Forest soil survey and monitoring in the Czech Republic

Prof. Jiri Kulhavy

Protection of Soil Resources, September 26 th 2006, Brussel

Institute of Forest Ecology Mendel University Agricalture and Forestry Brno

Czech Soil Science Society

Based 1994, member of IUSS120 active members5 honorary membersNon-govermental statusMain activities – seminars, conferences, expertizes, excursions, publications, education etc.

Forest soil monitoring and survey

• ICP/Forest Focus (Reg. EC No. 2125/2003)

• Development and implementation of new Czech National Forest Inventory

• Inventory of ecosystem carbon stock

• Mapping of degradation of forest soil caused by soil acidification and eutrophication

Currently running projects

• Cost Action E 43 Harmonization of national Inventories in Europe. Techniques for common reporting (founded by EU)

• Inventory of forest ecosystem carbon stock…(forest management practices) - founded by Ministry of Environment

• Zoning degradation of forest soils caused by acidification and nutritional degradation (founded by Ministry of Environment) etc.

• CONFOREST (EFI)• EFORWOOD (6FP), etc.

Soil Research

• Ecosystem Processes and Functions• basic and applied research on carbon budget,

nutrient balance, soil processes, sustainability and global change, modeling and scenario analysis, growth models, production ecology

• development of methodology for forest inventory, development of technology and software for data collection, data procession etc.

• acidification and nutritional degradation of forest soils

• countermeasures against acidification

Protection of Soil Resources, September 26 th 2006, Brussel

Development of Forest soil Monitorig in the Czech Republic

1985 ICP Forest - Level I (EEC directive No. 3528/86)

1994 ICP Forest - Level II

2004 Forest Focus (Reg. EC No. 2125/2003)

2006 BioSoil

2007 LIFE+

Protection of Soil Resources, September 26 th 2006, Brussel

ICP Forest

A soil analysis including the description of soil profile was carried out in the total 100 monitoring plots of international grid 16 × 16 km (Level I) in 1995–1996. Identification of soil type based on the soil profile description and the findings of chemical analysis of particular genetic horizons was conducted according to both the national classification system and international system (FAO)Since 2003 Forest FOCUS (EC 2152/2003)

In 1985, the International Co-operative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests (ICP-Forests) has been established by the UN/ECE under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP), motivated with growing concern about forest conditions in Europe. The EEC resolution No. 3528/86 and the amendments direct the programme,to fulfil the basic goals.

1st level of ICP

Forest Focus

• Biosoil - In 2005-2007, it is carried out on 146 plots of the ICP Forest and Forest Focus monitoring. The project is international being 70% covered from EU resources. It is carried out according to a standard sampling and analytical methodology. Thus, it also represents a pilot project for the creation of an integrated European database on forest soils. In the CR, the project is a follow-up of the similar survey of forest soils, which was carried out within the ICP Forest monitoring network in 1995 (it overlaps on 63 plots) and partly also the analysis of assimilatory organs from the same year (it overlaps on 26 plots).

• The project is coordinated by the Research Institute of Forestry and Game Management (RIFGM)

Monitoring soil properties in regions with

an increased air pollution load • Since 1992, the CR Ministry of Agriculture

contracts the area survey of chemical properties of soils in regions subject to the direct or potential impact of air pollution

• 25 forest regions have been processed, in four of them the second repeated survey has been already carried out

• Supported by the Central Inspection and Testing Institute of Agriculture (ÚKZÚZ), inspection of liming in carried out in co-operation with RIFGM.

National Inventory of Forests (NIF)

• More than 1400 plots available of the NIF in the CR. Sampling was carried out in the period 2001 – 2004. Within the NIF survey, humus forms, soil types, soil-forming substrates, the depth of root penetration and the total depth of soil are described. Chemical properties are determined only in the upper horizon of 0-10 cm.

• Supported by the RIFGM.

Protection of Soil Resources, September 26 th 2006, Brussel

LIFE+

• the general objective of LIFE+ shall be to contribute to the development, implementation monitoring, evaluation and communication of Europian environment policy and legislation as a contribution to promoting sustainable development in the EU

• since 2007

Source – Persson 2006 EEA

Forest monitoring:

Forest reporting:

Forest assessment:

Forest policy:

National level European/Global level

National Forest Inventories

Forest Focus ICP Forests

UNECE/FAO Forest Resource Assessments

National Correspondents

Ministerial Conference for the Protection of Forests in Europe

State of Europe’s Forest

Data submission DG ENV + DG JRC

PCC Hamburg UNECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

NFPs

Countries International

Thanks you for your attention