Methodology

Methodology of choosing the refuges "Natura 2000" is broadly described in many directives and analyses, whose list has been placed at the end of the thesis. The way of choosing of refuges in Poland and the Czech Republic was based mainly on:

• COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and Wild Flora and Fauna (The Habitats Directive), particularly on annexes for the directive mentioned above:
  • ANNEX 1 (Types of natural habitats important for local communities; control of which demands assigning the areas particularly protected)
  • ANNEX 2 (Plant and animal species being subject to the interest of the Commonwealth, control of which demands assigning special areas of protection)
  • ANNEX 4 (Plant and animal species demanding a strict protection)
  • ANNEX 5 (Plant and animal species being subject to the interest of the Commonwealth, whose gain out of a wild state and exploitation may be submitted to management activities).
• COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the Conservation of Wild Birds (The Birds Directive), particularly on Annex I for the Directive mentioned above.
• Ssymank.A., Hauke U., Ruckreim C., Schroeder E. 1998. Das Europaische Schutzgebietssystem NATURA 2000. Schriftenreiche fur Landschaftspflege und Naturschutz 53: 1- 85.
• Dyduch-Falniowska A., Kaźmierczakowa R., Makomaska-Juchlewicz M., Perzanowska-Sucharska J., Zając K. 1999. Refuges in Poland. - Institute of Nature Protection PAN, Kraków.
• Grimmett R.F.A, Jones T.A. [eds.] 1992. Important Bird Areas in Europe - Poland. ICBP Technical Publication 9 : 497-539.
• Gromadzki M., Dyrcz A., Głowaciński Z., Wieloch M. 1994. Important Bird Areas in Poland. OTOP., Library of Monitorning of the Environment, Gdańsk.
• Vlašín M., Hudec K., Chytil J., Koukal S., Rychly J., Štroufová Z., Hromádková K. 2000. Wetland Shadow List - Alternativní seznam mokřadů České republiky.

Practically, it was assumed that refuges assigned in Poland and the Czech Republic, compatible with European net of protected areas NATURA 2000 should have the following features:

• compatibility with the list of types of natural habitats, pointed out in Annex I of The Habitats Directive - 92/43/EWG.

  In Poland and the Czech Republic there are:

  • 22.13 (3150) - natural eutrophic lakes with of Magnopotamion or Hydrocharition communities
  • 37.31 (6410) - humid grasslands dominated with Molinia on chalk and clay (Eu-Molinion)
  • 37.7 i 37.8 (6430) - humid tall herb fringes
  • 38.2 (6510) - lowland hay meadows (Alopecurus pratensis, Sanguisorba officinalis)
  • 41.26 (9170) - oak-hornbeam forests Galio-Carpinetum
  • 44.A1 do 44.A4 (91D0) - mesotrophic swamp alder woods (in the Odra valley, well-developed Ribo nigri-Alnetum associations and willow scrubs)
  • 44.3 (91E0) - remnants of ash-alder riparian forests Alnion glutinoso-incanae (practically, in the Odra valley well preserved communities of Circaeo-Alnetum). It was assumed - after Zimmermann et al. (2000) - that willow-poplar gallery forest belong here, too.
  • 44.4 (91F0) - mixed oak-elm-ash forests of great rivers (in the Odra valley well preserved or slightly transformed riverine forests, Ficario-Ulmetum)

In Germany the list of habitats is richer and more diversified (comprises also communities of deciduous forests, termophilous grassland and scrub, raised bogs communities etc.), since the refuges going beyond the area of the strict Odra valley have also been included in this report.

• area making it possible for the types of habitats pointed out in the Directive mentioned above to survive and keep developing. The area equals:
  • for grassland and meadow biotopes (with a guarantee of proper management) - minimum 10 ha.
  • for forest biotopes - minimum 100 ha., in exceptional cases, due to high floristic or phytosociological value - minimum 50 ha.
  • for mosaics of forest-meadow biotopes - minimum 100 ha.

  The examples from the areas already chosen on the German side, where such rules were abided by, were of great help.

• occurence of plant or animal species pointed out in Annex I, IV or V of The Habitats Directive - 92/43/EWG or birds mentioned in Annex I of The Birds Directive - 79/409/EWG, of population which will guarantee further existence in a particular biotope.
• due to the fact that Poland and the Czech Republic are not members of the EU, utmost importance has also been put down to plant and animal species mentioned in Annex I, II and III of Bern Convention, as they constitute bases for choosing objects worth protection within the confines of the paneuropean net Emerald (T-PVS 1998, T-PVS/Emerald 1999).

According to Annex III of the Direcive 92/43/EWG, the value of the areas designated for protection within the confines of net NATURA 2000 is at present relative and requires ratification and being entered on the country list of refuges of European importance. The areas picked up in this thesis for Poland and the Czech Republic meet the criteria listed in points A and B of the first stage of the procedure described in Annex III and should be treated as such in further steps of the process of ratification of the areas compatible with NATURA 2000 in Poland. Precise elaboration of forms consistent with Standard Data Form (Natura 2000) has not been possible due to incomplete data referring to particular refuges; it is, however, planned in years 2001-2002, after their detailed list has been carried out.

The areas in Germany have already undergone the verifying procedure and have the official status of refuges "Natura 2000".

To make the further data synthesis possible, it was necessary to count in also these species about which Poland has informed Habitat Committee (as a part of completing the list NATURA 2000) and which were taken into account during its debates and reckoned possible to be incorporated to annexes I, II, IV and V of FFH Directive (The Habitats Directive). (unpublished materials thrown open by the Polish Environment Ministry, unpublished materials by the Habitat Committe).

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