important plant areas in central and eastern europe - hirc.botanic.hr ...

Section 5Recommendations■ The national IPA team should developan action plan for the IPA network whichprioritises sites most in need ofprotection and management, including alist of appropriate actions and tasks, andshould aim to engage all the keystakeholders.■ Management plans for IPAs shouldbe developed, either to ensure thatexisting conservation management planstake account of features of IPAs or, todevelop specific management plans forIPAs outside of protected areas.MART KÜLVIKForestry practices threaten almost half of IPAs (51 IPAs – intensified forest management(IFM) 26 , afforestation 17 , deforestation 13). Recreation and tourist developmentthreatens 44% of IPAs.Abandonment and reduction of land management is a high orsignificant threat at 41% of IPAs. In total, development (transport/infrastructure andurban) threatens 21% of IPAs; Burning of vegetation threatens 21%; and watermanagement practices threaten 17%.■ Monitoring the state of the IPAsystem should be carried out, particularlythe threats to sites and the level ofprotection they are receiving.The systemwill include existing national biodiversitymonitoring programmes, the Natura 2000monitoring system, and monitoring ofIPAs outside protected sites and outsideof conventional monitoring programs.■ Actions should be carried out todevelop possibilities for funding actionsto protect IPAs. Existing legal instrumentsand opportunities will be adapted to IPAs(e.g. agricultural land), others need to beelaborated (e.g. for forestry).Puhtu forest and coastal meadowsPuhtu is a well preserved area of old growth, predominantly oak forest and Baltic coastalmeadows.The site contains two priority European habitats, and has been assessed forspecies richness for its mesic grasslands and its coastal shingle habitats.The park andpasture were formerly owned by the local manor and its coastal meadows, reeds andjuniper scrub are now only used a little.■ Publicity campaigns which promoteIPAs, good conservation practise at IPAs,and activities to engage people in plantconservation, should be targeted atpoliticians and the general public, andshould involve landowners and localcommunities.MART KÜLVIK■ IPAs support the Natura 2000process and improve habitat protection.Ontika cliff forests (Saka-Ontika-Toila pangamets)This is an area of unusual, old growth, cliff forests, situated on a limestone bank fed bynatural springs.The forest is dominated by lime, maple, ash, alder, and other deciduousspecies with a few examples of oak and spruce.There has been little human impact inthe forest and the priority is to protect these valuable, species rich forests.46