The most harmful events in Polish Mountains in recent period took place in 1980’s in Western Sudeten, where 160 km2 was deforested by acid rains as a main reason. From beginning of 1980 we have observed significant air pollution d i P l d ll i h l E b t hdecrease in Poland, as well as in whole Europe, but heavy deposition during last decades and reinforced climatic anomalies contribute to serious damages also in polish Carpathian forests.

1.Fagus sylvatica 2.Abies alba312 m3/ha 312 m3/ha

137695ha 32 % 42975740 3 9690 h 23%

3.Picea excelsa4.Pinus sylvestris

137695ha – 32 % 42975740 m3 96901 ha ‐ 23%  30298737 m3

316 m3/ha 244m3/ha

Korelacje liniowe między powierzchniowym udziałem poszczególnych gatunków na obszarze KKP-L

5.Others

72 641 ha - 17 % 22 949 181 m3. 64022ha (15%) 15603517 m3

1.buk 2.świerk 3.jodła 4.sosnabuk 1świerk -0,428 1

p g y g

2

jodła 0,622 -0,486 1sosna 0,562 -0,431 0,795 1inne 0,566 -0,366 0,592 0,49554679 ha (13%)

The phenomena in Beskids it is possible to determine  as ecological disaster or as dying artificial spruce stands but not as forest decline or dying forests .

The health condition of spruce stands in the Silesian and Żywiec Beskids is affected by several factors, the most important of which are not domestic provenances of spruce grown on improper sites and climatic anomalies. A large-scale dieback of spruce stands in Beskids, caused by interaction of g p , ybiotic, abiotic and anthropogenic stress factors, takes the character of chronic disease. It is leading for changes in species composition of stands with consequences on water balanceconsequences on water balance.

Changes in participation of main species in Carpathians forests in years 1967  ‐ 2006 in Poland

40

45%

30

35

19671967

2006

1967

28.6 28.326.4

32,1

2120

25 2006

21

13,110

15

202006

0

5

10

0

Fagus Abies Picea

According to Kantor (2004) due to the higher interception and more favourable runoff balance during winter months, spruce stands are more effective than beech stands from qualitative water-qmanagement aspects. With respect to the very low interception of beech, the total consumption of water in mature broadleaved stands is as much as 150 mm lower than that of mature spruce stands Fromas much as 150 mm lower than that of mature spruce stands. From the quantitative water-management point of view, beech stands are markedly more advantageous than spruce stands.

Distribution of Norway spruce stands in forest inspectorates according age classes[ZOL Opole, Guzik 2010]

USTROÑ

BIELSKO

SUCHAJELEŒNIA

WIS£AWÊGIERSKAGÓRKA

UJSO£Y

Wiek Œw0 - 20

21 - 40

41 6041 - 60

61 - 80

81 - 100

101 - 236

Granice Nadleœnictw

Sanitary cutting in forest inspectorates (Bielsko, Jeleśnia, Ujsoły, Ustroń, Węgierska Górka, Wisła) in 2006 - 2009 years

[ZOL O l G ik 2010][ZOL Opole, Guzik 2010]

Volume of Norway spruce in forest inspectorates in Beskids (m3) Sanitary 

cuttingLp Forest inspectorates

cutting2006‐2009

(m3) 

