jetičnik 1 Veronica serpyllifolia Jetičnik timijanov 1 Vicia cracca Ptičja grašica 1 Vicia sylvatica Grašica gozdna 2
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Frequency (no of ocurring plots) Invasive Scientific name Slovenian name early succ. managed green space late succ. shrub late succ. wood species*² Viola biflora Vijolica dvocvetna 1 Shrubs Buddleja davidii* Budleja davidova x Cornus mas Rumeni dren 1 Corylus avellana Navadna leska 2 1 Cotoneaster horizontalis Polegla panešplja 1 Cotoneaster tomentosus Panešplja dlakava 1 Ligustrum vulgare Navadna kalina 1 Reynoutria japonica Japonski dresnik 2 x Rubus caesius Sinjezelena robida 1 2 Sambucus nigra Črni bezeg 1 Spiraea japonica Japonska medvejka 1 x Viburnum lantana Dobrovite 1 Trees Abies alba Bela jelka 1 Acer campestre Maklen 1 1 Acer platanoides Ostrolistni javor 2 2 3 Acer pseudoplatanus Beli javor 1 Ailanthus altissima* Veliki pajesen x
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Frequency (no of ocurring plots) Invasive Scientific name Slovenian name early succ. managed green space late succ. shrub late succ. wood species*² Betula pendula Navadna breza 1 Carpinus betulus Beli gaber 1 2 3 Fagus sylvatica Bukev 1 Fraxinus excelsior Veliki jesen 2 Fraxinus ornus Črni jesen 1 Picea abies Navadna smreka 1 Robinia pseudoacacia Navadna robinija 1 1 x Tilia cordata Lipovec 1 1 1 Tilia platyphyllos Lipa 1
* Outside the vegetation plots
*² According to European List of Alien Invasive Species
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Fig. A8: Map of vegetation plots and mean number of plant species per plot for each successional stage.
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A) Reynoutria japonica – Japanese knotweed B) Robinia pseudoacacia – Black locust
C) Erigeron annuus – Daisy fleabane D) Ailanthus altissima – Tree of heaven
E) Buddleja davidii – Summer lilac F) Solidago canadensis – Canada goldenrod
Fig. A9: Invasive alien species found during the site mapping in Tržič. Sources: Photo A–D, F: K. Strobl (June 2019); photo E: Mihailo Grbić © wikimedia commons CC BY-SA 3.0 sr
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Fig. A10: Location of invasive alien species in the study area.
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A) B)
C) D)
Fig. A11: Soil conditions within the vegetation plots (mean values per succession stage): A) pH; B) proportion of fine soil; C) soil nutrients; D) content of soil water available to plants
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sodium
Fig. A12: Plots with increased to high levels of phosphate, nitrate, ammonium and/or calcium according to limiting values from Blume et al. (2011).
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Table A4: Occurring animals on the site and total frequency for the two field sampling days in June and July 2019. Taxonomic Scientific name Slovenian name Frequency group (total) Reptiles Anguilis fragilis (protected) Navádni slépec 1 Butterflies Aglais io Dnevni pavlinček 1 Aglais urticae Mali koprivar 2 Gonepteryx rhamni Citronček 1 Iphiclides podalirius (rare) Jadralec 1 Lasiommata maera 1 Maniola jurtina Navadni lešnikar 2 Papilio machaon (rare) Lastovičar 2 Pieris rapae Repni belin 17 Polyommatus icarus Navadni modrin 3 Vanessa cardui Osatnik 2
A) Papilio machaon – Old World Swallowtail B) Iphiclides podalirius – Scarce Swallowtail
Anguis fragilis - Slowworm Fig. A13: Rare and protected species in Tržič. Sources: A: Andreas Eichler © wikimedia commons CC BY-SA 4.0, B: Manfred Heyde © wikimedia commons CC BY-SA 3.0, C: K. Bär
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Fig. A14: Butterfly diversity at the site, plots with rare or protected species and valuable habitat structures.
