Assessment of Management Strategy for Hardwood Floodplain Forest Ecosystem in Protected Area

Abstract

The floodplain forests of lowland rivers in the temperate zone of Europe are an important biota refuges in the cultural landscape. Most of these forest ecosystems are included to the national systems of protected areas and ecological networks. The paper deals with innovative method for assessment of management strategy for hardwood floodplain forest ecosystems. The presented method is based on a combination of results from historical research with the application of growth simulation model. This method enables to predict a future development of the forest ecosystem studied and assess the forest management strategy. This can be a useful tool for correction of management plan of protected area. The method was applied in study site Vrapac National Reserve within the Morava River basin (Litovelske Pomoravi Protected Landscape Area, Czech Republic).

Keywords

• forest history
• forest management
• management plan
• management strategy
• nature reserve