Is Close-To-Nature Silviculture (CNS) an Adequate Concept to Adapt Forests to Climate Change?
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P. Spathelf, A. Bolte, E. van der Maaten · Landbauforsch · Appl Agric Forestry Res · 3/4 2015 (65)161-170 161 DOI:10.3220/LBF1452526188000 Is Close-to-Nature Silviculture (CNS) an adequate concept to adapt forests to climate change? Peter Spathelf *, Andreas Bolte**, and Ernst van der Maaten*** Abstract Zusammenfassung Climate change projections for Europe suggest increases in Ist naturnaher Waldbau ein geeignetes temperature, changes in precipitation regimes as well as Konzept zur Anpassung von Wäldern an more frequent and severe weather extremes like heat waves, droughts and storms. As these changes may have a large den Klimawandel? impact on forest ecosystems, forest management should adapt to maintain vital and productive forests in the future. Projektionen zum Klimawandel in Europa deuten auf eine This review assesses how close-to-nature silviculture Erwärmung, Änderung der Niederschlagsverhältnisse sowie (CNS), which is a widespread silvicultural approach in Central häufigere und intensivere Witterungsextreme wie Hitzewel- Europe, may cope with projected changes in climate. First, a len, Trockenheit und Stürme hin. Diese Änderungen können conceptual model of forest vulnerability is outlined, and einen starken Einfluss auf Waldökosysteme haben und die used to describe climate change exposure, sensitivity and Waldwirtschaft sollte sich daran anpassen, um vitale und adaptive capacity of forests. Strategies and options for adap- produktive Wälder in der Zukunft zu erhalten. tation, and their compliance with the principles of CNS are Dieser Übersichtsartikel behandelt die Frage, wie der then discussed. naturnahe Waldbau (close-to-nature silviculture – CNS) als Modifications in CNS, such as using exotic tree species weit verbreiteter waldbaulicher Ansatz in Mitteleuropa mit and provenances or the assisted migration of well adapted dem notwendigen Anpassungsbedarf der Wälder im Ein- tree species from other climates can enhance adaptive capa- klang steht. Zunächst wird ein Konzept zur Abschätzung der city of forests. Moreover, the regeneration of stress-tolerant Vulnerabilität von Wäldern unter Klimawandel vorgestellt. pioneer species can be supported by applying the whole Danach werden die Vulnerabilitäts-Komponenten ‚Belas- range of silvicultural systems. tung‘, ‚Empfindlichkeit‘ und ‚Anpassungsvermögen‘ beschrie- ben und Strategien sowie Möglichkeiten für die Waldanpas- Keywords: climate change, adaptation, close-to-nature sung und ihre Übereinstimmung mit dem naturnahen Wald- silviculture (CNS), tree species richness, genetic variation bau diskutiert. Modifikationen im naturnahen Waldbau, wie die Verwen- dung von eingeführten Baumarten und Baumartenherkünf- ten sowie die unterstützte Verbreitung (‚assisted migration‘) von nachweislich gut angepassten Bäumen aus anderen Klimaten können die Waldanpassung verbessern, ebenso die Erweiterung des Spektrums der Waldbausysteme zur Förde- rung von stresstoleranten Pionier-Baumarten. Schlüsselworte: Klimawandel, Anpassung, Naturnaher Wald- bau, Baumartenvielfalt, Genetische Variation * Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, Faculty of Forest and Environment, Alfred-Möller-Straße 1, 16225 Eberswalde, Germany ** Thünen Institute of Forest Ecosystems, Alfred-Möller-Straße 1, 16225 Eberswalde, Germany *** University of Greifswald, Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Soldmannstr. 15, 17487 Greifswald, Germany Contact: [email protected] P. Spathelf, A. Bolte, E. van der Maaten · Landbauforsch · Appl Agric Forestry Res · 3/4 2015 (65)161-170 162 1 Introduction high forests with a preference for clear-cutting (Thomasius, 1996). However, gradually many of these even-aged pure Climate is an important driver for environmental change. forests were lost due to an increasing number of pest attacks Globally, land and ocean surface temperature increased by and abiotic disturbances. Consequently, the first forest scien- 0.85 °C over the period 1880 to 2012 (Pachauri and Mayer, tists started to recognise that pure (even-aged) stands may 2014). In Germany, mean surface air temperature increased not be resistant and resilient enough for long-term economi- by 1.2 °C in 2001 to 2010 when compared to pre-industrial cally successful forest management. One of the most promi- conditions (1855 to 1890) (EEA, 2011). This warming trend nent advocates of mixed forests at the turn to the 20th cen- was accompanied by more frequent and severe weather ex- tury was the silviculturist Karl Gayer, who strongly supported tremes, like heat waves, droughts and heavy precipitation the group selection system for stand regeneration (Heyder, events (Min et al., 2011; Wigley, 2009). Also for the future, an 1986; Gayer, 