Aarhus Universitets segl

No. 477: NOVANA 2020 - Impact monitoring of terrestrial habitats

Nygaard, B., Fløjgaard C., Fredshavn, J.R. & Ejrnæs, R. 2021. NOVANA 2020. Effektovervågning af terrestriske naturtyper. Aarhus Universitet, DCE – Nationalt Center for Miljø og Energi, 49. - Videnskabelig rapport nr. 477. https://dce2.au.dk/pub/SR477.pdf

Summary

This report presents the results of a new activity in the National Monitoring and Assessment Program for the Aquatic and Terrestrial Environments (NOVANA) aiming to document the biological effects of nature management practices in terrestrial nature areas. In 2018-2019 areas receiving subsidies through the Danish management scheme "Pleje af græs- og naturarealer" under the EU Rural Development Programme for 2014-2020 were sampled and monitored, to assess the effect of conservation measures stated in the national Natura 2000 plans.

The monitoring is a sample-based monitoring of unprotected grasslands and protected nature areas (§ 3 in the Nature Protection Law) that are not assessed as terrestrial habitat types according to Annex I  of the Habitat Directive. The data was collected in 2018 and 2019 at 480 selected sites and in this report analyzed along with data from the NOVANA mapping of habitat types (2016-2019) within the Special Areas of Conservation (SAC’s). Over time, repeated observations will reveal if the conservation measures improve the biological conditions and thus, increase the total area of Annex I habitat types.