Natura 2000 seminar for the Continental, Pannonian, Steppic and Black Sea regions

Strasbourg, 16 – 18 October 2018

Field visits

IntroductionThe field visits are organised by the Parc naturel régional des Vosges du Nord (PNRVN) in co-operation with various involved parties, with the support of the Regional Directorate for the Environment, Land Use and Housing of Grand Est (DREAL Grand Est).

The Regional Nature Park of the Vosges du Nord was established in 1975. Presently the park extends over 127.666 hectares and there are eight Natura 2000 sites located within its boundaries. Each field visit has its own theme and will cover the different topics and issues addressed in the seminar. The field visits will address the following themes: the forest and its management (Field visit A), the water courses and their management (Field visit B) and meadows and their management (Field visit C).

Field visit A: The forests and their management Sébastien MORELLE, Natura 2000 officer, PNRVN Jean-Claude GENOT, Nature protection policy officer, PNRVN Caroline SALOMON, Forestry Charter policy officer, PNRVN

This field visit will mainly discuss the management of the forest and will be take place in the Natura 2000 site “Vosges du Nord” (SAC FR4201799 & SPA FR4211799). The surface of the Natura 2000 site “Vosges du Nord” is approximately 4996 ha. The site is located in the heart of the Regional Nature Park of the Northern Vosges and is very characteristic for the landscapes of the Northern Vosges. It is a predominantly forested site (95% of its surface). The altitudes vary between 185 m in the Zinsel valley and 417 m in the Hunebourg. The annual rainfall is around 800 mm and is well distributed over the year. The site is designated for the following

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Forêts- Vosges du Nord / PNRVN-PDe

habitat groups: running waters (3260), semi-natural tall-herb humid meadows (6430), mesophile grasslands (6510) and several forests habitats (91E0 9110, 9130, 9160, 9180). It is furthermore designated for the following species groups: invertebrates (Ophiogomphus cecilia, Coenagrion mercuriale, Lycaena dispar, Lucanus cervus), fishes (Lampetra planeri, Cottus gobio), several bats (Barbastella barbastellus, Myotis bechsteinii, Myotis myotis) and one fern (Vandenboschia speciose) and birds (Dryocopus martius , Dendrocoptes medius Picus canus, Glaucidium passerinum , Falco peregrinus , Bubo bubo).

During the field visit various parties involved in the management will be present to discuss the management and explain the local situation. Issues that will be focused on are: governance, management plans, conservation objectives, sustainable management goals, local forest habitat description manual, conservation status, creation of microhabitats in the forests, natural generation of the forest (also in light of the game numbers), mediation tools, economic integration of nature into forestry, streams and connectivity restoration, impacts prevention; LIFE Lynx and Lynx Parliament, large carnivores platform will also be presented. Furthermore, the contracts available for the management of the area will be discussed. The following representatives of parks, regional and local authorities will join the field visit:

Daniel BASTIAN, Major of Dossenheim-sur-Zinsel, Vice-President of the PNRVN, President of the “Vosges du Nord” Natura 2000 site’s management board

Muriel BRETON, Environment manager, Northern Alsace Agency of the French National Foresty Office

Benoit CUILLER, Director, Northern Alsace Agency of the French National Foresty Office.

Fabien DUPONT, Natura 2000 officer, Regional Nature Park of the Ballons des Vosges

Map of the area. Explanation of the numbers on the map : 1 - Start of the excursion, 2 - Lunch at the restaurant 3 - Descent through the Fischbaechel valley and exit of by Dossenheim-sur-Zinsel, 4 (not on the map) - evening program in Reichshoffen.

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Field visit B: Water courses and their management Rita JACOB, Director, PNRVN Marie L’HOSPITALIER, Natura 2000 officer, PNRVN Romy BAGDAHDI, Landscape policy officer, PNRVN Alban CAIRAULT, Water courses Observatory coordinator and mediation officer,

PNRVN Migraine PISHUM, LIFE Biocorridors project coordinator, PNRVN

This field visit will mostly deal with the management of water courses and it will take place in the following Natura 2000 sites: “La Sauer et ses affluents” (SAC FR4201794) and “Cours d'eau, tourbières, rochers et forêts des Vosges du nord et souterrain de Ramstein” (SAC FR4100208). This site and the site “La Moder et ses affluents” (SAC FR4201795) are considered a single management unit and are therefore managed together.

‘La Sauer et ses affluents’ (SAC FR4201794) : the area of this Natura 2000 site is approximately 749 ha. The Sauer is a tributary of the Rhine draining a catchment area of 805 km². It has its source in Germany. The average slope of the Sauer is 2.4% in the Vosges mountains. The climate is cool (average temperature around 9 ° C) and with abundant rainfall (850 to 1050 mm / year on average). The site is designated for the following habitat groups: running waters (3260), semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies (6210), meadows and grasslands (6410, 6430, 6510) and forests (91E0, 9160). It is furthermore designated for the following species groups: Invertebrates (Vertigo moulinsiana, Ophiogomphus cecilia, Coenagrion mercurial, Lycaena dispar, Lucanus cervus, Phengaris teleius, Phengaris nausithous, Euplagia quadripunctaria), fish (Lampetra planeri, Cottus gobio) amphibians (Bombina variegate), bats (Barbastella barbastellus, Myotis emarginatus, Myotis bechsteinii, Myotis myotis) and the lynx (Lynx lynx).

The management plan (DOCOB) “Haute-Moder et affluents” describes the management of two Natura 2000 sites being “Cours d'eau, tourbières, rochers et forêts des Vosges du nord et souterrain de Ramstein” (SAC FR4100208) and “La Moder et ses affluents” (SAC FR4201795). The surfaces are approximately 2013 ha and 1996 ha respectively.