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Fig. A15: Habitat suitability for butterflies on the BPT-site, assessed from vegetation cover, adult and larval food plants.
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Fig. A16: Potential habitat structures for reptiles.
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Fig. A17: Assessment of overall habitat suitability for reptiles.
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Fig. A18: Areas flooded at a runoff of 10, 100 and 500 m³ s-1 (Ministry of Public Administration (Ministrstvo za Javno Upravo) 2018) and buildings that could be polluted due to former use (Luz et al. 2018). According to the owners, there’s no pollution at the BPT site.
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Fig. A19: Overview of planning recommendations based on potentials (P) and threats (T).
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6.3 APPENDIX C – ASSESSMENT TRŽIČ - SURROUNDINGS
Fig. A20: Protected areas and valuable ecological features in the municipality of Tržič. Source: Environmental atlas of Slovenija.
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Table A5: Occurring plants and animals in and around the city Tržič (Subic 2020). Taxonomic Scientific name Slovenian name Protection status Red List group status Plants Arnica montana Navadna arnika nationally, FFH V vulnerable Mammals Martes sp. Kune Mustela erminea Velika podlasica nationally Myotis myotis/ Myotis Navadni netopir / FFH II and IV endangered blythii Ostrouhi netopir Rhinolophus hipposideros Mali podkovnjak FFH II endangered Birds Ptyonoprogne rupestris Skalna lastovka Reptiles Coronella austriaca Smokulja nationally, FFH IV vulnerable Amphibians Bufo bufo Navadna krastača nationally vulnerable Butterflies Phengaris arion Veliki mravljiščar FFH IV vulnerable Crayfish Austropotamobius Navadni koščak nationally, FFH II + IV vulnerable torrentium Beetles Lucanus cervus Rogač nationally, FFH II endangered
Fig. A21: Location of plants and animals around Tržič (Subic 2020) from Table A5.
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Table A6: Habitat types and coverage for each habitat type around the city Tržič (max. 1500 m from BPT site) and on the mountain Kriska Gora near Tržič (marked with “+”) (Bioloski institut Jovana Hadjija in Geografski institut Antona Melika & Znanstevnoraziskovalni center (SAZU) 2015).
Code Slovenian Code Natura Area Name/ Description habitat type 2000 (m²)
Bare rocks + calcareous and calcshist screes of the montane to alpine 61.22 8120 + levels (Thalspietea rotundifolii) 62.151 8210 calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation +
Managed green space – extensive and species-rich 400'695
36.41 / 36.412 6170 alpine and subalpine calcareous grasslands +
83.151 - extensively cultivated hay orchards 16’707
38.1 - mesophile pastures 34’395
38.31 6520 mountain hay meadows + 34.32 / 34.325/ 31.1F 6210(*) / 156’796 semi-natural dry grasslands and shrubland facies /35.1 6230(*) + 53’189.5 35.1 6230* species-rich Nardus grasslands on siliceous substrates + 37.241 - wet mesotrophic and eutrophic meadow pastures +
38.221 6510 xerophilic lowland meadows 51’497
38.22 6510 lowland hay meadows 88’111
Intermediate succession 19'107 hydrophilous tall herb fringe communities of plains and 37.82 / 37.821 /37.88 6430 + of montane to alpine levels Juniperus communis formations on heaths or calcareous 31.88 / 31.8F / 31.8G 5130 + grasslands 87.2 - ruderal vegetation 10’132.8
38.13 - ruderalized abandoned grasslands 8’973.53
Shrubs 64'832
31.52 4070 bushes with Pinus mugo and Rhododendron hirsutum +
84.2 - forest's edge and small groups of trees and shrubs 38’248.6
31.86 - forest's edge with eagle fern +