State on1.01.2006

State on1.01.2010 difference %

m3

1 Andrychów 448 600 444646 ‐ 3 954 ‐ 1% 44 4471 Andrychów 448 600 444646 3 954 1% 44 447

2 Sucha 985 500 852537 ‐ 132 963 ‐ 13% 127 237

3 Bielsko 933 000 517 606 ‐ 415 394 ‐ 45% 226 666

4 J l ś i 2 204 900 1 920 810 284 090 13% 243 4804 Jeleśnia 2 204 900 1 920 810 ‐ 284 090 ‐ 13% 243 480

5 Ujsoły 5 517 900 4 550 762 ‐ 967 138 ‐ 18% 1 154 233

6 Ustroń 1 672 400 1 258 888 ‐ 423 512 ‐ 25% 355 850

7 Węgierska G. 2 292 300 707 396 ‐ 1 584 904 ‐ 69% 880 4217 Węgierska G. 2 292 300 707 396 1 584 904 69% 880 421

8 Wisła 2 921 100 1 769 354 ‐ 1 151 746 ‐ 39% 866 350

Total 16 975 700 12 021 999 ‐ 4 963 701 ‐ 29% 3 867 443Total 16 975 700 12 021 999 4 963 701 29% 3 867 443

Total(Lp.3‐8)

15 541 600 10 724 816 ‐ 4 826 784 ‐ 31% 3 758 241

Norway spruce future  in Beskids depends on climatic conditions and it is bomb with delayed ignition.

Mountai zone in Tatra Mts:

Climatic zone TempAltitude

Forest zoneTemp. ‐

Sl N Sl SClimatic zone Temp. Forest zonep

IPCCSlopes N  Slopes S 

6. Cold ‐4  ‐2 ºC od2200 od 2350 Alpen Zone ‐2 – 0 ºC5 Moderate cold 2 0 ºC 1850 2200 2050 Meadow 0 2 ºC5. Moderate cold ‐2 – 0 ºC 1850‐2200 2050‐

2350Meadow M.Z.

0 ‐2 ºC

4.Very cool 0 ‐2 ºC 1550‐1850 1650‐2050

Pinus mugo 2 ‐4 ºC

3. Cool 2 ‐4 ºC 1150 –1550

1200‐1650

Upper M.Z.↑? 

4 ‐6 ºC

Moderate cool 4 ‐6 ºC do 1150 m do 1200  Lower M.Z.↑ 6 ‐8 ºCm

1. Moderate warm 6 ‐8 ºC ‐ ‐ Uphils↑ 8 ‐10 ºC

9

prof. Andersson Spruce in Istebna

60 m długości10

Nadl. Wisła: Istebna – WDN, oddz. 149 BUKOWIEC

Nadl. Wisła (Istebna –WDN, oddz. 108)

Nadleśnictwo Węgierska Górka

Forest inspectorate Węgierska Górka

Drzewostan świerkowy zniszczony przez wiatr

Nadleśnictwo Ujsoły

Picus sonic tomograph

Comparison of tomograf pictures with real cross sections of spruce trees

24

Tomograms 30 trees of Picea abies  in Forest InspectorateWęgierska Górka, Oddz. 106aSilesian Beskid.  Age 120 years

25

Tomograms 30 trees of Abies alba   in Forest InspectorateWęgierska Górka, Oddz. 106aSilesian Beskid. Age 120 years

 

26

Tomograms of Abies alba in Baligród Forest Inspectorare, oddz. 121b. Age 120 years

 

27

Decrease of forestage in the Bystratorrents catchment area

30

Magurka Radziechowska (1091)

mg/l

Ca K Mg P‐PO4 S‐SO4 Cl‐ N‐NO3N‐NH4

Al Fe Cu Zn Cd Pb

2002 7,505 0,717 1,218 0,005 5,098 1,474 0,821 0,087 0,008 0,012 0,003 0,013 0,000 0,003

B2009 9,645 0,966 1,515 0,016 2,390 0,984 1,007 0,007 0,035 0,017 0,013 0,012 0,000 0,002

Magurka Wiślańska  (1129)b

a

A

a

Barania Góra (1220)

Bystra watersheed

I/ Reasons for the ecological disaster in Beskids:1. Artificial spruce stands on wrong sites adequate for broadleaves.2. Atmospheric pollutions.

f d3. Age of spruce stands4. Atmospheric factors (the wind, distribution of precipitation, the temperature).5. Biotic factors (insects, fungi pathogens).6. Unchecked in the time and in space dying of single trees and stands. (Sanitary cuttings)

