HCVF and Biodiversity Conservation in Russian

FSC Certification Standards

Workshop,April 1-2 2009, SyktyvkarMikhail KarpachevskiyBiodiversity Conservation Center Chair of the FSC Russian National Initiative

Levels of biodiversity protection according to FSCLevel Conservation goals and

objects being preservedArea (unit) Method of

preservationLand-scape

Large-scale dynamics of ecosystems; global services (functions) of forests; large intact (wilderness) areas

> thou-sands of ha (forest blocks)

Protected areas; ecological networks

Preservation of the diversity of communities; rare forest types, habitats of large rare animals; ecological corridors

up to hun-dreds of ha (forest stands)

Protected forest habitats (OZU), protective forests

Site Biodiversity protection during forestry operations (at site level); habitats of large rare species; small sites and objects (substrates) for biodiversity protection

from 0 to few ha (harvest area)

Preservation of particular objects during harvesting operations

Requirements of FSC forest management standards regarding biodiversity conservation

PRINCIPLE 9: MAINTENANCE OF HIGH CONSERVATION

VALUE FORESTSManagement activities in high conservation value forests shall

maintain or enhance the attributes that define such forests. Decisions regarding high conservation value

forests shall always be considered in the context of a precautionary

approach• Preservation of relatively large areas

identified in the process of forest management planning

• Forest manager organizes the process that shall consider interests and opinions of various stakeholders regarding mapping and protection of such areas

• Objects shall be identified by specialists

PRINCIPLE 6: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Forest management shall conserve biological diversity and its associated

values, water resources, soils, and unique and fragile ecosystems and

landscapes and, by so doing, maintain the ecological functions and the integrity

of the forest• Preservation of small natural objects

identified when planning forestry operations and/or allocating harvest areas

• List of objects and their identification criteria are being prepared by experts

• Harvesting method and season of harvest consider features of a particular forest ecosystem

• Objects can be identified by specialists or company staff

Area of object

1 ha 100 ha 10 000 ha

Landscape

(area level)

Valuable natural objects: Identification scales

Key biotopes

(OZU)

High conservation value forests

Site

(stand or harvest area level)

Level of biodiversity conservation

0 ha

Forest stand/vydel

Forest block/kvartal

Rare plant communities or

forest types

Categories of HCVF in Russia• Maps and scientific background is significantly lacking, especially

detailed enough for forest management planning• Mapping and management guidelines for HCVC are still

underdeveloped• Field data are especially scarce• In reality HCVF is difficult to split into categories• Government does not help• Category 1 and 3 mainly need special inventories and require

protection in the form of OZU (key biotopes) and/or protected areas.

• Category 2 is mainly inventoried, although protection through moratoria (temporary) or PA (difficult to achieve).

• Of 6 HCVF categories only Category 4 is more or less covered governmental forest inventories and regulations.

• For categories 5 and 6 special inventories at local level are needed

Russian National FSC Standard, 2008

• Gives interpretation of HCVF categories, methods for identification of particular HCVF and available sources of information

• Provides references where maps on national-level HCVF (categories 1-3) can be readily available

• Provides references where maps on regional-level HCVF (categories 1-3) can be readily available for some regions

HCV 1. Biodiversity values: 200 global WWF’s ecoregions

HCV 1. Biodiversity values: CI’s Caucasus biodiversity hotspot

HCV 1. Biodiversity values: protected areas

HCV 1. Biodiversity: existing and candidate PAs

Other HCV 1 that are covered by international agreements or programs: Important Bird Areas, Important Plant Areas in Europe, Ramsar wetlands

UNEP-WCMC centers of the diversity of vascular plants

Intact forest

Intact non-forest ecosystems

HCV 2. Landscapes: intact forest landscapes

HCV 3. Rare, threatened or endangered ecosystems

• all over European Russia maple and ash forests, as well as forests with significant admixture of oak

• all over European Russia any forests with larch in the main canopy and/or undergrowth

• all over European Russia and the Urals dark coniferous (spruce, fir, spruce–fir) forests with nemoral herbaceous plants

• all over Siberia intact black taiga – fir–aspen forests with tall herbaceous plants and a complex of relic nemoral plants

• in Western Siberia forest with admixture of elm• in all regions old growth black alder forests and mixed riparian

forest dominated by poplar • For Primorskiy Kray and Amur region some lists are available• For Siberia the Green Book of Siberia is a starting point

HCV 4: Forest areas that provide basic services of nature in critical situations (e.g. watershed protection,

erosion control)

• HCVF category 4 more or less identified and protected by Russian laws

HCV 5 and 6. Livelihoods and cultural values

• Maps/precise information on HCVF categories 5-6 can be received/made only at local level, in cooperation with local communities

• The culture of consultations with stakeholders, including local communities is very poor in Russia

How to cut HCVF, especially if you use mainly clearcuts?

SCA guidelines for Sweden

Biological diversity conservation at a site level includes:

• Protection of forest environment• Protection of biological, water and soil resources• Imitation of natural forest dynamics during harvesting, taking into

account landscape and natural borders• Conservation of key biotopes

• small rare communities (rare forest types)• threatened and endangered species habitats, other habitats

important for biodiversity protection (key biotopes)• ecological corridors• ecologically sensitive or critical areas

Elements to be preserved at a site level (clearcut) – Canada Boreal FSC standard

Biodiversity protection, Principle 6

• 6.3.9. The following windthrow resistant key stand elements (residual trees and their groups) shall be completely or partly left during timber harvesting:• old trees of non-target species• large trees with holes• trees with large bird nests• veteran trees whose age noticeably exceeds the average age

of the main canopy• tree species considered to be rare in this area

Biodiversity protection, Principle 6

• 6.3.10. For survival of species dependant on deadwood, during harvesting (including salvage logging) at least the following key stand elements that do not threaten forest health and future forest regeneration shall be retained:• windthrow resistant dying trees and snags located at the

distance from roads, landings and such trees left within clumps and groups

• hanging and dying trees and snags greater than 3040  cm in a diameter that create a safety hazard at forestry operations shall be cut down and left as deadwood

• high stumps of natural origin• large down deadwood, especially greater than 3040 cm in a

diameter• large slash residues

Biodiversity protection, Principle 6

• 6.3.11. At clearcuts regeneration of target tree species shall be provided by leaving seed trees, their groups and patches with young growth or by adjacent forest walls, while preserving other tree species occurring in the natural forest

• 6.3.12. Not less than 20 seed trees or one group of seed trees per hectare shall be left for natural forest regeneration at clearcuts

• 6.3.13. When using clearcuts (as well as after the final cut of shelterwood (multistage) harvesting) greater than 10 ha, the patchiness of a forest landscape shall be preserved by leaving forest strips and clumps (including complex seed clumps and strips) that include rare non-typical forest patches, elements of pristine (old growth) forest as well as the key stand elements consistent with 6.3.96.3.12

European Russia hardwoods. Lack of clarity what to do

Selective cuts in multi-dominant rich forest, the Russian Far East