Management of FFH open land habitats in the Oranienbaumer Heide

Project priorities

The aim of the project, which is financed by the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU) and funds from the state of Saxony-Anhalt (ELER), is to preserve the valuable habitats of open and semi-open land with their characteristic biotic communities in the Oranienbaumer Heide in the long term. To this end, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences developed and implemented a management concept that takes into account the site-specific characteristics of the area (ammunition contamination). In addition, a system for monitoring the success of all management measures in terms of nature conservation was designed and implemented.

Appropriate management measures are to be used to improve the conservation status of the FFH habitat types. Targets to be achieved within specified periods were therefore formulated for each habitat type. The following criteria (FFH mapping guidelines) were addressed when formulating the targets: habitat structures typical of the habitat type, species inventory typical of the habitat type, adverse effects (e.g., scrub encroachment, grass encroachment, ruderalization). Furthermore, after implementation of the measures, the area of all FFH habitat types in the area should correspond at least to the initial state (before the measures were initiated); however, shifts in the area proportions of the individual FFH habitat types are possible. The further spread of the late-flowering black cherry is also to be prevented by means of the management measures implemented.

Project region

Oranienbaumer Heide, Saxony-Anhalt

Further project details

• The model area

  The former Oranienbaumer Heide military training area is located east of Dessau-Roßlau (Saxony-Anhalt). As with many other former or currently used military training areas, its long-term military use has allowed valuable habitats to develop and be preserved, providing a home for rare and endangered animal and plant species that thrive in open and semi-open landscapes. Today, the Oranienbaumer Heide is considered one of the most biotope- and species-rich areas in Saxony-Anhalt. In addition to the occurrence of FFH habitat types such as dry European heaths, base-rich sandy grasslands, and heaths and silver grasslands on inland dunes, the occurrence of bird species of open and semi-open land such as the nightjar, woodlark, and red-backed shrike also led to its designation as a NATURA 2000 area.

  

  

  

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  With the end of military use after the political change, the valuable open land habitats and biotic communities were threatened with disappearance due to progressive succession. At the start of the project in 2008, all FFH habitat types were predominantly in poor condition and were characterized by, among other things, a lack of open ground, severe overaging of the Calluna heaths, and increasing scrub encroachment, grassification, and ruderalization. The invasive neophytic black cherry had also already established itself/migrated to parts of the Oranienbaumer Heide.

   

  

  

  

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• Management

  Due to its large size and ammunition contamination, the Oranienbaumer Heide model area covers approximately 800 hectares and is grazed extensively throughout the year by robust breeds (Heck cattle, Koniks) from Primigenius Köthener Naturschutz und Landschaftspflege gGmbH, making it the largest extensive year-round grazing area in Saxony-Anhalt. In addition, extensive year-round grazing has been implemented here for the first time in a subcontinental heath and nutrient-poor grassland ecosystem in central Germany. The target stocking density is 0.2 LU/ha and is expected to be achieved through natural reproduction in fall 2015. Due to the nutrient-poor site conditions, a higher stocking density is currently not considered expedient for the long-term preservation of the habitats.

  In order to restore the habitats to a favorable conservation status, gradual scrub clearance measures were carried out on a total of approximately 550 hectares during the autumn and winter months of the period 2009-2015 in cooperation with the Mittelelbe Federal Forestry Office and with funding from the state of Saxony-Anhalt. Different concepts and target densities of woody vegetation cover were pursued. The intensity of the scrub clearance was based on improving the habitat structures of the FFH open land habitat types and on the habitat requirements of the target fauna species, such as the woodlark, barred warbler, and nightjar. To promote the regeneration of overaged Calluna heaths, heath mowing was carried out on a total of approximately 25 hectares in 2010, 2012, and 2013 in cooperation with the Mittelelbe Federal Forestry Office.

