Course Introduction to Forest and Natural Resources Sciences

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management II. III. Rangeland

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management II. III. Wildlife

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management Course: Concepts of

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management II. III. ��

Slides: 30

Download presentation

Course: Introduction to Forest and Natural Resources Sciences and Management Joachim PUHE ISU – BA course: Concepts of Applied Ecology, Forestry and Natural Resources Introduction to Forest and Natural Resources Sciences and Management 1. Introduction Forest and Natural Resources, Ecology – professional and career opportunities in management, education and science I. Concepts of Natural Resources and their Use ● Climate and Weather ● Soils ● Water, Watersheds & Wetlands II. ● Forests ● Rangelands ● Agricultural Lands Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management �� , �� 1. �� – �� , �� I. �� ● �� ● �� ● �� , �� II. �� , �� ●�� ● �� ● �� ● �� ●�� : �� 17: 00 – 18: 40 �� Seminars: �� 18: 45 – 19: 30 hrs �� , �� Management �� : 24�� , 12�� , 19 �� ● Forestry ● Nature Protection ● Agriculture ● Water Management ● Rangeland Management ● Urban Nature Management ● Wildlife Management Course: Introduction to Forest and Natural Resources Sciences and Management Joachim PUHE

Course: Introduction to Forest and Natural Resources Sciences and Management II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management Joachim PUHE II. III. �� a) �� ? II. III. Rangeland Management, Wildlife b) �� Management c) �� a) What makes rangelands differ from agricultural lands and �� ? ‘closed’ forests? b) What effects grazing and d)�� ? overgrazing may have? �� c) How are rangelands managed e) �� in other parts of the world? �� ? d) How can grazing be optimized? f) �� ? e) Which types of systematic grazing are most frequent? g) �� ? f) What is the situation of grazing h) �� ? in the Caucasus region? g) What is Wildlife? i) �� ? h) Why is wildlife important? i) What does wildlife depend on? j) �� ? j) How does wildlife interact? �� ? k) Which threats to wildlife exist? k) �� l) How can wildlife be assessed? l) �� ? m) How can we manage, protect, regulate, promote wildlife? m) �� , �� , n) How can we improve habitat quality and quantity? �� ? o) How can we regulate food n) �� ? resources for wildlife? p) How can we influence shelter o) �� ? and reproduction of wildlife? p) �� ? Further Reading: Emery (1986) Promoting nature in cities and towns… ; UNEP (2005) The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Visit the ISU- Library of Natural Sciences at ISU - Vake Park (“S”-Building, M. Tamarashvili Str. 3 - 9 th floor)

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management II. III. Rangeland Management II. III. �� ) a) What makes rangelands differ from a �� agricultural lands and ‘closed’ forests? �� ? ● Rangelands generally have physical �� limitations: low precipitation, cold ● �� : �� temperatures, often they have a rough �� , �� topography ��. ● Rangelands are usually not cultivated and have no closed forest ● �� cover; however, in the Caucasus region many ‘rangeland areas’ include �� , �� potential forest areas or they could be �� , , �� ’’ �� cultivated with proper technology �� ● Rangelands are an important source ��. of forage for free-ranging native and domestic animals, source of water, �� wildlife and nature (herb, grass, shrub ● �� and tree) products �� , ● More than 45% of the Earth’s land �� (�� , surface area could be classified as �� ) ��. rangeland! (forests+croplands = 35%, approx. ) ● �� 45% �� ● Rangelands may include either �� ! (�� +�� =35%) (according to the classification used): steppes + savanna or grasslands + shrublands + open woodlands ● �� (�� ): �� +�� +�� + ��

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management II. III. Rangeland Management b) What effects grazing and overgrazing may have? ● Decades and centennials of overgrazing has led to soil degradation and reduced productivity in many parts of the world where pastoral systems are frequent. ● In the Caucasus region, overgrazing with high numbers of livestock of poor quality and value, is frequent ● Overgrazing has lead to soil damage (compaction, decreasing infiltration, decreasing organic matter, decreasing soil fertility, increasing erosion), and to shifts of forage species composition (grasses, herbs, shrubs) with a tendency towards less nutritious species (reproduction of the ‘leftover’ species is facilitated). ● Overgrazing in the riparian zones may harm water quality (spread of diseases, germs, bacterial infection); grazing frequently impedes the buffer effects riparian vegetation establishment has on water filtration and storage, water erosion, flooding, etc. II. III. �� b) �� ? ● �� , �� , �� . ● �� , �� ● �� ( �� , �� , �� , �� , �� ). ● �� (�� , �� ) �� , �� (�� , �� ).

