Technical Report 2008 14/24 MANAGEMENT of Natura 2000 habitats * Species-rich Nardus grasslands 6230 Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora The European Commission (DG ENV B2) commissioned the Management of Natura 2000 habitats. 6230 *Species-rich Nardus grasslands This document was completed in March 2008 by Dobromil Galvánek and Milan Janák, Daphne Institute of applied Ecology, Slovakia Comments, data or general information were generously provided by: Ján Šeffer, Daphne Institute of applied Ecology, Slovakia Viera Stanová, Daphne Institute of applied Ecology, Slovakia Marius Barbos, Institute of Grassland Research, Brasov, Romania Mats Eriksson, MK Natur- Och Miljökonsult HB, Sweden Ricardo García-González, Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología, CSIC, Spain Daniel Gómez, Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología, CSIC, Spain Luboš Jiřiště, Správa Krkonošského národního parku, Czech Republic Alfonso San Miguel-Ayanz, E.T.S. Ingenieros de Montes. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain Guy Beaufoy, EFNCP - European Forum on Nature Conservation and Pastoralism, UK Gwyn Jones, EFNCP - European Forum on Nature Conservation and Pastoralism, UK Coordination: Concha Olmeda, ATECMA & Daniela Zaghi, Comunità Ambiente ©2008 European Communities ISBN 978-92-79-08336-5 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged Galvánek D. & Janák M. 2008. Management of Natura 2000 habitats. 6230 *Species-rich Nardus grasslands. European Commission This document, which has been prepared in the framework of a service contract (7030302/2006/453813/MAR/B2 "Natura 2000 preparatory actions: Management Models for Natura 2000 Sites”), is not legally binding. Contract realized by: ATECMA S.L. (Spain), COMUNITA AMBIENTE (Italy), DAPHNE (Slovakia), ECOSYSTEMS (Belgium), ECOSPHÈRE (France) and MK NATUR- OCH MILJÖKONSULT HB (Sweden). Contents Summary...................................................................................................................................................... 1 1. Description of habitat and related species........................................................................................... 2 Distribution.................................................................................................................................................................................2 Nardus grasslands in Natura 2000 sites.......................................................................................................................2 Main habitat features, ecology and variability ...............................................................................................................3 Variability of the habitat...................................................................................................................................................4 Species that depend on the habitat...................................................................................................................................5 Related habitats ........................................................................................................................................................................6 Ecological services and benefits of the habitat..............................................................................................................7 Trends...........................................................................................................................................................................................7 Threats..........................................................................................................................................................................................7 Eutrophication.....................................................................................................................................................................7 Inappropriate grazing practices ....................................................................................................................................7 Land abandonment or low management intensity................................................................................................8 Afforestation.........................................................................................................................................................................8 Tourism and skiing activities...........................................................................................................................................8 Climate change effects ...........................................................................................................................................................8 2. Conservation management.................................................................................................................... 9 General recommendations ...................................................................................................................................................9 Active management................................................................................................................................................................9 Grazing ...................................................................................................................................................................................9 Overnight staying of the animals on the pastures ...............................................................................................10 Mowing ...............................................................................................................................................................................10 Fertilization........................................................................................................................................................................11 Burning................................................................................................................................................................................11 Control of invasive grass and weed species ...........................................................................................................12 Other relevant measures.....................................................................................................................................................12 Restoration of the stands overgrown by trees and shrubs................................................................................12 Turf stripping.....................................................................................................................................................................12 Land acquisition...............................................................................................................................................................12 Practices connected with grazing management..................................................................................................13 The restoration of grasslands damaged by ski activities....................................................................................13 Special requirements driven by relevant species.......................................................................................................13 Cost estimates and potential sources of EU financing..............................................................................................15 Acknowledgements..............................................................................................................................................................16 3. References.............................................................................................................................................. 17 6230 | *Species-rich Nardus grasslands 62 – Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies EUNIS classification: E4.3 Acid alpine and subalpine grassland E1.7 Non-Mediterranean dry acid and neutral closed grassland Species-rich Nardus grassland in Western Carpathians – Velka Raca. Photo: J. * Priority habitat Seffer. Summary Species-rich Nardus grasslands are some of the most widespread habitats in the EU, occurring in 24 Member States and 6 different bioregions. They include a huge variety of sub-types, which may be found in very different ecological situations. It is generally an oligotrophic habitat, typical found mostly on species-poor soils throughout Europe. In spite of the fact that some types of Nardus grasslands can be considered as climax vegetation which do not require active ongoing management, the long-term existence of the habitat is in general closely with pastoral traditions and with extensive agriculture. The area of the habitat in Europe has declined in the last decades because of the intensification of agricultural practices on the one hand and land abandonment and too low an intensity of the use on the other. Mountain types are also threatened by tourism and skiing activities. Grazing and mowing are the most frequent recommendations for the management of the habitat. ‘Appropriateness’ as regards grazing intensity and organisation varies considerably in different European regions and countries. The habitat in general requires extensive grazing which prevents invasion by trees and scrub, but which is not so intensive as to cause the eutrophication of the habitat. Mowing is also feasible technique which is applied mostly