WP 5.3 Workshop The effect of forest management on biodiversity of insects

1. WP 5.3 WorkshopThe effect of forest management on biodiversity of insects „PROFOREST” Forest Research Institute 5-7.VII.2004 Hajnówka, Białowieża Forest Jacek Hilszczański

2. Goals of the workshop • to extend the knowledge on implementation metods of saproxylic insects conservation and „dead wood” measures in managed forests, • to compare dead wood composition and structure in natural old-growth forest of Białowieża National Park and in managed forest of Hajnówka Forest District, • - to identify neglected areas in the research on the effect of forest management on saproxylics and „dead wood” research in Central Europe.

3. List of participants: • Ake Lindelow Department of Entomology, SLU Uppsala, Sweden • Roger Pettersson Department of Animal Ecology, SLU Umea, Sweden • Vadim Tsinkievych Uniwersytet of Belarus, Mińsk, Belarus • Valentina Meshkova Institute of Forestry and Melioration, Kiev, Ukraine • Jacek Stocki General Directory of State Forests, Warsaw, Poland • Przemysław Szwałko Institute of Systematics and and Animal Evolution PAN, Kraków, Poland • Lech Buchholz Ojców National Park, Poland • Jerzy Ługowoj Hajnówka Forest District, Poland • Robert Rossa Academy of Agriculturem Forestry Faculty, Kraków, Poland • Małgorzata Ossowska Academy of Agriculturem Forestry Faculty, Kraców, Poland • Wojciech Grodzki Forest Research Institute, Kraków, Poland • Jerzy Gutowski Forest Research Institute, Białowieża, Poland • Jacek Hilszczański Forest Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland • Cezary Bystrowski Forest Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland

4. Activities: • Presentations: • Forest Protection in Sweden – Ake Lindelow, • Conservation of saproxylic insects in Swedish Forests – Roger Pettersson, • Conflict – leaving windfallen spruce trees as dead wood – for Ips typographus or biodiversity – Ake Lindelow. • Scientists representing Belarus, Ukraine and Poland - Regulations and recommendation in dead wood management. • Presentations on saproxylic insects research and current status of dead wood presence in Polish forests.

5. Field trips - Field part of the workshop gave a base to launch the discussion on current practices concerning dead wood in managed forests,

6. Important part of the field trip was to observe dead wood composition and structure in natural old-growth forest of Białowieża in comparison with managed stands of nearby Forest District

7. Conclusions:        Practically no obligatory regulations of dead wood management exist in most of the Central European countries. Although in certification (mainly FSC) process of forests, the dead wood issue is present but in reality there is no good verifying instruments,

8.     There is a big lack in research on dead wood importance for various group of insects and on requirements concerning dead wood quality of particular species or species assemblages of insects in this part of Europe,

9. It is possible to combine requirements of forest protection and saproxylic organisms by minor changes in forest protection regulations (e.g. skip the recommendation of stump debarking, retention of single infested trees, green tree retention etc.).

10. Instruction of Forest Protection (2004) (managed forests): • Obligatory part: • Maintainance of dead wood in various decomposition stage. • Including infested trees per ha, up to : • - 0,5 m3in spruce stands, • 1 m3 in pine stands, • 2 m3in deciduous stands. • Facultative part: • cavity and green tree retention: • 5 per hectare, marked and mapped, • dead trees as in OP in healthy stands, • in weakened (biotic and abiotic factors) • stands, bark beetle infested trees should • be removed.