Conservation actions in the Forest
The original plan for converting forest areas into open habitat had to be adjusted because of EU regulations. Instead of forest conversion, the revised aim is now a transformation into open riparian forest. The patches of forest are carefully selected to ensure they can fulfil their ecological function as stepping stones or corridors for wildlife. Despite the adjustments, the objectives of the project will still be achieved, although there has been a delay. Especially in valley meadows and adjacent slopes, non-native afforestation (mainly spruce, but also red oak, grey alder, and hybrid poplar) will be removed early in the project. Areas of shrub encroachment will be heavily thinned out or reduced in its spatial extent.
Open habitat types:
- 4010: Feuchte Heidegebiete mit Glockenheide
- 6230: Borstgrasrasen im Mittelgebirge
- 6410: Pfeifengraswiesen auf kalkreichem Boden, torfigen und tonig-schluffigen Böden
- 6430: Feuchte Hochstaudenfluren
- 6510: Glatthafer- und Wiesenknopf-Silgenwiesen
- 6520: Berg-Mähwiesen
- 7230: Kalkreiche Niedermoore
Protected habitat types:
- Seggen- und binsenreiche Nasswiesen
- Naturnahe Quellbereiche
Forest habitat types:
- 91E0: Erlen-Eschen- und Weichholz-Auenwälder
- 91D0: Moorwälder
- 9160: Stieleichenwald-Hainbuchenwald
- 9180: Schlucht- und Hangmischwälder
Removal of Non-Native Woody Plants
The (premature) harvesting of non-native woody plants is done using particularly gentle methods. Large harvesters are only used in areas where soil moisture, topography, and ground conditions allow their use without causing lasting damage. Otherwise, wherever possible, manual motorized methods, draft horses, crawler vehicles, walking machines, various types of cable cranes, cable systems, and combinations of remote-controlled vehicles and cable systems are used for harvesting. Similarly, the careful removal of felled trees and mulching of stumps in areas intended to become open habitats is conducted with specialized machines and methods. In particular, stump mulching is not usually done with heavy, tractor-driven forest mulchers, but with crawler vehicles equipped with mulch attachments instead. Experiences from already implemented projects have shown that this approach helps prevent soil damage and the long-term development of undesirable vegetation that follows soil compaction.
Shrub removal
When clearing heavily overgrown areas and young afforestation sites with a lot of organic debris, the branches are initially cut either manually with a chainsaw or using specially equipped crawler vehicles. The branches are moved off-site and disposed of, or chipped or burned on-site. The areas prepared this way, and those with minimal woody growth, are then treated with a soil-friendly crawler vehicle with a mulch attachment. Experiences from other projects have shown that simply cutting deciduous trees often leads to unwanted regrowth. Regrowth can only be prevented by destroying the growing points, for example through mulching.
Establishment of Forest Habitat Types
Forest habitats develop through guided succession (removal of emerging, non-native regrowth, and thinning of successional stages). The development of forest habitat types must also be managed. Primarily, the regrowth within the existing stand or the adjacent (spruce) stand must be suppressed. The resulting fallow and successional stages are, according to experience, often long-lasting and, in particular, provide excellent habitat conditions for species like L. helle. However, once regrowth of trees begins—especially with broadleaf trees—the areas quickly become increasingly shady and then lose their function as habitat. The succession to floodplain forest habitats must be controlled, particularly by thinning through removal of individual trees during succession.
Thinning out Floodplain Forests
Light-filled floodplain forest sites are considered primary habitat for L. helle elsewhere (e.g., in Romania). In the Eifel region, the use of such sites as (partially) suitable habitat is unrecorded so far. The proportion of suitably old and especially light-filled floodplain forests within the protected areas of the region is relatively low. Often, in the past, these forest types were cleared, converted into grassland, or reforested with non-native woody plants. Some floodplain areas that have already been restored have not yet developed into suitable habitats for L. helle. Areas that have been left to natural reforestation are often populated by dense pioneer forests of birch, alder, and willow, which are typical for the site but too dense and shady for L. helle. In contrast, open floodplain forests composed of trees of different ages, with a mosaic of clearings and densely vegetated areas, can probably serve as suitable habitat and corridors for L. helle. The thinning of floodplain forests is carried out through motorized removal of individual trees or groups of trees. The trees are extracted as mature specimens using a draft horse or a cable winch/crane.
Establishment of “Forest Areas with a Minimum Stocking Density (40%)”
In areas where “Forest Areas with a Minimum Stocking Density (40%)” are to be implemented and which have been previously cleared and prepared, suitable vegetation cuttings are transferred from donor sites. Additionally, a minimum stocking density of 0.4, coordinated with the Regional Forestry Office, is established on these so-called “forest-serving areas” through guided succession or planting. In the project “LIFE+Allianz für Borstgrasrasen” the ideally loss-free complete harvest at the donor site and the direct transfer of fresh cuttings to the recipient sites have proven to be effective. If donor and recipient sites are very moist or steep, work must be carried out using special machinery (remote-controlled tracked vehicles) or be done by hand. The transfer of cuttings is carried out according to the existing moisture and nutrient gradients. Formal agreements for the transfer of cuttings are arranged in advance with the land managers of suitable donor sites. The transfer of cuttings is implemented by suitable service providers.