Strategy for the Protection and Restoration of Floodplain Forests on the Bulgarian Danube Islands

Ministry of Ministry of National Environment Agriculture Forestry Board and Water and Forests Strategy for the Protection and Restoration of Floodplain Forests on the Bulgarian Danube Islands 2001 This Strategy is jointly developed by the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, the Ministry of Environment and Water, WWF, Bulgarian experts and NGOs. Publisher: WWF International Danube Carpathian Programme, Vienna Umweltstiftung WWF Deutschland / WWF-Auen-Institut (WWF Institute for Floodplains Ecology), Rastatt Edited by: Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, National Forestry Board Bulgarian Ministry of Environment and Water Green Balkans, Bulgaria - Federation of Conservation NGOs WWF-Auen-Institut (WWF Institute for Floodplains Ecology) Cartography: Detlef Günther-Diringer, Nils Harm, Georgy Tinchev Layout: Andreas Jung Photos: Karl Gutzweiler, Dr. Erika Schneider Rastatt, July 2001 Strategy for the Protection and Restoration of Floodplain Forests on the Bulgarian Danube Islands Ministry of Agriculture and Forests 55, Hristo Botev Blvd. 1040 Sofia, Bulgaria Phone: 00 359 (0) 2 98 5111 99 Fax: 00 359 (0) 2 98 19 17 3 www.mzgar.government.bg Ministry of Environment and Water 67, William Gladstone Str. 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria Phone: 00 359 (0) 29 40 62 22 Fax: 00 359 (0) 29 86 25 33 E-mail: [email protected] National Forestry Board 55, Hristo Botev Blvd. 1040 Sofia, Bulgaria Phone: 00 359 (0) 2 98 5115 03 Fax: 00 359 (0) 2 98 13 73 6 E-mail: [email protected] www.nug.bg WWF Germany WWF-Auen-Institut Institute for Floodplains Ecology Josefstr. 1 D-76437 Rastatt Phone: 0049 (0) 72 22 38 07-0 Fax: 0049 (0) 72 22 38 07-99 E-mail: [email protected] WWF International Ottakringerstr. 114-116 Danube Carpathian Programme A-1160 Vienna Phone: 0043 (0) 1 48 8172 57 Fax: 0043 (0) 1 48 8172 76 E-mail: [email protected] 160 Shesti Septemvry Blvd. 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria Phone: 00 359(0) 32 62 69 77 Fax: 00 359(0) 32 26 45 16 NGO „Green Balkans“ Bulgaria E-mail: [email protected] PREFACE . .5 SUMMARY . .7 INTRODUCTION . .8 I. THE LOWER DANUBE FLOODPLAIN FORESTS . .9 II. STATUS OF THE BULGARIAN DANUBE ISLANDS . .10 1. BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE . .10 HABITATS . .10 FLORA AND VEGETATION . .10 FAUNA . .12 CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE OF THE AREA . .14 2. FORESTS STATUS AND TRENDS . .16 3. PROTECTED AREAS . .20 III. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF THE DANUBE ISLANDS RESOURCE MANAGEMENT . .22 ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF POPLAR PRODUCTION FOR THE STATE . .23 ECONOMIC ASPECTS FOR THE STATE FROM FLOODPLAIN FORESTS RESTORATION ON THE DANUBE ISLANDS . .24 IV. POLICY BASIS FOR THE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION . .26 1. LEGAL DOCUMENTS . .26 2. POLICY DOCUMENTS . .27 3. INSTITUTIONAL ASPECTS . .28 V. STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR FLOODPLAIN FORESTS PROTECTION AND RESTORATION ON THE DANUBE ISLANDS . .29 1. THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY ON THE DANUBE ISLANDS . .29 2. INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT GOALS FOR THE DANUBE ISLANDS . .30 3. RANGE OF MEASURES FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE GOALS . .31 4. IMPLEMENTATION . .32 NEXT STEPS . .32 FINANCIAL SOURCES FOR THE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION . .32 REFERENCES . .33 ANNEXES . .36 ANNEX 1. HABITATS BALANCE ON THE BULGARIAN DANUBE ISLANDS . .36 ANNEX 2. CRITERIA FOR THE SELECTION OF RESTORATION SITES FOR DANUBE NATIVE FLOODPLAIN FORESTS . .37 ANNEX 3. CRITERIA FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE PROTECTED AREAS NETWORK . .37 MAPS . .38 Preface Forests are a natural resource of primary socio-economic and environmental importance, and a heritage to be preserved for future generations. As the reproduc- tion of natural forests takes more than one generation, they are not only a resource of economic and social interest, but also vulnerable components of natural ecosy- stems. Their preservation depends on responsible use and protection over many generations. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forests of the Republic of Bulgaria is the key institution responsible for the management of most renewable natural resources in the country, including forests. In view of Bulgaria’s accession to the European Union, and the international agreements to which our country is signatory, we are committed to sustainable management and protection of natural forests not only on a national, but also on a European and global scale, which has direct implications for the formulation of our forestry policy priorities combining economic, social and ecological considerations. The achievement of such a balanced policy is crucial for the Bulgarian Danube islands, which feature a very specific combination of favourable natural conditions for economic