  

  

  

  

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• Monitoring of nature conservation success

  All management measures are regularly evaluated as part of a nature conservation performance review so that any undesirable developments can be counteracted promptly and adjustments made to management practices. In order to do justice to the size of the area, 1-hectare macroplots were established on which indicators of vegetation structure and selected species groups (flora, fauna) are recorded (Fig. 1). The data on vegetation structure are suitable for evaluating the influence of grazing on vegetation as well as for assessing the conservation status of habitat types according to the FFH mapping guidelines. All indicators are subjected to change analysis at regular intervals. If the current conservation status deviates from the defined targets, management optimization is necessary (e.g., changes in stocking density, ratio of grazing animal breeds, supplementary measures).

  

  Breeding bird species (SPA, Red List) are also recorded for the entire open land area. Furthermore, studies are conducted on land use, habitat selection, and feeding behavior of grazing animals, as well as on the feed quality of vegetation and the nutrient situation in the soil. Due to the particular sensitivity of oligotrophic FFH open land habitats to high nitrogen inputs, local nitrogen deposition in the study area was determined between 2009 and 2012 and compared with other heathland areas in Germany and the empirically determined pollution limits for ecosystem types.

  

  

• Effects of extensive year-round grazing on FFH habitat types

  Grazing has triggered positive developments and dynamic processes surprisingly quickly. Winter grazing in particular has a significant impact on landscape conservation, as grazing animals also consume overgrown grasses and shrubs as well as old litter in winter.

  After just three years of grazing, the following positive effects were observed for all habitat types: a significant reduction in litter, a marked decline in ruderal species and indicators of grass encroachment such as tall oatgrass, and an increase in open ground areas due to trampling and rolling by grazing animals (Fig. 1). The different habitat preferences and grazing intensities of the grazing animals resulted in a high structural diversity of the herbaceous layer. In some areas, typical pasture grasslands developed, mainly due to the deeper browsing of the horses; in other areas, mosaics of sand grasslands, grass-herb communities, heaths, and sparse shrub structures developed.

  

  The increase in open ground areas has already benefited the first plant species, especially those that require light and are less competitive, such as prostrate St. John’s wort, purple moor grass, and the endangered adder’s tongue fern. The base-rich sandy grasslands are also significantly richer in flowers and species than at the start of the project. An increase in the number of species has been recorded in all habitat types, especially in species indicative of nutrient-poor conditions and the previously defined target species (Fig. 3).

  

  

  

  While the effects of grazing were very quickly apparent in grass-rich habitats, the rejuvenation of the heavily overaged heather populations is taking place more slowly. Rejuvenation of heather through browsing was initially observed in mosaics (heathland/sand grasslands). The large-scale dominant stands are mainly accepted in winter when other stands are no longer available. For this reason, the animals are deliberately lured into the old heath populations with the help of mineral lick stones (rejuvenation through trampling), and the rejuvenation of the Calluna populations was accelerated by means of a one-time mowing, which led to an increase in feed quality and thus to increased acceptance by the grazing animals. Woody plants such as birch and aspen are mainly used by cattle in winter. Even pine is occasionally browsed (Fig. 4). The coppice shoots of the late-flowering bird cherry, which were cleared before grazing began, are completely browsed, preventing further spread of the species (Figs. 5, 6).

  

  

  

  The number of breeding areas for characteristic bird species of open and semi-open landscapes has increased significantly since grazing began, with the highest abundances recorded on the longest grazed and cleared areas. Year-round grazing and supplementary management measures have made it possible to maintain the previously nutrient-poor site conditions. Total soil nitrogen levels have remained constant or decreased compared to the initial state in the heathlands and mosaics of heathlands and base-rich sandy grasslands. This is probably the result of nutrient shifts within grazed areas.

  The gradual expansion of grazing in 2012 led to temporary undergrazing, causing grazing effects to undergo a brief period of stagnation in their development. However, positive trends are still to be expected due to the current increase in stocking rates.

• What happens next?

