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Forest monitoring. ICP-Forests program

The International Co-operative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests operating under the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution.

A program tailored for comprehensive information on forest condition in Europe

ICP Forests was launched in 1985 under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) due to the growing public awareness of possible adverse effects of air pollution on forests. ICP Forests monitors the forest condition in Europe, in cooperation with the European Union using two different monitoring intensity levels. The first grid (called Level I) is based on around 6000 observation plots on a systematic transnational grid of 16 x 16 km throughout Europe. The intensive monitoring level comprises around 800 Level II plots in selected forest ecosystems in Europe. Currently 41 countries participate in the ICP Forests

Programme

В своей более чем 20 летнюю историю программа была разработана в одном из крупнейших биомониторинга сетей в мире. In its over 20 years history the programme has been developed into one of the world's largest biomonitoring networks. Результаты представить информацию о состоянии лесов, загрязнение воздуха, изменение климата и биологическое разнообразие. The results provide information on forest health, air pollution, climate change and biodiversity.

The programme aims are

1. to provide a periodic overview on the spatial and temporal variation of forest condition in relation to anthropogenic and natural stress factors (in particular air pollution) by means of European-wide and national large-scale representative monitoring on a systematic network;
2. to gain a better understanding of the cause-effect relationships between the condition of forest ecosystems and anthropogenic as well as natural stress factors (in particular air pollution) by means of intensive monitoring on a number of selected permanent observation plots spread over Europe and to study the development of important forest ecosystems in Europe.

Large-scale forest condition monitoring (Level I)

Level I monitoring provides an annual overview on forest condition based on a 16x16 km gridnet covering around 6000 plots in Europe. In addition soil and foliar analyses are carried out

Crown condition assessments

Crown condition at Level I has proven to be a valuable tool for detecting status and trends of tree condition in Europe. It is assessed annually at the European level on all 16 * 16 km Level I points. The main parameters to be assessed are:

• Defoliation (percentage of leaf or needle loss)
• Discolouration
• Damages visible on the trees

Soil condition assessments

There are clear correlations between the deposition of air pollutants and forest soil chemistry. Its condition is essential for many organisms living in the soil and for forest functions like water storage and filtering. Nutrient imbalances in the soil are linked to tree health and condition. Soil condition has been asessed on around 5300 plots in the 1990s. A new assessment is presently carried out within the BioSoil demonstration project.

Foliar survey

Changes in environmental conditions may may affect foliar nutrient concentrations. The monitoring of tree nutrition is thus essential for assessing forest condition. A foliar survey in the 1990s has covered appoximately 1400 plots. A number of countries are carrying out repeated foliar surveys.

Level II

Intensive monitoring is the key for providing insight into causes affecting the condition of forest ecosystems and into effects of different stress factors.

Set up of the ICP Forests intensive monitoring

• Around 800 plots have been established
• Major forest types of Europe are represented

The integrating evaluation of different surveys offers the possibility to understand complex ecosystem processes

Surveys carried out within the intensive monitoring programme

Survey	Frequency	N. of plots
Crown condition	annually	797
Foliar chemistry	every 2 years	767
Soil chemistry	every 10 years	738
Tree growth	every 5 years	769
Ground vegetation	every 5 years	723
Stand structure incl. deadwood	test phase ongoing	90
Epiphytic lichens	test phase ongoing	90
Soil solution chemistry	continuously	254
Atmospheric depostition	continuously	545
Ambient air quality	continuously	41
Meteorology	continuously	209
Phenology	several times per year	data validation ongoing
Litterfall	continuously	data validation ongoing
Remote sensing	preferably at plot installation	national data

Archive of the project

Inspection of woods in a zone of industrial influence of JSC "Akron". (Report 2009)

Inspection of woods in a zone of industrial influence of JSC "Akron". (Report 2008)

Inspection of woods in Pskov region. (Report 2008г)

Inspection of woods in a zone of industrial influence of JSC "Akron". (Report 2007)

Inspection of woods of "Мадок" GmB . (Report 2007)

Inspection of woods in a zone of industrial influence of JSC "Akron" (Report 2006)

Inspection of woods in a zone of industrial influence of JSC "Akron" (Report 2005)

Inspection of woods of "Мадок" GmB . (Report 2005)

Inspection of woods in a zone of industrial influence of JSC "Akron". (Report 2004)

Inspection of woods in a zone of industrial influence of JSC "Akron". (Report 2003)

Inspection of woods in a zone of industrial influence of JSC "Akron". (Report 2002)

Inspection of woods of "Мадок" GmB . (Report 2001)

Inspection of woods in a zone of industrial influence of JSC "Akron". (Report 2001)

Inspection of woods in a zone of industrial influence of JSC "Akron". (Report 2000)

Inspection of woods in a zone of industrial influence of JSC "Akron". (Report 1999)

Inspection of woods in a zone of industrial influence of JSC "Akron". (Report 1998)

Inspection of woods in Novgorod region. (Report 1997)

Inspection of woods in a zone of industrial influence of JSC "Akron. " (Report 1997)

Inspection of woods in the Valdai National park . (Report 1995)

Methodical guidance of evaluation