BULGARIAN PROGRESS IN MAES

PROCESS OUTCOMES OF THE "MAPPING AND ASSESSMENT OF ECOSYSTEM

SERVICES - SCIENCE IN ACTION“

(EEA PROJECTS METECOSMAP AND TUNESINURB)

Svetla Bratanova-Doncheva1, Stoyan Nedkov2, Kremena

Gocheva3

1: Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystems Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBER-

BAS), coordinator MetEcoSMap

2 : National Institute of Geophysics Geodesy and Geography, BAS, MetEcoSMap and TunesInURB

3: PhD student at IBER-BAS,

13th Meeting of the Working Group on Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES)

16 March 2017

1. MAES process in Bulgaria

2. Methodology for mapping and assessment

of ecosystems and their services

3. Mapping and assessment of urban

ecosystems

4. Further steps and challenges

Content

1. MAES process in Bulgaria

Biodiversity

• Area: 110 912 sq. km.

• Mammal species: 94

• Bird species: 383

• Reptile species 36

• Amphibia species 16

• Fish species: 207 (marine and freshwater)

• Insects and other invertebrates: about 27 000

• Vascular plant species: 3 500 to 3 750

• Non vascular plant species and fungi: 6 500

• Forested area: 30% of total

1. MAES process in BG

Timeline

2014

• First mapping as part of PAF

• A map based on existing data was created and need for further work identified

• Funded by OP Environment

2017

• A methodological framework to be finalized (MetEcoSMapproject)

• Mapping and biophysical assessment outside NATURA2000 by mid-2017

• Funded by EEA FM 2009-2014

2018-2019

• Methodology for monetary valuation of ecosystem services – development and implementation

• Possible funding by EEA 2014-2021 and OP Environment 2014-2020 (within NATURA)

2020 • Incorporation into national accounts

• Funding depends on various financial sources’ planning and programming

1. MAES process in BG

Programme BG03

Outcome 1: Awareness raising

(small grant scheme)

12 projects for volunteer monitoring and data input to the Bulgarian Biodiversity Information

System (BBIS)

Outcome 2: Invasive alien species

(one international networking project)

Harmonization of methods, tools, data, creating an IAS database in the ESENIAS;

network. Information exchange with BBIS and EU’s EASIN network

Outcome 3: Policy integration

4projects supporting legislative process, strategies, studies (incl. on climate change and

Nagoya Protocol on access to genetic resources)

Outcome 3: Policy integration

Project MetEcoSMap:

Methodological framework & support

Call BG03.02 - 7projects mapping 9 ecosystem types outside NATURA, about 67% of Bulgaria

Outcomes 1-3 – predefined project IBBIS:

Improving the Bulgarian Biodiversity Information System

1. MAES process in BG:

Connections between

BG03 MAES related projects

MetEcoSMap •Methodology for mapping

exercise

•Resolving issues during mapping

•Fine-tuning mapping methodology

•Completing the framework

7 mapping projects •Mapping and assessment of

nine ecosystems condition by type

•Mapping and biophysical assessment of ecosystem services

IBBIS •New module for ecosystem

services at the Bulgarian Biodiversity Information System (BBIS)

•Collect and display mapping data for the nine ecosystem types

1. MAES process in BG:

National Methodological

framework

Introduction

Context: international, EU and national efforts;definitions andterms

9 mapping and assessment methodologies

Snapshot 2016: Mapping and assessment of ecosystems condition & services

On-the-spot verification guide

Verifying the mapping methodologies for several ecosystems at once, in one place

Monitoring guide

Methods, frequency of monitoring, annual planning, capacity building

The road ahead

Connection to Monetary valuation and Natural Capital Accounting

1. MAES process in BG:

Project MetEcoSMap

Methodological assistance for ecosystems assessment

and biophysical valuation - MetEcosMap

Project partners:

Ministry of Environment and Water – project promoter

Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research

(IBER)

Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)

Executive Forest Agency (EFA)

http://www.metecosmap-sofia.org/

1. MAES process in BG:

Project MetEcoSMap

International conference “Mapping and assessment of

ecosystem services – science in action”

Plenary sessions

4 parallel sessions

Networking – ESP

Workshop

129 participants from 3 continents and

21 countries; 44 presentations and 18

posters

Speakers from all mapping projects,

exchange of experience http://www.metecosmap-sofia.org/

Adapted the

Framework for

integrated ecosystem

assessments

(Burkhard, 2016)

• Focus on mapping and

assessment of ecosystem condition

and services

• Aims at streamlining the national

ecosystems and ecosystem mapping

and biophysical assessment process

in Bulgaria

• Delivers practical step-by-step

guidance to assess ecosystems

condition and their potential to deliver

ecosystem services

2. Methodology

Conceptual framework

Consists of 9 separate parts with uniform structure

structure

2. Methodology

Structure

Methodology for mapping and

assessment of ecosystems and

their services

1. Introduction

2. Typology of ecosystems in Bulgaria

3. Data availability

4. Mapping of ecosystem types

5. Assessment of ecosystem condition

6. Assessment of ecosystem services

7. List of Annexes

2. Methodology

Structure

Ecosystems

typology in

Bulgaria

2. Methodology

Mapping of ecosystem types

Total 58 subtypes

at level 3

Ecosystems database

2. Methodology

Mapping of ecosystem types

Database schema provided in XML and Personal DataBaseformat –

OGC and INSPIRE compatible

Geometric resolution

Scale 1:10 000 and 1:25 000 (depending on source data used and

ecosystem type on level 3)