  Continuation of grazing is guaranteed until the end of 2019 through the “Voluntary Nature Conservation Services” (FNL) funding instrument. As a further complementary management measure to improve the conservation status of the heathlands, small areas will also be mowed successively in the coming years. Following completion of the DBU project in 2011, the monitoring of nature conservation success and scientific support for management will be funded by EAFRD funds from the state of Saxony-Anhalt until September 2015. The focus will be on the vegetative and generative regeneration of heather, the influence of grazing on breeding bird species in open and semi-open landscapes, and valuable plant species (FFH-LRT, RL). Furthermore, in cooperation with the land manager, an efficiency check will be carried out with regard to coppicing of cleared pioneer woody plants as part of ongoing pasture maintenance work.

  Need for further research

  In order to secure the long-term survival of dry European heathlands and combat the late-flowering black cherry, further research is needed into the effectiveness of measures to rejuvenate heathlands and prevent the further spread of invasive neophytes. There is also an urgent need for research into the effects of land management at the landscape level and the effects of rising groundwater levels on the flora and fauna of the Oranienbaum Heath. In addition to managing the Oranienbaumer Heath with cattle and horses, other uses, such as the production and marketing of heath honey, are conceivable. To this end, studies on the effects of honeybee use on wild bee populations in the area are imperative.

• practical guide

  „Praxisleitfaden – Betrieb, Einrichtung und wissenschaftliche Begleitung von halboffenen Weidelandschaften auf ehemaligen militärischen Übungsflächen – mit Beispielen aus der Oranienbaumer Heide“

  Birgit Felinks, Sabine Tischew, Antje Lorenz, Susanne Osterloh, Andreas Wenk, Jakob Noack, Peter Poppe, Birgit Krummhaar

  

  The practical guide was published in April 2013 (2nd edition 2019). It is the result of a model project funded by the German Federal Environmental Foundation, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development – Saxony-Anhalt 2007–2013, and the Foundation for Environmental, Nature, and Climate Protection of the State of Saxony-Anhalt: Management of FFH open habitat types in the Oranienbaumer Heide. The practical guide is aimed at authorities in the fields of nature conservation, environmental protection, forestry, and agriculture, as well as nature conservation associations, agricultural businesses, planning offices, and research institutions.

  It provides practical advice on establishing and securing semi-open pasture landscapes in large, sandy NATURA 2000 areas that were used for military purposes in the past. Among other things, the guide explains the basic framework conditions and problems relating to the establishment and operation of the pasture, the long-term economic security of grazing, the development of a mission statement and the formulation of management goals, the implementation of supplementary initial establishment measures, the monitoring of nature conservation success, and public relations work. The solutions chosen in the Oranienbaumer Heide and the specific references to “pitfalls” are intended to facilitate the transfer of the results to other military properties.

  The establishment of the pasture area, scientific support, and printing of this guide were financed by the German Federal Environmental Foundation (AZ 25424-02), the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development – Saxony-Anhalt 2007–2013, and the Foundation for Environmental, Nature, and Climate Protection of the State of Saxony-Anhalt.

• Reports and information flyers

  information flyer, last updated Juni 2014

  DBU-Abschlussbericht, part 1, part 2, last updated Juli 2012

• Directions

  Arriving by car

  The Oranienbaumer Heide is located between Dessau-Rosslau and Oranienbaum-Wörlitz. Coming from Dessau-Rosslau, take the B107 towards Oranienbaum-Wörlitz. Continue straight ahead through the traffic lights past Dessora Park (industrial estate) and stay on the B107 for another 400 m. Then turn right onto the square, which is followed by a wide forest path. You can park here (no liability). Then follow the forest path on foot or by bike for approx. 1 km to reach the northern entrance to the grazed open land of the Oranienbaum Heath (see Fig. 1: northern entrance, red dot). Alternatively, you can park at Oranienbaum train station and reach the pasture area as shown on the map opposite.

  

  Access on foot and by bike

  The Oranienbaumer Heath can also be reached on foot or by bike via Jüdenberger Weg from Jüdenberg and Möhlau (see Fig. 1: eastern and southern approaches, red dots).