Monitoring

During the monitoring process we can keep track of the effects of our management activities on the habitats and the changes in the biological status of habitats.

Monitoring means that we regularly keep track of the changes of the analysed area or the behaviour of the specimens of a species in a long term. At present two monitoring processes are conducted.

The aim of nature conservation management monitoring is to assess the effects of exclusion of invasive species, large game animals and reshaping of the wood structure.

The assessment starts with sampling. We assess the change of alternates suitable for the examination of management effeciency in 10x10 m large sampling squares (the so called quadrates). Such alternates are the species of plants and trees in the understorey, their health status, size, etc. The first step of monitoring is the recording of the basic status, when we record the status preceding the management processes. We conduct monitoring two times a year, in the beginning and in the end of summer. For keeping track of the effects of game exclusion we assign sampling squares within and outside the fence for reference.

Biodiversity monitoring of a habitat shows the indirect effects of management, by examining many groups of species together. Examination of dead wood samples for symbiontic associations is also conducted as a supplementary examination, with the analysis of 5 indigenous and 5 alien tree trunks per year. The survey is conducted every year until 31 August, in the most appropriate time for the examined species.

Evaluation of the results will take place in the last year of the project in 2011.