Minimum Mapping Units between 0.1 and 0.25 ha

Geographic projection / Reference system - ETRS89-LAEA

2. Methodology

Mapping of ecosystem types

Ecosystems database

Reference

scheme Vector

datasets

Related

tables

Relation keys

Ecosystem maps

2. Methodology Mapping of ecosystem types

• Preparation of digital maps for ecosystem types at level 3

• Scale 1:125 000 size A2

• Map sheets based on EEA reference grid

77 map sheets

Specific color scheme for

each ecosystem type

Uniform map template for all

mapping projects

Main stages

2. Methodology Assessment of ecosystem condition

• Identification of indicators

• Identification the parameters and dimension unit of

each indicator

• Collection of data

• Assessment indicator by indicator

• Overall assessment and integration in database

Indicators for

ecosystem

condition

based on the

concepts of

ecosystem

integrity

2. Methodology Assessment of ecosystem condition

Indicators

specific

for each

ecosystem

type

2. Methodology Assessment of ecosystem condition

Parameter

Assessment

scale

1 - 5

2. Methodology Assessment of ecosystem condition

Database structure

2. Methodology Assessment of ecosystem condition

Reference

scheme Link to vector

datasets

Assessment

tables

Main stages

2. Methodology Assessment of ecosystem services

• Identification of relevant ecosystem services

• Identification of indicators and parameters

• Collection of data

• Assessment indicator by indicator

• Aggregation and normalization

• Overall assessment and integration in database

Identification of ecosystem services

2. Methodology Assessment of ecosystem services

Ecosystem services assessment

Assessment scale

0 – no capacity

1 – low relevant

capacity

2 – relevent capacity

3 – moderate relevant

capacity

4 – high relevant

capacity

5 – very high relevant

capacity

2. Methodology Assessment of ecosystem services

Database structure

2. Methodology Assessment of ecosystem services

Reference

scheme Link to vector

datasets

Assessment

table

3. Mapping and assessment

of urban ecosystems

Mapping of urban ecosystem types

Assessment of urban ecosystems condition

Assessment of ecosystems services and

generation of maps

3. Urban ecosystems Project TUNESinURB

Toward better UNderstanding the Ecosystem Services in

URBan environments through assessment and mapping

http://tunesinurb.org

Project partners:

Forest Research Institute BAS – project promoter

Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”

Geographica LTD

Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research

NIBIO

3. Urban ecosystems Mapping of ecosystem types

Maps at scale 1:125 000

61 map sheets

Total area 5301,7 km2 (94% of urban areas in BG)

71425 polygons mapped

3. Urban ecosystems Assessment of ecosystem condition

19 indicators for ecosystem condition

39 parameters quantified and assessed

3. Urban ecosystems Assessment of ecosystem condition

Integrated index of spatial structure of urban ecosystems

Adapted after Steward and Oke, 2012

3. Urban ecosystems Assessment of ecosystem services

25 services

19 obligatory

6 recommended

Ecosystem

services

prioritization

3. Urban ecosystems Assessment of ecosystem services

Relevance between ecosystem types and

ecosystem services

3. Urban ecosystems Assessment of ecosystem services

1. Expert assessment, based on ecosystem subtypes at national level;

2. Expert assessment, based on ecosystem subtypes and additional

parameters;

Approaches for assessment

3. Qualitative assessment, based on aggregated data at administrative

level (municipality or district);

4. Quantitative assessment, based on aggregated data in natural spatial

units (soil types, rocks, water bodies etc.);

5. Qualitative assessment based on calculation of each individual

polygon from the ecosystems database;

6. Quantitative assessment, based on calculation of values for each

individual polygon from the ecosystems database;

7. Quantitative assessment, based on statistical data available for each

polygon from the ecosystems database.

Tie

r 1

Tie

r 2

Tie

r 3

3. Urban ecosystems Assessment of ecosystem services

Provisioning services

3. Urban ecosystems Assessment of ecosystem services

Regulating

and cultural

services

Urban ecosystems 3. Assessment of ecosystem services

Ecosystem services maps at national scale

61 sheets

Urban ecosystems 3. Assessment of ecosystem services

Ecosystem services maps for pilot areas in larger scale

4. Further steps

To Do by April 30

• Completing of Methodological framework:

– In situ verification guide

– Monitoring guide

– The road ahead

• Cross-check and collect uniform mapping and assessment results for all ecosystems

• Follow up of MetEcoSMap conference: proceedings, joint identification of next research directions

• Feedback and update of the methodology from mapping projects

• “Assembling the puzzle”: analyze overlaps and

possible gaps between the seven mapping

projects and across the nine ecosystem types

databases

• Visualization of maps in one single module at the

Bulgarian Biodiversity Information System

• Implementing a DPSIR-based ecosystems

monitoring

• Links to Natural Capital Accounting

4. Further steps

Challenges

• National institutions are to follow EU directives

as implemented in Member State’s law

• However, no legislation on Action 2:

– Is such legislation planned? Timeframe?

– Who will collect data from Member States?

– Reporting modalities?

4. Further steps

Problems to be solved

The timely clarification of these questions is

needed for building up the national capacity

in implementing ES/ESS monitoring and

reporting.

Thank you for your attention

http://tunesinurb.org

http://www.metecosmap-sofia.org/