II/ Consequences of the ecological disaster in Beskids1. Need to remove vast volume of wood at short time without any order.2. Need to regenerate considerable surfaces after dying stands, before development of weeds (C l i D h i R b d h )(Calamagrostis sp., Deschampsia sp., Rubus sp., and others)3. Need to apply heavy equipment into the network of public and forest ways.4. Thickened network of strip roads mainly for tractors.5. Increasing of the erosion.6 Ch i h B kid l d di i l f l6. Changes in the Beskids landscape, traditional for last century .

III/ The methods for moderating and removing consequences of the ecological disaster.1. To continue applying existing methods to preventing of mass gradations of bark beetles to reduce d i f d i tdynamics of dying trees.2. Limitation of fungi pathogens expansiveness among other by conversion of stands with advantage of natural regeneration and diversified species compositions.

Principles are being applied for many years in Polish forestry:

Strategy for better forest and water management

Principles are being applied for many years in Polish forestry:

I. Principle: „sustainable development”(multifuncional forestry with nature protection).

II. Principle :   „close to nature” (colaborating with nature in sylviculture)

III  Principle   continuous cover forestry ”III. Principle: „continuous cover forestry ”(elimination clear cutting, shaping of the proper structure of stands)

IV. Principle : „diffusion of risk in silviculture” ( i   h  f     h   b bili i    i   h    l   f  h       bl  (managing the forest as the probabilistic setup, in whom a lot of phenomena we are able only to predict with the determined probability)

V. Still one of the important priorities of the mountain forest watersheds management in Poland is the inclusion of private forests into ecologisation process

Impact of forest (stands) decline on hydrology of Bystra stream

(Forest Inspectorate Węgierska Górka)

Bystra stream watershed

Bystra stream watershed

#S #S #S #S #S#S #S #S #S #S

#S #S #S #S #S#S#S #S #S #S #S

#S #S #S #S #S#S#S #S #S #S #S

#S #S #S #S #S#S #S #S #S #S Beech– green, Silver fir –dark green, Douglas fir–yellow,

#S #S #S #S #S#S #S #S #S #S

#S #S #S #S #S#S #S #S #S #S

#S #S #S #S #S#S #S #S #S #S

#S #S #S #S #S#S #S #S #S #S

#S #S #S #S #S#S #S #S #S #S

Spruce Św – black

#S #S #S #S

#S #S #S #S #S#S #S #S #S

#S #S #S #S #S#S #S #S #S #S

Forest decline in Bystra watershed

1990 2004

Annual precipitation and runoff in Bystra watershed

Values of daily precipitation which effected the rise f di h i B t t ft d ht i dof discharge in Bystra stream after drought period

Influence of daily precipitation on dischargeue ce o d y p ec p o o d sc gein two periods of forest decline

Relationships between specific discharge in Bystra t h t d b t h t B t A d B t Bcatchment area and sub-catchments Bystra A and Bystra B

Increase of runoff coefficient in Bystra watershedc e se o u o coe c e ys w e s ed

0,8

0,9

1

0,5

0,6

0,7

H/P

yearsummerLiniowy (year)

0,2

0,3

0,4y (y )

Liniowy (summer)

0

0,1

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

Frequency of discharges ≥ 1 m3/s in two periods with various intensity of forest decline)y )

Q 2000-2004

6

10

2

2

frequ

ency

10

6

Q 2005-20091 1,3 1,6 1,9 2,2 2,5 2,8

Forest decline in Sudeten

At the end of seventies and in the beginningg gof eighties XX century a massive forest decline has occurred in Sudeten in the area called „Black triangle” (part of Germany, „ g (p y,Poland and the Czech Republic).

In Poland, the deforestated area was estimated on about16 thousands hectares.16 thousands hectares.