The management of the site primarily focuses on the following habitats and habitat

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Rivières sur grès – La Sauer et ses affluents / PNRVN-PDe

Gomphe serpentin / PNRVN-SM

groups: standing and running water (3110, 3260, 3270), European dry heaths (4030), semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies (6210, 6230), meadows, raised bogs and mires and fens (7110, 7120, 7140, 7150) and grasslands and meadows (6410, 6430, 6510), and forests (91D0, 91E0 9110, 9130, 9180). It furthermore addresses the following species groups as well: invertebrates (Unio crassus, Ophiogomphus Cecilia, Coenagrion mercurial, Lycaena dispar, Lucanus cervus, Euplagia quadripunctaria, Leucorrhinia caudalis), fishes (Lampetra planeri, Cottus gobio), amphibian (Bombina variegate), crayfish (Austropotamobius torrentium), bats (Barbastella barbastellus, Myotis bechsteinii, Myotis myotis), fern (Vandenboschia speciose) and birds (Falco peregrinus, Saxicola rubicola Glaucidium passerinum, Aegolius funereus Caprimulgus europaeus, Lanius collurio)

During the field visit various parties involved in the management will be present to discuss the management and explain the local situation. Issues that will be focused on are: the restoration of watercourses and development of corridors, ensuring the water quality of the rivers and the management of the forest along de banks, stirring and implementing restoration measures with private and public landowners. The coordination of protection tools, the governance, management plans, conservation objectives and sustainable management goals, and the monitoring will also be presented, as well as LIFE Biocorridors and the project of reintroduction of Stone Crayfish. Also, the contracts for the management of the area and the involvement of local actors will be discussed.

The following representatives of parks, regional and local authorities will join the field visit:

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Effacement de seuil: avant-après travaux / PNRVN-MLH

Daniel BASTIAN, Major of Dossenheim-sur-Zinsel, Vice-President of the PNRVN, President of the “Vosges du Nord” Natura 2000 site’s management board

Charles SCHLOSSER, Major of Lembach Hubert WALTER, Major of Reichshoffen, Vice-Président of the PNRVN, President of

the “Sauer et affluents” Natura 2000 site’s management board Jean WEISBECKER, Major of Wingen François DURRMANN, Head of Lembach territorial unit, French National Foresty

Office Sabine HOOS, LIFE Biocorridors project manager, Naturpark Pfälzerwald

(Germany) Mathieu JUNGER, Natura 2000 officer, Regional Nature Park of Lorraine Vincent MOITRIER, Rivers policy officer, Syndicat des eaux et de l’assainissement

d’Alsace et de Moselle (waters and sanitation coordinating institution) NN (t.b.d.), Communauté de communes Sauer-Pechelbronn

Map of the area. Explanation of the numbers on the map: 0 - start of the excursion, 1 - Graffenweiher dam 2- Lunch, 3- Valley of Tiefenthal , 4- Camping Fleckenstein at Lembach, 5- Evening program in Reichshoffen.

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Field visit C: Grasslands and meadows and their management Cécile BAYEUR, Agriculture policy officer, PNRVN Geoffrey MESBAHI, PhD student, PNRVN – Université de Lorraine

This field visit will discuss the management of the meadows and grasslands and will take place in the Natura 2000 site “La Sauer et ses affluents” (SAC FR4201794). The surface of this Natura 2000 site is approximately 749 ha. The Sauer is a tributary of the Rhine draining a catchment area of 805 km². It has its source in Germany. The average slope of the Sauer is 2.4% in the Vosges mountains. The climate is cool (average temperature around 9 ° C) and with abundant rainfall (850 to 1050 mm / year on average). The site is designated for the following habitat groups: running waters (3260), semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies (6210), meadows and grasslands (6410, 6430, 6510) and forests (91E0, 9160). It is furthermore designated for the following species groups: Invertebrates (Vertigo moulinsiana, Ophiogomphus cecilia, Coenagrion mercurial, Lycaena dispar, Lucanus cervus, Phengaris teleius, Phengaris nausithous, Euplagia quadripunctaria), fishes (Lampetra planeri, Cottus gobio) amphibians (Bombina variegata), bats (Barbastella barbastellus, Myotis emarginatus, Myotis bechsteinii, Myotis myotis) and the lynx (Lynx lynx).

During the field visit various parties involved in the management will be present to discuss the management and explain the local situation. Issues discussed deal with the agricultural use of the area, the habitat classification of grasslands and meadows. Also, the agri- environmental contracts for the management of the area and the agronomic point of view will be discussed. Concours “Prairies fleuries” (“blooming meadows”), and lamb, meat and hay chains will be presented, as well as LIFE Lynx and Lynx Parliament. The following representatives of parks, regional and local authorities will join the field visit:

Stéphane HUCHOT, farmer, EARL DE L’AGNEAU HUCHOT Charles SUSS, farmer, GAEC GRIEBELSBOESCH Sébastien HUSSE, grasslands and agri-environmental measuresofficer, Regional

Nature Park of Lorraine

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Azuré des paluds / F. SPILL

Concours “Prairies fleuries” / PNRVN – CB

Christine MATHIEU, Agri-environment policy officer, Regional Nature Park of Forêt d’Orient

Nicolas SIMLER, Botanist and phytosociologist, Conservatoire botanique d’Alsace

Map of the area. Explanation of the numbers on the map: 0 - RDV centre village, Obertsteinbach. 1 - Rue des champs, Mattstall, 2 – Lunch, 3 - Maison des services, Durrenbach, 4 – Preuschodorf, 5 - Evening program, Reichshoffen

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