31.87 /31.871 /31.872 - forest clearings with shrub vegetation 9’879+
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37.219 - forest felling 947.2
31.8F - mixed shrub forests 7’365
31.8D - shrubby deciduos forests 8’392
84.2 - small groups of trees and shrubs +
Wood 758'237
41.57 - acidophilous oak forests 37’320 acidophilous Picea forests of the montane to alpine 42.254 9410 + levels 44.32 91E0* alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa 50’539
41.1 x 42.5 - beechwood with red pine 15’1400
41.1x42.2 - beechwood with spruce 303’156
41.1 9110 Luzulo-Fagetum beech forests +
41.4 / 44.32 9180 /91E0* maples, ash, elm and linden 163’353
42.2 - coniferous / spruce forest 52’470+ subalpine and montane belt forests in the Alps 42.322 - + dominated by Larix decidua Wood (plantation) 3'873
83.311 - plantations of native conifers 3’873
Managed green space - intensive 61’5571
87.1 / 82.11 - arable land 1’134
85.3 - gardens 8’364
86.5 - greenhouses and other agricultural structures 215
36.52 - montane, nutrient-rich pastures
81 - intensively cultivated meadows 5’1572
83.15 - orchards 273
Open trails 5’373
Open water 16’553
24.1 - rivers 10452
24.221 3220 alpine rivers and herbaceous vegetation 563
24.1 - stream with natural banks 1790
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24.1 - regulated streams 285
89.22 - channels 3463
Sealed 21’439
Built-up 59’296
86 - built-up area 735
86.3 - industrial areas 12’360
86.2 - villages, suburbs and individual buildings 46’201+
* translation from Leskovar & Institute for Nature Conservation Slovenia 2006 or own translation
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Fig. A22: Habitat types and coverage for each habitat type around the city Tržič (max. 1500 m from BPT site) (Bioloski institut Jovana Hadjija in Geografski institut Antona Melika & Znanstevnoraziskovalni center (SAZU) 2015).
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Table A7: Plants and animals occurring within the Natura 2000 protected area Karavanke (Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning (Ministrstvo za okolje in prostor) 2016b, 2016a; Ministrstvo za Gospodarski Razvoj in Tehnologijo oJ). Species that could potentially occur on the brownfield site or within the city are marked with an asterics Group Scientific name Slovenian name Protection status Campanula zoysii Zoisova zvončica FFH Annex II Cypripedium calceolus Lepi čeveljc FFH Annex II, vulnerable Eryngium alpinum Alpska možina FFH Annex II, rare Gentiana clusii Clusijev svišč Nationally protected Plants Gladiolus palustris Močvirski meček FFH Annex II Lilium carniolicum* Kranjska lilija Nationally protected Narcissus radiiflorus* vulnerable Papaver alpinum Aplski mak - Primula auricula Avrikelj Nationally protected Aquila chrysaetos Planínski orel EU Birds Directive Annex I Lagopus mutus helveticus Bélka EU Birds Directive Annex I Oenanthe oenanthe Kupčar - Picoides tridactylus Troprsti detel EU Birds Directive Annex I Birds Pyrrhocorax graculus Planinska kavka EU Birds Directive Annex I Tetrao tetrix tetrix Ruševec EU Birds Directive Annex I Turdus torquatus Komatar - Turdus viscivorus Carar EU Birds Directive Annex II B Rhinolophus hippopsideros* Mali podkovnjak* FFH Annex II, endangered Mammals Rupicapra rupicapra Gams - Aglais io* Dnevni pavlinček* - Butterflies Erebia calcaria Lorkovićev rjavček FFH Annex II Erebia ligea Belolisi rjavček - Anthaxia quadripunctata - Beetles Carabus variolosus Močvirski krešič FFH Annex II Rosalia alpina Alpski kozliček FFH Annex II Austropotamobius torrentium Navadni koščak FFH Annex II Eusocripus gamma (Scorpion) Slovenski ščipalec Other Vertigo geyeri - FFH Annex II Vipera berus* Navadni gad* vulnerable
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