BIOSPHERE RESERVE NOMINATION FORM BLEKINGE ARCHIPELAGO Tärnö, Hällaryd archipelago in Karlshamn municipality Collaboration between Karlshamn, Karlskrona, and Ronneby municipalities and the Blekinge County Administrative Board The application documents are available on the website: www.blekingearkipelag.se Authors Blekinge County Administrative Board: Therese Asp, Anna-Karin Bilén, Jenny Hertz- man, Anette Johansson, Jonas Johansson, Elisabeth Lindberg, Ulf Lindahl, Lennart Olsson, Petra Torebrink, Elisabet Wallsten, Ulrika Olsson Widgren and Åke Widgren. Karlshamn Municipality: Lena Axelsson and Bernt Ibertsson. Karlskrona Municipality: Britt-Marie Havby, Birgith Juel and Sven-Olof Petersson. Ronneby Municipality: Emma Berntsson, Per Drysén, Anna-Karin Sonesson, and Yvonne Stranne. To assist with the nomination form the Biosphere Candidate Offi ce has sought special assistance from Björn Berglund, professor emeritus of quaternary geology, Lund Uni- versity and the fi rst conservation offi cer in Blekinge and Merit Kindström, research engineer at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Chapter 11 Physical Cha- racteristics) and Lars Emmelin, professor of environmental assessment, at Blekinge Institute of Technology (Chapter 15 Logistic Support Function). Several offi cials from the Nature and Environmental groups and the Fishing unit at the Blekinge County Administrative Board as well as offi cials from the municipalities have assisted with examining and commenting on the text. In addition, many people have contributed directly or indirectly with documentation and other material. Maps The Biosphere Candidate Offi ce has produced all the maps included in the nomination form and appendices. Background maps from National Land Survey of Sweden, serial no. 106-2004/188. Editorial Group for the Application Lena Axelsson, Anette Johansson, Elisabeth Lindberg, Sven-Olof Petersson, Anders Thurén, Elisabet Wallsten, and Ulrika Olsson Widgren. Translation: Maria Engberg, Rouchy Engberg Communications Graphic form: Annika Spåhl Karlshamn, Karlskrona and Ronneby July 1st, 2009. Photos Cover page: Aerial view of Tärnö, Hällaryd archipelago. Bergslagsbild AB. Eijer Andersson: 36 Jörgen Andersson: 14 top Ulf Arup: 93 bottom Therese Asp: 72 Erika Axelsson: 6 bottom Lars Bengtsson: 88 Björn Berglund: 54 both Bergslagsbild AB: 10, 14 bottom, 31, 47 Emma Berntsson: 104 Anna-Karin Bilén: 89 bottom, 94 bottom Blekinge Museum: 35, 50, 97 bottom Robert Ekholm: 11, 15, 56, 61, 64, 68, 70, 84, 106, 120 middle, 124, 145, 148, 149 Pontus Ekman: 130 Herbert Eriksen: 101 Thorbjörn Frennesson: 115 Bengt Gabrielsson: 120 top Britt-Marie Havby: 100 Peter Helperin: 103 Jenny Hertzman: 90, 94 middle Christer Idström: 51 Anette Johanson: 6 top, 17, 34, 41 top, 133 The Keep Sweden Tidy Foundation: 105 Mats Kockum: 7, 37, 39, 43, 119, 120 bottom, 123 Ulf Lundgren: 13, 89 top, 113, 114 Annika Lydänge: 12 bottom, 95, 96, 137 Sven Löfgren: 122 Nils-Gustaf Nydolf: 32, 33, 41 bottom, 44, 45 Cecilia Näslund: 9, 97 top Lars-Göran Olsén: 53 Monika Puch: 81 Cecilia Serrby: 8, 91 Leifh Stenholm: 107 Thomas Vestman: 12 top Elisabet Wallsten: 20, 117 Ulrika Olsson Widgren: 142 Åke Widgren: 92 both, 93 top and middle Table of contents PART I: SUMMARY 6 1 Proposed Name of the Biosphere Reserve 6 2 Country 6 3 Fulfi llment of the Three Functions of Biosphere Reserves 6 3.1 ”Conservation – contribute to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variation” 6 3.2 “Development – foster economic and human development which is socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable” 7 3.3 “Logistic support – support for demonstration projects, environmental education and training, research and environmental monitoring related to local, regional, national and global issues of conservation and sustainable development” 9 4 Criteria for Designation as a Biosphere Reserve 11 4.1 “Should encompass a mosaic of ecological systems representative of major biogeographic regions, including a gradation of human intervention” 11 4.2 “Be of signifi cance for biological diversity conservation” 12 4.3 ”Provide an opportunity to explore and demonstrate approaches to sustainable development on a regional scale” 13 4.4 “Be of an appropriate size to serve the three functions of the biosphere reserve” 15 4.5 Through appropriate zonation 16 4.6 “Organizational arrangements should be provided for the involvement and participa- tion of a suitable range of inter alia public authorities, local communities and private interests in the design and the carrying out of the functions of a biosphere reserve.” 