Conservation by use of the oligotrophic grasslands in the Apuseni Mountains (Romania)

Alpine Grasslands Management Workshop

Laufen, Germany

9-11 December 2015

Authors: Florin Păcurar, Ágnes Balázsi, Evelyn Rușdea, Albert Reif

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Content

Introduction: Oligotrophic grassland –

sites and management

Management of oligotrophic grasslands in

Apuseni Mountains

Perspectives

Oligotrophic grasslands/Arnica montana habitat

Gymnadenia conopsea

FF Habitat type:

6230* Species-rich Nardus grasslands

6520 Mountain hay meadows

Dacthyloriza majalis

Grassland types: Festuca rubra, Nardus

stricta, Festuca rubra-Agrostis capillaris,

Nardus stricta-Deschampsia flexuosa

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Content

Introduction: Oligotrophic grassland – sites

and management

Management of oligotrophic

grasslands in Apuseni Mountains

Perspectives

Community Gârda de Sus, Apuseni Mountains

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Gârda de Sus

• annual average temperature 4,5 °C

• 1.000-1.300 mm/year precipitation

• Vegetation period - april/may to october

• Karstic region: 80 % dolomite and limestone

• Lithosol, brown earth, rendzina, terra rossa

• Polygono-Trisetion, Festuco-Brometea, Nardo-Callunetea

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The inhabitants, so-called “Motsi” follow until today a very traditional life style (Goia and Borlan 2005). The livelihood strategy consists (ed) of a highly diverse activities portfolio (Auch 2006).

Livelihood

source: Auch, Eckhart (2006):Überlebensstrategien waldnutzender Familienwirtschaften im Apuseni-Gebirge, Rumänien : Sustainable Livelihoods Analyse und Handlungsempfehlungen.

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Farming area: 1993 ha

Pastures and meadows: 1847 ha

Arable: 137 ha (38% 0.1-0.3 ha)

558 farms (75% mixed)

Avg. utilized area/farm 3,57 ha

2-5 ha - 43%

5-10 ha - 23%

363 farms with dairy cows

126 farms ->1-2 cows

237 farms -> 3-9 cows

1204 bovines

General Agricultural Census – 2010 Gârda de Sus

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10 18.8.2008

(1) Wood pasture

Project Apuseni, 2005

(2) Mountain summer pasture

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12 23.5.2005

13 14.10.2005

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(3) Hay meadows – traditional management

Management of oligotrophic meadows

Spring Summer Autumn

Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Okt. Nov.

1. Fertilising (manure)

2. Removing stones/rocks

3. Removing woods shoots

4. Crushing applied manure

5. Gathering uncrushed remainings and beech leaves

6. Controlling weeds

7. Repairing soil damage caused by wild boars

8. Spring grazing

9. Mowing of meadows

10.Drying grass, hay-stacks

11.Autumn grazing

12.Hay transport to stable 15

Spring Fertilization

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March: 5 – 6 t/ha manure

Spreading

Removing remnants after

1 month by raking

Removing litter

Creating bare ground microsites

18 8.10.2006, Fericet - Stinisoara

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Spring - Vegetation

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April May

Mowing time oligotrophic grasslands – end of July/ beginning of August

First drying on the ground – release of seeds

Second drying and storage – hay stacks

Summer: Mowing,hay making

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by hand by machine

Summer

21 June-July August

22 7.10.2006

Autumn - Aftergrazing

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September to October

24 6.10.2008, Negesti No 590, Scarisoara

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Content

Introduction: Oligotrophic grassland – sites

and management

Management of oligotrophic grasslands in

Apuseni Mountains

Perspectives

Changes in land use:

Decreasing grazing of mountain

summer pasture

Intensification of grazing near the

village

Abandonment of remote grassland

Challenges – socio-economic context

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The new National Rural Development Plan (CAP, Pillar 2) 2014-2020

Available payment packages for the farmers in Ghetari: Compensatory payments for mountain areas: 86 € /ha/year Agri-environment-climate payments Pack 1. HNVF: 93 €/ha/year Pack2. Traditional agricultural practices:

var 2.1 manual works on permanent pastures used as hayfields 100 €/ha/year

var 2.2 works by light equipment on permanent pastures used as hayfields 21 €/ha/year

Maximum payment 279 € / ha

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Conclusions

OG endangered by abandonment

Rural people need to be convinced to maintain OG -

conservation by sustainable use

Diversification of use potential – medicinal plants, e.g. Arnica

Successful processing, marketing

Careful networking with collectors and buyers

Occurrence of medicinal plants need specific management

Recommended management – based on traditional knowledge

People have to be educated to see importance of OG

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The Arnica System Results and experiences

• Proiect Apuseni – a chance for the Motzenland (2000-2004)

• Conservation of Eastern European medicinal plants: Arnica montana in Romania (2004-2007)

• 9 years of collaboration with Weleda; Activities after project completion(2006-2015)

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http://romania.panda.org

www.proiect-apuseni.org

http://dev.arnicamontana.ro

Facilities in Ghetari, RO

Example 2015

20 t fresh weight flower heads = 3,5

t dry weight

ca 450 collectors

Payment to collectors, most of them

being land owners: ca 60.000 €

Best practices in natural resource use

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Training of local people

Sustainable

conservation of oligotrophic

grasslands

income to farmers, villages, regions

public awareness

Long-term experiments and monitoring of Arnica populations

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Objective: Impact of collecting on Arnica population and biodiversity

Monitoring of Arnica montana habitats 2001-2015

Effects of mowing or mulching, combined with organic or mineral fertilizers

Impact of different collecting regime (different amounts of inflorescences)

Thank you for your attention!

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Total UAA (2010): 13 306 130 ha Arable land: 62,4% total UAA Permanent grasslands and meadows 33,9 total UAA Source: National Rural Development Plan 2011-2020 Low input farms: 6,06 mil ha Medium input farms 1,91 mil ha High input farms: 0,51 mil ha Eurostat, 2007

Farm size: <2 ha 2 866 440 2-4,9 ha 727 390 >100ha 13 730 Average physical size of agricultural exploatation 3,4 ha/UAA/holding (2010) Average economic size 2 700,23 Eur of SO/holding

Statistical data for Romania

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Long-term oligotrophic grassland management – high biodiversity

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>600 vascular plants, incl. >350 herbs

Arnika (Arnica montana)

Schafgarbe (Achillea millefolium)

Frauenmantel (Alchemilla vulgaris)

Herbstzeitlose (Colchicum autumnale)

Wiesen-Augentrost (Euphrasia rostkoviana)

Purgier-Lein (Linum catharticum)

Große Bibernelle (Pimpinella major)

Blutwurz (Potentilla erecta)

(Garda 2010)