1886). In the 1920s, Alfred Möller promoted the increase in frequency and severity of extreme weather events idea of ‘Dauerwald’ (continuous-cover-forestry), which was a is expected for Central Europe (Donat et al., 2011; EEA, 2011; special variant of close-to-nature forestry. He advocated Gastineau and Soden, 2009). single-tree oriented interventions, natural regeneration, Climate warming may improve growing conditions and avoidance of clear-cutting and the maintenance of multi- prolong growing seasons, thereby positively affecting forest storied mixed stands (Möller, 1922). growth. However, this may only happen when water availabi- Although first practised mainly by private forest owners, lity is sufficient (Nemani et al., 2003); on sites with water shor- close-to-nature silvicultural management emerged among tage, more frequent heat waves and droughts likely raise all forest ownership categories in Germany during the last risks of disturbance, mortality and forest loss (Allen et al., quarter of the 20th century. Thereby, forest owners respon- 2010; Lindner et al., 2014; Bolte et al., 2009). Further, a higher ded to new environmental developments and challenges storm risk may increase the susceptibility of forests to biotic (e. g. forest decline), major disturbances (storms) and the disturbances. This may be especially important for extensive increasing scientific evidence that mixed forests may be Norway spruce forests in large parts of Europe that suffer more resilient and productive than pure forests (e. g. Brang et already today from high losses due to interacting impacts of al., 2014; Knoke et al., 2008; Pretzsch, 2003). windthrow, warming, drought and bark-beetle attacks A central principle of CNS is the utilization of natural pro- (Hanewinkel et al., 2013; Bolte et al., 2010; Schlyter et al., cesses to guide forest ecosystems with the least amount of 2006; Schelhaas et al., 2003). Therefore, and due to the long- energy input (costs) as possible. Other prominent elements term interaction of long-living forests and future climate of CNS are (Pommerening and Murphy, 2004; Johann, 2006; change dynamics, forest management and silviculture have Spathelf, 1997): to adapt to today’s changing environmental conditions in y promotion of natural and (or) site-adapted tree order to maintain vital and productive forests in the future species composition (non-native species, if admixed (Kolström et al., 2011; Bolte and Degen, 2010). to native species, are to a small extent accepted), In this review, it is examined whether Close-to-Nature y promotion of mixed and ‘structured’ forests, Silviculture (CNS), which is a common silvicultural approach y avoidance of clear cuts, as far as possible, in Central Europe, is an adequate concept to adapt forests to y promotion of natural regeneration, climate change. First, we describe the practice of current CNS y single-tree oriented silvicultural practices, management. Then, we elaborate on the concept of vulnera- y integration of forest ecosystem services (e. g. water, bility, which includes climate change exposure, sensitivity recreation) at small spatial scales. and exposure, and perform a vulnerability analysis to outline CNS is thus not a silvicultural system or technique in sensu strategies and options for adaptation. Finally, we analyse strictu, but a broad approach with different elements which whether the concept of CNS should be adjusted to support can be adapted to changing natural and socio-economic forest adaptation to climate change. conditions (Spathelf, 1997). To date, CNS in the described specification is mainly applied in Central Europe. The prac- tical success of CNS in Germany depends on reduced impact 2 Close-to-nature silviculture (CNS) of tending and harvesting on the remaining stand and soil (Reduced Impact Logging) and controlled ungulate popula- The origin of close-to-nature silviculture in Germany dates tions. CNS is an integrative approach of (sustainable) forest back to the time before the 19th century, when irregular, management (SFM) and biodiversity conservation on a small selective logging was conducted. A dramatic increase in scale (see Schütz, 1999, for a discussion here). When classi- wood demand during the industrial revolution, however, led fied according to management intensity, tree species and to an intensification of forest management and the introduc- structural heterogeneity, CNS occupies its place between tion of forestry activities according to more agricultural prin- selection and old-growth forests on the one hand, and ciples, like soil tillage, fertilization and the spatial-temporal forests after larger stand replacement events or even planta- classification of forests into cutting sequences. In the early tions on the other hand (Figure 1, adapted after Puettmann 19th century huge areas which were deforested