ASSESSMENT AND MAPPING OF FOREST ECOSYSTEMS, THEIR CONDITION AND THE CONDITION OF THE PROVIDED ECOSYSTEM SERVICES OUTSIDE NATIONAL ECOLOGICAL NETWORK NATURA 2000
Krasimir Kamenov, Rositsa Horozova, Lyubcho Trichkov, Georgi Tinchev, Vasko Raychinov and Georgi Gogushev
Pages: 42-59
ABSTRACT - In the framework of a project “Forests and woodlands – ecosystem services mapping and assessment in the Bulgarian forest territories outside NATURA 2000 network (FOR OUR FUTURE)”, co-financed with the financial support of the Financial Mechanism of EEA 2009–2014, Programme BG03 „Biological diversity and ecosystems”, the types of forest ecosystems are defined, their condition and the provided ecosystem services are assessed over an area about 1 804 000 ha forest territories. Identified, described and assessed are all representative ecosystems on a sub compartment level in forests and woodlands outside NATURA 2000. A centralized data base for the forested forest territories is established, containing information for the topologically processed spatial data of the units, assessment of the condition of the ecosystems and assessment of the ecosystem services they provide to the society according to Methodology, provided by the PO – Ministry of Environment and Water.
A National layer “Forests outside NATURA 2000” is established, as a convertion of the forest data base from ZEM to SHAPE and DBF format is done, also transformation of the coordinate system of the spatial data as off 1970 to WGS 84 UTM35N, and a topological edition of the data base for the forests outside NATURA 2000. The types of forest ecosystems according to EUNIS are identified on a sub compartment level (stand). Algorithms for identification of data with a list of indicators for assessment of the condition of the forest ecosystems, of each separate ecosystem service for each stand and systems for assessment of the condition of the forest ecosystems and the provided ecosystems services on a sub compartment level are developed. Empiric models for extrapolation based on collected on the field information for some of the indicators, like “Deadwood volume” and “Grass cover” are elaborated. All results from the activities are organized in GIS format – geo data base files, suitable for integration with the results from the other projects under the Programme within a common GIS server.
A verification on a regional level of the forest data base is implemented –- 2% on the field and 8% in the office, e.g. of 10% of the total forest territory outside NATURA 2000, is also carried out. Digital maps of the forest ecosystems, of their condition and of the provided ecosystem services are developed.
Keywords: analytical models, classification framework, ecosystem condition, economic valuation of ecosystem services, environment - friendly usage
