1. www.inbo.be Research Institute for Nature and Forest Kliniekstraat 25 B-1070 Brussels Different approaches to habitat assessment in the Belgium Atlantic region Learning for the future

2. Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne Data sources

3. Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne Heterogeneity of data 6510 Lowland hay meadows “actual” flora distribution historical flora distribution Flanders> 1972 very intensive and rather complete inventory 1930 – 1972 reliable inventory 4 x 4 km 2 Walloon AtlanticFrom 1980 on systematic inventory of Walloon’s Red List species, but not all wanted typical species included  additional expert judgement < 1980 reliable inventory 4x 4 km 2

4. Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne Heterogeneity of data 6510 Lowland hay meadows

5. Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne Decisions to make Which data source to use for which purpose? Uniformity within one habitat type !!  habitat type within both Flanders AND Walloon Atlantic region  grid 4 x 4 km 2 is most obvious  Habitat type only in Flanders  free choice ? Is it more obvious to combine data sources or is one satisfactory? For Flanders the grid 4 x 4 (> 1972) contain all data available within 1 x 1 grid, and vice versa habitat map and flora distribution database are completely independent!

6. Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne Can we use only the habitat map? Pink = habitat map Yes, if we are sure this is complete, BUT, e.g. 6510 (lowland hay meadows): Green = flora distribution without matches in the habitat map

7. Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne Can we use only the habitat map? 1310 Salicornia and other annuals colonising mud and sand

8. Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne General approach Distribution and range < Flanders: combination of habitat map and flora distribution data Walloon Atlantic: expert judgement by interpretation of the flora distribution data Area < Flanders: habitat map Walloon Atlantic: other data sources and/or expert judgement Favourable reference range < historical flora distribution data combined with: Flanders: maps of potential distribution and expert opinion Walloon Atlantic: expert opinion For forest habitat types: Potential natural vegetation map

9. Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne Makes it a difference? Case 1: dune habitats 2120 Shifting dunes along the shoreline with Ammophila arenaria  area < habitat map; distribution and range 1 x 1 km 2

10. Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne Makes it a difference? Case 2: specific structures and functions, e.g. 6510 Lowland hay meadows

11. Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne Makes it a difference? Case 2: specific structures and functions, e.g. 1310 Salicornia and other annuals colonising mud and sand

12. Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne Makes it a difference? Case 2: specific structures and functions, e.g. 1310 Salicornia and other annuals colonising mud and sand the areas with a large surface of 1310 = favourable condition  most likely that habitat quality is inadequate instead of bad

13. Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne Makes it a difference? 6510 Lowland hay meadows 1310 Salicornia and other annuals colonising mud and sand

14. Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne Use of Red List information on typical species Most of the time we do not really use this information < it is to largely depended on the choice of the typical species  Gives mostly a much favourable output than all other data and expert judgement indicate But e.g. 2160 Dunes with Hippophae rhamnoides Analysis of Red List Species 84% 8% rare near threatened least concern

15. Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne Conclusions for future work In stead of use of flora distribution data of typical species  focus on: Direct habitat mapping and monitoring in the field Direct field assessment and monitoring of the local conservation status in a monitoring network A first priority is: -Search the habitats within the grid cells only indicated by the flora distribution data -Defining the monitoring network(s) and starting the monitoring -ALREADY DONE IN THE WALLOON REGION! (see next presentation) -To start up completely in the Flemish region

16. Desiré Paelinckx, Marc Dufrêne More information on our habitat map? It is derived from the so called Belgian Biological Valuation Map, which is a uniform survey of the whole surface (including e.g. urban and agricultural areas) using a predefined legend of landcover units, vegetation types and small landscape elements at a scale of 1/10.000 Since the translation of its legend to Natura 2000 habitat types gives some problems  since 2003 we started mapping these habitats directly in the field  See http://www.inbo.be/content/homepage_en.asp http://www.inbo.be/content/homepage_en.asp