Reporting template for HELCOM Recommendation 25/3/2004 Reduction of Nutrients and other Pollutants leaching from forestry land
Action in Recommendation
Guiding question for national assessment
National assessment (Accomplished, ongoing, not accomplished, no information, not applicable)
Supporting information for national assessment (free text)
The following practices should be promoted in forest management, taking into account the best environmental practice (BEP) and the best available techniques (BAT):
a) Sufficient buffer strips (zones), to minimize leaching of nutrients and other pollutants, should be determined according to the latest available scientific knowledge, taking into account the characteristic of the soils, the shape of the landscape, the hydrological conditions, etc. These should be left between the shoreline of sea, lakes, streams and brooks and sites of forestry operations such as clear felling, scarification and prescribed
burning (site preparation), fertilizing and spreading of pesticides;
Are sufficient buffer strips as described in the action required in forest management?
b) Large clear felling areas should be avoided. The size and the shape of clear felling areas should be planned with great care and consideration to site conditions and local conditions in order to reduce the release of nutrients into water; this includes the obligation of the Contracting Parties to specify the selected size(s) of clear felling areas by reporting on the underlying national regulations and measures;
Are large clear felling areas avoided in forest management? Please report on underlying national regulations and measures.
c) In maintenance of drainage systems water protection should be taken into account;
Is water protection taken into account in the management of forestry drainage systems?
d) The first-time drainage of wetlands in natural state should only take place where the leaching of nutrients is expected to be minimized and if it is supported by an environmental impact assessment, except for drainage projects of limited size, time and impact;
Is first-time drainage of wetlands in natural state should only allowed where the leaching of nutrients is expected to be minimized and if it is supported by an environmental impact assessment, except for drainage projects of limited size, time and impact?
e) The deep ploughing of restocking sites on mineral soils should be restricted to areas where alternative methods would be excessively expensive and ineffective or
environmentally undesirable;
Is deep ploughing of restocking sites on mineral soils restricted to areas where alternative methods would be excessively expensive and ineffective or
environmentally undesirable?
f) The use of pesticides in forestry - for example the control of woody weeds by foliar application in the afforestation of former farmlands - should according to national legislation be restricted only to exceptional conditions and unavoidable minimum taking into account the following provisions;
- application technology and practice should be designed to prevent unintentional
application or run-off of pesticides to bodies of water;
- application by aircraft should be strictly controlled;
- handling and storage of pesticides should be carried out so that there is no spillage or
leakage to bodies of water or to the ground water. Washing of spraying equipment and
disposal of pesticide containers should be strictly controlled;
Is the use of pesticides in forestry - for example the control of woody weeds by foliar application in the afforestation of former farmlands - according to national legislation restricted only to exceptional conditions and unavoidable minimum taking into account the
described provisions?
g) Readily soluble fertilizers should be applied as little as possible and should be used according to the needs of plants and not during weather conditions favourable to ground water or surface water pollution (e.g. frozen or water saturated soils, snow etc.);
Are readily soluble fertilizers allowed to be applied as little as possible and used according to the needs of plants and not during weather conditions favourable to ground water or surface water pollution (e.g. frozen or water saturated soils, snow etc.)?
h) The fertilizing of naturally nutrient rich forest sites as well as nitrogen fertilization in areas saturated with airborne nitrogen (exceedance of critical loads and/or levels) should be stopped. This does not apply to measures for the purpose of soil protection or to safeguard forests endangered by soil acidification where alternative methods would be excessively expensive and ineffective;
Is fertilizing of naturally nutrient rich forest sites as well as nitrogen fertilization in areas saturated with air borne nitrogen (exceedance of critical loads and/or levels) prohibited except for in conditions described in the action?
i) The time between harvest and regeneration should be minimized and management of forests should be encouraged to keep the forests vigorous and well growing in order to reduce the release of nutrients,
Is time between harvest and regeneration minimized and management of forests encouraged to keep the forests vigorous and well growing in order to reduce the release of nutrients?