develop- ment, and essential ecological functions. Their sustainable management requires a fine equilibrium to be established between poplar timber production and the conservation of their unique floodplain habitats. With our current strategy we are taking a confident step towards a modern model for sustainable forestry management. We hope that its implementation will become a successful positive example for our future management poli- cies and for approaches to other areas of similar importance. Ventsislav Vurbanov Minister of Agriculture and Forests In June 2000, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine and Moldavia signed a Declaration to create a Lower Danube Green Corridor of 900,000 ha consisting of existing and newly established protected areas and restored wetlands. This is the largest international initiative in the region, aimed directly at the implementation of international conventions in the field of biodiversity conservation, and also satisfying the requirements of the European Union Habitats and Birds Directives. The present strategy is an important practical step towards fulfilling the commit- ments of our country to the establishment of the Lower Danube Green Corridor. It is the product of successful cooperation between institutions from different sectors and government levels, international and national non-governmental organizations. This strategy document is a wonderful example of the integration of biodiversity issues into forestry sector policy and a major contribution to the achievement of global biodiversity conservation goals along the Danube river. Allow me to congratulate all partners on this excellent initiative and to wish them the same success with the practical implementation of the Floodplain Forest Protection and Restoration Strategy for the Danube islands. Evdokiya Maneva Minister of Environment and Water Summary The Lower Danube, together with the Danube Delta, is one of the world’s outstanding freshwater ecoregions. On the Bulgarian Danube islands (75 islands with a total area of 10,713.4 ha), 53 main types and combinations of habitats have been described, ranking their diversity as high as Bulgaria’s largest National Parks. The floodplain forests, channels and marshes on the islands are integral parts of the Danube migration corridor, essential for the distribution of many plant and animal species. These habitats support biodiversity of national, European and global importance. Since the early 1960s, the islands have been subjected to targeted intervention for the creation of poplar forestry, which has led to the conversion of natural floodplain forests to hybrid poplar plantations. The current Forestry Plans envisage further large-scale conversion of natural habitats to poplar monocultures, affecting in particular floodplain forests. Areas covered in native species would decrease from the current 30 % to 7.7 %, and some native species would disappear completely. It is of primary importance to halt this alarming trend, and to restore, where feasible, the formerly rich biodiversity of the islands. This will require a compromise between economic interests and conservation goals. This is made possible by the fact that all 75 Danube islands are owned exclusively by the state and managed by the National Forestry Board of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, which is committed to developing a balanced and sustainable forestry policy on the Danube islands. The analysis of poplar economy on the islands indicates that a feasible economic compromise can be achieved, entailing the prevention of further conversion of floodplain forests into poplar plantations, and setting aside 30 % of the plantation area that will be logged within the next five years for floodplain forest restoration. The effects of reduced poplar production can be mitigated by a number of measures including intensification in areas that will continue to be used for poplar timber production, as well as alternative sources of livelihood for local people, such as ecotourism, sustainable use of forest resources, hunting, fisheries, etc. This compromise is even more attractive in view of the benefits for biodiversity conservation and compliance with nature conservation requirements of the European Union. The present Strategy for Protection and Restoration of Floodplain Forests on the Danube islands lays down the framework of a new management policy. It defines integrated strategic goals for the conservation and restoration of natural floodplain forests, improvement in the protected areas network and increasing institutional resources, as well as sustainable use of timber and non-timber natural resources on the Danube islands. A five year Action Plan will be developed for the implementation of the Strategy, on the basis of which of the local Forestry Plans for the Danube islands will be amended. Initial estimates indicate that significant financial resources will be needed for floodplain forest restoration over the next 5 years; for the restoration of

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