Suggested Management Measures for Natura 2000 Habitats in Körös-Maros National Park, Hungary

Abstract

Several factors should be considered during the process of developing climate change adapted management for vulnerable lowland wetlands. These are presented through the three sample areas of the Körös-Maros National Park (SE Hungary). Natural habitats, like wetlands of Central and Eastern European countries, are highly vulnerable to climate change. Problems reported by stakeholders, as well as drivers and pressures delivered from sensitivity maps, focus on those phenomena that are directly or indirectly connected to climate change. As strong evidence shows that wet habitats are becoming more sensitive and vulnerable, land users have to adapt their objectives, strategies and measures to a changing climate. This involves the processes of adapting the management measures of protected areas, especially wetlands, to adjust to probable effects of climate change. Adaptive management planning should be prioritised by conservation goals by identifying which species or habitats should be primarily preserved (e.g. birds, butterflies and their feeding plants, orchids, other protected plant species, landscape views etc.) and should be determined by the evaluation of factors at the determined planning unit (e.g. habitat type or patch or protected area level). Mowing techniques, the frequency and exact date should be observed as well as grazing species and their breed, due to different grazing, group forming and trampling habits. Therefore, integrating the history of the landscape and land development into the management planning process of wetlands is essential. However, old/historical maps are often not accurate. Since most were prepared for military use, historical maps sometimes fail to fulfil the requirements of nature sciences and management, and their legends can be insufficient for deriving appropriate information. Management planning should be based on up-to-date, exact, ecologically relevant, and socially circumstantial data contrived from historical land use.