Fire as a possibility of restoration of Natura 2000 habitats

• Main Authors: Stankevičiūtė, Jolanta, Rašomavičius, Valerijus
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: Natura 2000; Sustainable management; Seacost vegetation; Post-fire succession; The Spit; Empetrum nigrum
• Online Access: http://lmavb.lvb.lt/LMAVB:ELABAPDB5842438&prefLang=en_US

The paper aims to define the post-fire dunes system vegetation management ideas of the Baltic Sea coast of Lithuania. The accidental fire of 2006 made a possibility to reveal a peculiar relief and recover the Natura 2000 habitats. Three zones of management were marked out in the burnt territory. Zone of opened sand areas, it is planned to transform the territory into open landscape with sand vegetation. The management of the following habitats will be carried out: Embryonic shifting dunes (2110); Shifting dunes along the shoreline with Ammophila arenaria (white dunes) (2120); Fixed coastal dunes with herbaceous vegetation (grey dunes) (2130*); Dry sand heaths with Calluna and Empetrum nigrum (2320); Decalcified fixed dunes with Empetrum nigrum (2140*); Dunes with Salix repens ssp. argentea (Salicion arenariae) (2170). Natural post-fire succession zone, the burnt P. mugo strands remain for natural degradation. Pinus sylvestris forest recovering zone, new, P. sylvestris trees have recently been planted. They enlarge the stands of Scotch pine on the southern area of Smiltynė and make the open, half-open and closed sceneries charateristic of the Spit more impressive.