Integrate+

He gave a presentation introducing the Integrate+ project and how Marteloscope sites are designed for uneven-aged stands and old-growth attributes. 

Special focus was given on the history of continuous cover forest management in Central Europe and its impact on forest biodiversity. It also included a demonstration of the latest I+ software development on the tablet.
The workshop included a number of field visits. The first stop was the Gorce National Park in the Kamienica valley where discussions developed around bark beetle outbreaks in areas under strict protection in subalpine spruce forests of the Western Carpathians. Additionally the role of un

gulates/megaherbivores (and thus hunting) was of immediate interest to all participants when considering the effects on naturalness of Western Carpathian forests. It was followed by a stop at the Łabowiec Reserve preserving 53ha of near-natural Carpathian Beech Forest (Dentario glandulosae – Fagetum). The area contains a remarkable amount of standing deadwood (61.5 m3/ha) and downed woody debris (220.62 m3/ha), mainly coming from giant firs.

The importance of deadwood for the natural regeneration of beech, fir and spruce seedlings was discussed, especially under the aspect of rather heavy ungulate browsing pressure. In addition to deadwood and its role for biodiversity (saproxylic insect and fungi communities) the rather new field of carrion rotten carcasses in forest ecosystems raised the interest of the participants.
Further visits were conducted to Krynica Experimental Forest which is used for research experiments, teaching and training of forestry students and forestry personnel. Obrożyska Forest Reserve was the final stop where discussions developed around compositional dynamics of potentially natural stands of Tilia and consequences for forest management.

As an outcome of the visit it was agreed with the Polish colleagues from UAK to select two candidate sites for establishing Marteloscopes. They will be located in Krynica in a selection forest with very large firs (above 100 cm DBH) and beech in the understory. The Marteloscopes will be established by a Polish team during summer/autumn 2015 a become highly valuable additions to the currently existing network of Integrate+ demonstration sites across Europe.

[1] PRIFOR – Nordic working group on the history of primeval boreal forests

Photos: Daniel Kraus