The main reason of this an ecologicalThe main reason of this an ecological disaster was air polution from the adjacent industrial sites. The annual

t ti f l h di id i thconcentrations of sulphur dioxide in the area amounted around 40 - 50 mg·m-3

of air (20 mg·m-3 is critical value ( gon coniferous forest).

Due to acid rains and acidification of soilDue to acid rains and acidification of soil(pH 2.4 to 3.0) trees were vulnerable tothe attack of various pathogens

d i tand insects.

Zeraiphera pgriseana

Since 1984, the decline in the width increment of trees has stopped which

1 001,502,002,503,003,504,004,50

crem

ent (

mm

)

has resulted in an increase in the growing stock and improvement of the health status of stands.

0,000,501,00In

Years

1 00

2,00

3,00

4,00

rem

ent,

mm

0,00

1,00

20051995198519751965195519451935Years

Incr

Impact of forest decline on hydrological characteristicsp c o o es dec e o yd o og c c c e s cs

Since 1983, the studies have beencarried out in the catchments of thecarried out in the catchments of theSzklarka and Kociniec rivers and since1992, in the IBL experimentalcatchments of the Czerniawka andCiekoń the tributaries of the Kamiennariver.

After the large-scale deforestation, the water outflow in the catchments markedly increased and the observed changes depended y g pon the level of deforestation and the progress in reforestation works. This was proved by the volume of the outflow, which in the Ciekoń catchment (40 % of deforestation) was by 30% higher than incatchment (40 % of deforestation) was by 30% higher than in Czerniawka catchment (8% of deforestation).

Runoff coefficient valuein catchments of Czerniawka and

y = -0,019x + 0,8755

0,70

0,80

0,90

1,00

H/Pof Czerniawka and

Ciekoń.y = -0,0127x + 0,6848

0,40

0,50

0,60

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

H

Years

Czerniawka Ciekoń

1400

1600

Bankful discharge in of Czerniawka and Ciekoń. 600

800

1000

1200

1400

q [d

m3 s

-1km

-2]

Czerniawka and Ciekoń.

0

200

400

20 VII 2001

16 24 8 16 24 8 16 24

godz.

Czerniawka Ciekoń

Conclusions1. Three main factors decided about present condition of forests in

the Polish mountains: schematic silviculture in the past, airpollution and climate changes.

2. The present species composition of the mountain forestssignificantly differs from the primeval (natural) because ofsignificantly differs from the primeval (natural) because ofcenturies of improper management (monoculture plantations, lackof natural tree regeneration, and the type of cutting system).

3. In the Sudeten the coniferous sites occupy 46% of forest area butthe current percentage of spruce stands area is about 78%. In theCarpathians the coniferous sites occupy only about 3% but theCarpathians the coniferous sites occupy only about 3% but theaverage percentage of coniferous stands reaches almost 64% offorest area.

4. Deformation of species composition of mountain forests is much worse in higher altitudes. Lack of conformity of stands and forest sites has negative influence on vitality of trees susceptibility tosites has negative influence on vitality of trees, susceptibility to insects, fungi, wind and state of plants communities.

5 Th f f d li i h C hi ( i ll i h5. The process of forest decline in the Carpathians (specially in the Silesian and Żywiec Beskids) differs from the ecological catastrophe in Sudeten because of the lower level of pollution and more fertile pforest sites.

6. The hydrological investigation was proved that after the large-scale deforestation the anual runoff from mountain watershedsscale deforestation, the anual runoff from mountain watersheds increase about 20-30%. It has been also observed the increase of runoff coefficient, increase frequency of peak discharges and time h f di h i i i ichange of discharge reaction on precipitation.

7. Recently, the major threat to stabilisation of the outflow process y, j pappear to be climatic changes and extreme events in the form of frequent torrential rains, and long-lasting droughts, as well as increase of temperature causing increased evaporation duringincrease of temperature causing increased evaporation during summer months and reducing snow retention in winter.