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management II. III. Rangeland Management c) How are rangelands managed in other parts of the world? ● Rangelands are typically stateowned lands, which can be regulated with a permit system for livestock (cattle, sheep, etc. ) grazing. ● Under government-regulated schemes, users are entitled to a grazing area, a decreed number of livestock, and entrance and exit dates during the productive (summer) season demarking the period when animals can be present on the ‘range’. ● Riparian and other areas sensitive to grazing damage are either excluded from grazing, or vegetation and use zoning can be implemented, residual vegetation minimum densities or heights may be established, or species specific permits are given (e. g. exclusion of cattle) II. III. �� c) �� ? ● �� , �� (�� , �� . �) ��. ● �� , �� , �� (�� ) �� (�� ) �� ● �� , �� , �� (��. �� ) �� , �� .

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management II. III. Rangeland Management d) How can grazing be optimized? ● The efficiency of grazing and livestock production, maintaining ecological stability and biodiversity of the rangelands, can be optimized by specialized grazing systems. ● Special grazing systems provide recurring systematic periods of grazing and suspension (putting off or, ‘deferment’, so that vegetation is allowed to recover). ● Grazing management by using grazing systems allows to steer the optimal mixture of natural forage for a maximum livestock production and other purposes (biodiversity, water protection, etc. ). II. III. �� d) �� ? ●�� , �� , �� ● �� (�� , �� ) ● �� (�� , �� . �) �� .

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management II. III. Rangeland Management e) Which types of systematic grazing are most frequent? ● grazing on a portion of the range is delayed until after the most important range plants have set seed (“deferred rotation”), and the benefit of grazing suspension and rest is given successively to the other portions of rangelands in the following years until the rotation cycle can be repeated ● grazing on a portion of the range is rested for a full year (“rest-rotation grazing”); the rotation cycle is completed after several years, according to the number of ‘portions’ by which the rangeland unit is divided ● rangeland units are divided into a large number of pastures (often>12) and short periods of grazing in each pasture (2 days – 2 weeks) (“shortduration grazing”), this requires an intensive management of livestock but allows larger numbers of animals ● some rangeland areas are typically recognized as very productive and important grazing grounds (e. g. summer mountain meadows) II. III. Rangeland Management e) �� ? ● �� , �� (�� ) �� , �� . ● �� , �� , �� 1 �� (�� -�� ) �� , �� . ● �� (�� >12) �� (2�� -2�� ) (�� ) �� , �� ● �� (��. �� )

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management II. III. Rangeland Management f) What is the situation of grazing in the Caucasus region? ● In the Caucasus region, grazing is most frequent on mountain meadows (summer season), transitory and riparian zones, and non-cultivated grasslands and agricultural lands; also forest land is used for grazing. ● Due to customary habits or rights which haven’t been replaced by state regulations in most parts of the Caucasian region, no technically thoughtful grazing systems have been introduced or even studied. ● It is questionable if the benefits generated by grazing are compensating eventual losses generated (e. g. soil damages, water resources and riparian zone damages, forest resources and tree seedling damages). ● Please also discuss the economic and social benefits and shortcomings of grazing in Georgia!! II. III. Rangeland Management f) �� ? ● �� , �� (�� ) �� , �� . ● �� ● �� (�� , �� , �� ) ● �� , �� !!

