Forest and Grassland Fires Syunik Marz May 2011 Why are we going to talk about forest and grassland fires? y Timeliness y Forest and grassland fire incidences are frequent in the Syunik region y Risks are increasing due to changing climate conditions – and the risks should be recognized y Syunik’s forests are globally important and unique y The ir pro tec tion is a hig h pr ior ity y Everyone should understand, appreciate, enjoy and protect this unique resource y Learning about forest and grassland fire issues is very important y Learning about ways to prevent fires y Learning about the vulnerabilities of the forest ecosystem and about the effects tha t fires have on our env ironmen t y Recognizing the effects that fires Grassland fire in Shikahogh March 2010 have on our local communities Le ts s tar t w ith a QUIZ! 1. Which national parks and state reserves are located in Syunik? 2. Which endangered species live in Syunik? Name a few. 3. What is climate change? What causes climate change? 4. There are some 90 000 hectares of forests in Syunik. How many hectares of forests were burned in 2006 in Syunik? a. 50 ha b. 200 ha c. over 300 ha 5. What are main causes for forest fires? CttfthlContent of the lesson 1. Introduction 1. Forests in the Syunik region 2. Forest vulnerabilities 3. Forest fire incidences iAin Armen ia an d Syunik 2. Forest fires – causes and effects 3. Forest fire prevention 4. Embracing forests Grassland fire in Shikahogh April 2011 1. Introduction Forests in the Syunik region Ai’ftArmenia’s forests y Forests are a national inheritance – they should be kept to serve future generations as well y Each generation has equal rights and responsibilities towards forests y Forests provide raw materials, maintain biodiversity, protect land and water resources as well as participate in nutrient and carbon cycling y The high biodiversity in Armenian forests ppgyprovides e.g. a variety of edible plants y Traditional ways to utilize forests Ai’ftArmenia’s forests y The forest area in Armenia is about 250 000 – 280 000 ha y The forest cover in Present Armenia is shrinking y Poverty y Deforestation – Illegal Logging y Non-sustainable forest YEREVAN management prevails y Ways of using forest resources y Ways of maintaining the forests y Overgrazing y Pests, diseases, droughts, fire y Forest fragmentation y Climate Change Impacts y Pressure on forest ecosystems is increasing Forests in Syunik Marz y Syunik’ s forest ecosystems have a variety of endangered and endemic species (especially protected areas) FtiForests in SikSyunik Marz y Many reserves and national parks are located in Syunik: y Shikahogh State Reserve y Arevik National Park y Platan Grove Sanctuary y Zangezur Sanctuary y Boghakar Reserve y Sev Litch Reserve y Goris Reserve y Forestlands cover a total area of nearly 90 000 hectares in SikSyunik Marz y The Syunik forests amount to over 20 % of forests in the whole of Armenia y About 62 % of forests are located in northern Armenia Forests in Syunik Marz –Shikahogh State Reserve y Shikahogh state reserve was established in 1958 y The area of the reserve is about 10 000 hectares y The reserve spreads over the southern slopes of Mountain Khustup and the northern slopes of the Meghri range, at the altitude of 700-2400 m y The climate in the reserve is moist and warm y The reserve is surrounded by high mountains on three sides which prevent the northern cold and southern warm winds from entering reserve y From the fourth side warm and moist air from the Caspian Sea enters the reserve y There are a bout 1100 spec ies o f vascu lar p lants in t he reserve area y About 70 species growing in the reserve are registered in the Red Data Book of Armenia y The reserve is also known for its numerous endemic species y These species can be recognized for the word “Zangezur” in there name y Zangezur pear , Zangezur blue-bell, Zangezur pennycress etc. y Other species that live in the reserve are for example reptiles, the bearded eagle, various species of vultures, wolves, foxes, wild cats, roes, hares, badgers, hedgehogs, wild goats and moufflon FtiForests in SikSyunik Marz y Forests in Syunik are located between 500 m a.s.l. and 2400-2500 m a.s.l. y Majority of forests are located between altitudes Oak Hornbeam 1200-2000 m a.s.l. y Most suitable climate and soil conditions y Oak, hornbeam and juniper are most dominant tree species Juniper y Other speci es inc lu de e.g. Elm elm, ash-tree and maple y About 90 % of juniper stands are in the Meghri region Ash-tree Maple Forest lands by altitudes above sea level 1. Introduction Forests vulnerabilities Forest vulnerabilities - Climate change y Climate change is taking place y Increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are