18 4.7 Mechanisms for implementation 19 5 Endorsements 22 5.1 Signed by the authority/authorities in charge of the management of the core area(s): 22 5.2 Signed by the authority/authorities in charge of the management of the buffer zone(s): 23 5.3 Signed as appropriate by the National (or State or Provincial) administration responsible for the management of the core area(s) and the buffer zone(s): 24 5.4 Signed by the authority/authorities, elected local government recognized authority or spokesperson representative of the communities located in the transition area: 25 5.5 Signed on behalf of the MAB National Committee or focal point: 26 PART II: DESCRIPTION 27 6 Location (latitude and longitude) 27 7 Area (see map) 28 7.1 Size of terrestrial Core Area(s) 28 7.2 Size of Buffer Zone(s) 28 7.3 Approx. size of Transition Area(s) 28 7.4 Brief Rationale of Zonation 28 8 Biogeographical Region 31 9 Land Use History 32 10 Human Population of Proposed Biosphere Reserve 38 10.1 Core Area(s): 38 10.2 Buffer Zone(s): 38 10.3 Transition Area(s): 38 10.4 Brief description of local communities living within or near the proposed Biosphere Reserve: 38 10.5 Name(s) of nearest major town(s): 40 10.6 Cultural signifi cance: 41 11 Physical Characteristics 47 11.1 General description of site characteristics and topography of area 47 11.2 Climate 49 11.3 Geology, geomorphology, soils 49 12 Biological Characteristics 56 12.1 First type of habitat/land cover: broadleaf forests 56 12.2 Second type of habitat/land cover: coniferous forests 61 12.3 Third type of habitat/land cover: natural grazing lands 64 12.4 Fourth type of nature type/land use: cultivable lands 68 12.5 Fifth type of nature type/land use: built-up areas 70 12.6 Sixth type of nature type/land use: watercourses and lakes 72 12.7 Seventh type of nature type/land use: inner archipelago 76 12.8 Eighth type of nature type/land use: outer archipelago 81 12.9 Ninth type of nature type/land use: beaches, islands and skerries 84 13 Conservation Function 87 13.1 Contribution to the conservation of landscape and ecosystem bio diversity 87 13.2 Conservation of species biodiversity 91 13.3 Conservation of genetic biodiversity 97 14 Development Function 99 14.1 Potential for fostering economic and human development which is socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable 99 14.2 If tourism is a major activity 118 14.3 Benefi ts of economic activities to local people 122 15 Logistic Support Function 123 15.1 Research and monitoring 123 15.2 Environmental education and public awareness 141 15.3 Specialist training 150 15.4 Potential to contribute to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves 151 16 Uses and Activities 153 16.1 Core Area(s) 153 16.2 Buffer Zone(s) 154 16.3 Transition Area 156 17 Institutional Aspects 158 17.1 State, province, region or other administrative units 158 17.2 Units of the proposed biosphere reserve 158 17.3 Protection Regime of the core area(s) and, if appropriate, of the buffer zone(s) 158 17.4 Land use regulations or agreements applicable to the transition area 166 17.5 Land tenure of each zone 169 17.6 Management plan or policy and mechanisms for implementation 170 17.7 Financial source(s) and yearly budget 174 17.8 Authority(ies) in charge 175 18 Special Designations 177 19 Supporting Documents 178 20 Addresses 180 20.1 Contact address of the proposed biosphere reserve 180 20.2 Administering entity of the core area 180 20.3 Administering entity of the buffer zone 181 APPENDICES 182 Appendix 1 General location map 182 Appendix 2 Biosphere Reserve Zonation map 183 Appendix 3 Vegetation maps 184 Appendix 4 List of legal documents 188 Appendix 5 List of land use and management plans 198 Appendix 6 Species list – Threatened species 201 Appendix 7 List of main bibliographic references 212 Appendix 8 Summary of environmental monitoring within the proposed biosphere reserve Blekinge Archipelago 219 Appendix 9 List of organizations in the Archipelago Council 236 Appendix 10 Letters of endorsement 238 Proposed UNESCO Part I: Summary Blekinge Archipelago Biosphere Reserve 3 Fulfi llment of1 the Proposed Three Functions Name of theof Biosphere Biosphere Reserves Reserve PART I: SUMMARY 1 PROPOSED NAME OF THE BIOSPHERE RESERVE [It is advisable to use a locally accepted geographic, descriptive or symbolic name which allows people to identify themselves with the site concerned (e.g. Rio Platano Biosphere Re- serve, Bookmark Biosphere Reserve). Except in special circumstances, Biosphere Reserves should not be named after existing national parks or similar administrative areas] Blekinge Archipelago biosphere reserve 2 COUNTRY Sweden 3 FULFILLMENT OF THE THREE FUNCTIONS OF BIOSPHERE RESERVES (Article 3 of the Statutory Framework presents the three functions of conservation, develop- ment and logistic support. Explain in general terms how the reserve fulfi lls these functions.) 3.1 ”Conservation – contribute to the conservation of landscapes, ecosys- tems, species and genetic variation” (Stress the importance of the site for conservation at the regional or global scales) The proposed biosphere reserve is located in the southeast corner of Sweden and com- prises most of the coastal areas and archipelagos of Blekinge. The 200 000 hectare large area contains landscapes and biological values of international, national, and regional signifi cance.