EU-LIFE FUTURE FOREST PROJECT: MONITORING METHODS FOR QUANTIFICATION OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES OF PERMANENT FORESTS

The FutureForest project examines the forest area of the county of Landsberg am Lech in southern Bavaria. From a previous 80% of coniferous forest back in 1980, the area has been altered with deciduous trees species to permanent forests with levels under 60% which show high levels of ecosystem services (ESS). The reduction of coniferous wood involves a monetary loss for the owners but a growth in ESS. This paper will highlight the methods used to examine fundamental key data for quantifying ESS of forests. Calculating the entire biomass growth potential of the seven most used tree species in the area, all compartments, such as leaves, branches, bark, trunk and stem, were examined. To complete the biomass growth examination, fine root masses were analysed to a depth of 30 cm. Based on this data, the cooling capacity of forest stands can be calculated. To obtain detailed evidence of temporal biomass growth, 35 dendrometers were installed in the project area. A combination of dendrometer data and precipitation data can be used to identify the dependence of tree species growth on precipitation and the stability for future drought periods. Another factor for stabilisation of forest stands is a functioning nutrient and water balance, which can be derived from the earthworm abundance in the soil. In the project, earthworm analysis was carried out in different stands on a random basis. Combining the data named above, ESS can be estimated to generate a validation system for compensating the monetary loss of the forest owners.