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management II. III. Wildlife Management II. III. �� g) What is Wildlife? g) �� ? ● any undomesticated organism, and often the term ‘wildlife’ is only used for animals. ● Historically, wildlife has always been separated from civilization h) Why is wildlife important? ● wildlife is representing the context in which the human species evolved ● wildlife supports the genetic and behavioural basis of all life around us, we should protect and further it ● it is just ethically correct to promote wildlife as living piece of our environment ● �� , �� , , �� ’’ ��. ● �� h) �� ? ● �� ● �� , �� , �� ● �� , �� , ��

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management II. III. Wildlife Management i) What does Wildlife depend on? ● Wildlife mostly depends on intact ecosystems offering food and shelter for rest, protection and reproduction for the species. j) How does Wildlife interact? ● Wildlife interacts between different species and kingdoms, e. g. through food chains or food webs ● autotroph producers (e. g. plants) and consumers of different categories form part of these interactions via energy and information exchange ● Interaction with the same species also occurs, e. g. through competition and reproduction, I order to ensure the species’ survival and development II. III. �� i) �� ? ● �� , �� , �� j) �� ? ● �� , �� ● �� (��. �� ) �� (�� ) �� ● �� , �� Course: Concepts of Applied Ecology, sustainable Forest, Natural Resources and Biodiversity Management Joachim PUHE, Waldemar SCHMIDT

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management II. III. Wildlife Management k) What are the main threats to wildlife? The principal short-term threats affecting wildlife are created by man: ●‘overkill’ of populations occurs, when hunting, fishing or other forms of animal killing or destruction of the food resource (and destruction of vegetation) exceed the reproductive capacity of the species to replace the losses swiftly. This is strongly the case with many red list species, and in cases such as overfishing. ● ‘habitat destruction and fragmentation’ is reflecting the ever stronger break-up of the natural landscape towards non-connected patches of relict habitats. ● ‘introduced species’ (invasive or non-endemic species) may strongly disturb natural ecosystems, shifting the balance of competition between the naturally occurring species, sometimes causing the loss of species through competition, introduction of new diseases or competitors (e. g. pests) II. III. �� k) �� ? �� , �� : ●, , �� ” �� , �� (�� ) �� (�� ). �� . ● �� , �� ● �� (�� ) �� , �� , �� , �� ( �� )

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management II. III. Wildlife Management l) How can wildlife be assessed? ● Wildlife planning is precondition for wildlife management. ● But wildlife ‘planning’ has to rely on wildlife assessment. ● INVENTORY: The number of wildlife species and individuals can be assed using different techniques, e. g. complete or incomplete (representative) census or inventory techniques, through indirect counting, marking and recapturing methods. ● These TECHNIQUES allow to estimate the population densities up to a certain precision, depending on the terrain conditions and the specific way of implementing the methods. II. III. �� l)�� ? ●�� ● �� ● ‘�� : �� (�� ) �� , ��. ● �� , �� .

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management II. III. Wildlife Management l-2) How can wildlife be assessed? ● However, as an alternative to these expensive, time- and personnelconsuming field inventories which are used for science, experienced wildlife management is able to identify and use intelligent indicators which give appropriate hints on population densities of wildlife and game for management purposes: ● The advancement of natural tree regeneration (of the different kinds of species) can be undermined by excessively high game densities (e. g. broadleaf young growth and densities of roe deer) ● Also, the number of successfully raised and surviving juveniles offers an indication on the food resources supply II. III. �� l-2) �� ? ● �� , �� , �� , �� : ● �� (�� ) �� (��. �� ) ● �� , �� Course: Concepts of Applied Ecology, sustainable Forest, Natural Resources and Biodiversity Management Joachim PUHE, Waldemar SCHMIDT

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management Course: Concepts of Applied Ecology, sustainable Forest, Natural Resources and Biodiversity Management Joachim PUHE, Waldemar SCHMIDT

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management II. III. �� II. III. Wildlife Management m) How can we manage, protect, regulate, promote wildlife? m) �� , �� ? Wildlife Management can be �� : divided into two types: ● �� ● Custodial management is �� mainly implemented via protected area establishment and● �� , �� , management �� , �� ● Manipulative management �� , �� comprises introduction, direct �� and indirect furthering of species �� , �� . � and habitats, e. g. through �� , �� : introduction, protection, furthering of food sources, ● �� , �� shelter etc. for core elements of �� (�� nature. �� , �� . �) ��. . . Wildlife can be managed, ● �� (�� ) �� regulated and promoted: �� , �� ● if sufficiently large areas with �� dominantly natural or near�� natural coverage (woodlands, �� grasslands, wetlands, etc) exist �� which can… �� , �� ● be controlled by a (one) �� . sufficiently qualified entity, either public or private. If there is a conflict of interests between different public or private authorities or entities and no single decision maker exists, a consistent management and its implementation will be difficult to achieve.

