C5. Recuperation of Pinus nigra stands in areas affected by fire

AGS_017

The LIFE Pinassa project will administer treatments to support the natural regeneration of Pinus nigra stands affected by high density fire; where before the fire the species were clearly dominant, but are now substituted and dominated by fire-provoked Quercus forests.

Some of these treatments are:

  • Selective clearing
  • Preservation of Quercus stumps with abundant, fire-generated re growth
  • Supporting natural regeneration

Specific Objectives

  1. Improve Pinus nigraregeneration in areas affected by great fires that have substantially altered the habitat and where the species persistence is clearly in danger.
  2. Exemplify management for the improvement of young dense forests with little vitality, low structural diversity and elevated fire risk, to permit the multi functionality of the habitat by successfully combining habitat conservation with management that is ecologically, economically and socially sustainable.
  3. Develop transference material which brings together the main management recommendations for treatments that guarantee habitat conservation and improvement in Pinus nigra Application of better available techniques (BAT) and Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) make conservation compatible with the rest of the forests’ functions (socioeconomic and recreational).

This is a demo action for the applicability of black pine forests typical to this habitat structure in their entire Iberic distribution. Stands subject for action present an elevated demo value: they are located in places with high accessibility, are representative of the identified habitat typology, and have facility for hosting posterior training or educational visits.

Results

The project planned a total of 36ha, 12ha in pre-Pyrenees and central region and 24ha in southern. After Action 3, a total of 31,57ha have been selected.  ZEC distribution and their status of implementation are shown in Table 1:

Table 1. Distribution and status of actions C5 according Conservation program

REGION ZEC Area (ha) CONSERVATION WORKS
Area (ha) State
pre-Pyrenees and central ES5110012 Montserrat-Roques Blanques-riu Llobregat 23,97* 10,28 Finalized
southern ES5140009 Tivissa-Vandellós_Llaberia 7,60 7,60 Finalized

*The stand must regenerate naturally from points of expansion. Actions on the scrub and other species competing with Pinus nigra are performed in 10,28ha, the rest of the stand doesn’t need the removing of this competition.

 

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Figure 1. Cleaning. Elimination of scrub and stipe of Pinus halepensis in Montserrat-Roques Blanques-riu Llobregat to promote the regeneration of Pinus nigra