causing the average temperatures of air and oceans on Earth to rise y Rising temperatures will lead to changes in the amoun t and pa ttern of preci pit a tion, retreating glaciers, permafrost and sea ice and a rise in sea levels y The increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases result from human activities, such as y Burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) y Deforestation y Global surface temperatures have risen byypp approximately 0.7°C during the 20th century y It is predicted that by 2100 y Temperature will rise by 2-3°C y Precipitation will decrease by 10 % y Climate change has different effects in different areas y Some areas are more vulnerable than others Forest vulnerabilities - Climate change y Additionally, climate change impacts are seen in y More frequent occurrence of extreme weather and climate events (heatwaves, droughts, heavy rainfalls) y MfMore frequen tditt disasters y Climate aridization and y A decrease in land productivity y E.g. agricultural yields y What will happen in Syunik? y Precipitation has decreased by 9 % y Air temperature has increased by 0.7 % during the last three decades y These trends are predicted to continue Forest vulnerabilities - Climate change y Climate changgpe is a serious threat to the preservation of biodiversity, because it results in radical changes in the habitats of numerous plant and animal species y Syunik region has been identified as a critically vulnerable region of the country in terms of the risks posed by climate changgye to its mountain forest ecosystems y Vulnerability of reproduction potential: the bottom forest belt of central and southern Armenia y Vulnerability to aridity: Ararat hollow, Vayotz Dzor, Syunik and Tavush y Vu lnera bility to pestdfits and fires: in SthSouth-fifacing moun tiltain slopes Æ The possibility of fires is high in Meghri and Kapan forests 1. Introduction Forests fire incidences FtfiiidForests fire incidences y Forest fires burn millions of hectares of forests worldwide each year y The resulting loss and degradation of forested land is roughly equal to that caused by destructive logging and conversion of forest land to agricultural use combined y Forest fires affect biodiversity, human health and economies y Globally, most forest fires nowadays are probably directly or indirectly influenced by humans Forests fire incidences – Russia 2010 y Due to record temperatures (the hottest recorded summer in Russian history) and drought, several hundred wildfires broke out across Russia in the summer of 2010 y The smoke and the heat wave caused severe health impacts and deaths in Russia y Thousands of homes were lost during the fires y More of similar events can be seen under changing climate conditions when temperatures rise and extreme weather events, like prolonged drought, become more frequent Forests fire incidences –Armenia and Syunik Number of forest fire incidences 80 70 60 50 ences dd 40 Other Marzes Syunik Marz umber of inci 30 NN 20 10 0 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Total FtfiiidForests fire incidences Percentage of forest fire incidences 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% Other Marzes Syunik Marz 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Total FtfiiidForests fire incidences Total burned area 800 700 600 500 hectares 400 Other Marzes Syunik Marz 300 al burned area, tt To 200 100 0 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Total FtfiiidForests fire incidences Percentage of burned area 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% Other Marzes Syunik Marz 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Total Forests fire incidences –Case studies y Forest fire in Kapan: y A juniper forest located in the Davit Bek forest area was burned in 2006 y Altogether 90 hectares was burned by the fire y The fire spread from a poorly managed camp fire y It too k 10 d ays t o exti ngui sh th e fi re y The fire was extinguished by firefighters from the forestry service and Armenian army y Forest fire in Arevik National Park: y 50 hectares of oak forest was burned in 2001 in Arevik National Park y The fire spread from a poorly managed fire at a nearby “datcha” y It took 17 days to extinguish the fire y In total 250 people participated in extinguishing the fire y The people who participated in extinguishing the fire are now involved and invested in the reforestation project on the pilot site y Fire suspension was done with tree braches, some tools and plastic bottles filled with water FtfiiidForests fire incidences - Kapan BdjiBurned juniper forest area in Kapan FtfiiidForests fire incidences - AikArevik BdftBurned forest area in Arevik National Park 2.