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management II. III. Wildlife Management II. III. �� m-2) How can we manage, protect, regulate, promote wildlife? m-2) �� , �� ● Wildlife management is to be �� ? developed according to ecological �� principles, with specific focus on ● �� habitat, food resources and shelter �� , �� management. �� ● A single management unit which �� is able to follow technical priorities ● �� , �� should however coordinate with �� the other stakeholders in the area �� ( �� , �� , (e. g. local population, farmers, hunters, private companies) in �� , �� ) �� order to create a consent and �� common understanding and support of nature and wildlife ● �� ( �� ) �� promotion. �� (�� , �� ) �� , �� ● For a given area, once the �� ( �� , �� regulations (national law), and existing interests (property, rights) �� ) �� are identified, its different features �� (ecosystems, habitats, leading or �� indicator species) can be identified ● �� , �� and specific objectives can be �� (��. �� ) �� , �� , defined for each of the features. �� , ● Long-term, mid-term and operational (e. g. one year) plans �� , �� can be established with the , ��. activities to be carried out for each �� feature, including the financial, technical and personnel resources who will support and carry out the operations.

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management II. III. Wildlife Management n) How can we improve habitat quality and quantity? ● Different instruments can be applied for different cases/conditions, scientific and ecological knowledge which might exist. ● In our temperate and mountain conditions, visitor management, edge or gap management are some of the tools for management of wildlife-&biodiversity. ● Also, linking habitats in order to allow migration and exchange of genes and species, is a tool of choice in our deteriorated landscapes ● However, the artificial breaking-up and diversification of naturally rather monotonous ecosystems* as well as interventions to maintain or artificially introduce successional stages, is a point of discussion *steppes, boreal and temperate forests with low species diversity II. III. �� n) �� ? ● �� , �� / �� ● �� , �� , �� ● �� , �� , �� . ● �� , �� *�� , ��

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management II. III. Wildlife Management o) How can we regulate food resources for wildlife? Management can further the number and connectedness of food resources in an area, based on the knowledge of food plants, animals and ecological niches: ● e. g. a specific type of pond, water course, a microhabitat or hedge complex built-up from different fruit-bearing shrubs and trees, etc Management can be implemented by: ● cutting trees or tree groups, doing selective thinning in the young woodlands or undergrowth and/or furthering succession or successional stages of ecosystems or habitats which promote the desired food resources Hunting concessions or reserves often have operators who artificially increase the number of game through additional feeding, even when carrying capacity of the ecosystems become largely exceeded. Often, undesired side effects on the natural species abundance are generated. II. III. Wildlife Management o) �� ? �� , �� : ● �� , �� , �� ●�� , �� , ��

II. Man and Nature, an introduction to sustainable Land Biodiversity Management II. III. Wildlife Management p) How can we influence shelter and reproduction of wildlife? ● Reproduction i. e. of wild animals requires shelter and food resources ● If natural selection or competition is restricted (e. g. insufficient number of predators or top predators) in an area, management can intervene ● This can be done, e. g. by the exercise of hunting on oversized populations (e. g. deer) ● In cases where wildlife is critically undersized, promoting food resources, reproduction opportunities and shelter for wildlife in danger is an option ● In areas close to civilization, villages, towns or cities, and where intensive visitor flow exists, reproduction of wildlife can be disturbed ● exclusion of specific areas from visitors, restriction of visitor numbers or a restricted access during the periods of mating and raising of juveniles is recommended for the sensible areas and buffer zones II. III. �� p) �� ? ● �� ● �� (��. �� ) �� , �� ● �� (��. �� ) ● �� , �� ● �� , �� , �� ● �� , ��