Debra Dale, Installation Management Agency, Europe Debra Dale, Installation Management Agency, Europe Region, Heidelberg, Germany Region, Heidelberg, Germany

Dr. Steve Warren, Center for Environmental Dr. Steve Warren, Center for Environmental ManagementManagement

of Military Lands, Colorado State Universityof Military Lands, Colorado State University

Session 8: Encroachment and Session 8: Encroachment and Range SustainabilityRange Sustainability

Military Training Enhances Military Training Enhances

BiodiversityBiodiversity

Range Sustainability: Military Training Enhances Range Sustainability: Military Training Enhances BiodiversityBiodiversity BackgroundBackground

DOD advocates maintaining biodiversity to provide realistic, DOD advocates maintaining biodiversity to provide realistic, sustainable training resourcessustainable training resources

Effective DOD land management practices have created highly Effective DOD land management practices have created highly biodiverse training areas (TAs)biodiverse training areas (TAs)

Challenges in EuropeChallenges in Europe European Union (EU) laws require Flora Fauna Habitat (FFH) site European Union (EU) laws require Flora Fauna Habitat (FFH) site

nominations for EU’s NATURA 2000 protection network of threatened nominations for EU’s NATURA 2000 protection network of threatened and endangered (T&E) species and endangered (T&E) species

Germany nominated significant portions of US TAs as FFHGermany nominated significant portions of US TAs as FFH FFH places new management burdens on training operations in EUFFH places new management burdens on training operations in EU

Strategy to protect from further TA encroachmentStrategy to protect from further TA encroachment IMA-EURO ENV funds a study on how military training activities IMA-EURO ENV funds a study on how military training activities

enhance biodiversity enhance biodiversity Three-phase scientific study by team from Colorado State University Three-phase scientific study by team from Colorado State University

and German ‘Institute for Vegetation & Landscape Ecology’ and German ‘Institute for Vegetation & Landscape Ecology’ - Develop hypothesis that certain T&E species depend - Develop hypothesis that certain T&E species depend

on on “disturbance” created by military training “disturbance” created by military training - Identify high priority T&E species sample from TAs that appear to - Identify high priority T&E species sample from TAs that appear to be “disturbance dependant”be “disturbance dependant”- Develop scientific publications and public awareness materials to - Develop scientific publications and public awareness materials to emphasize criticality of continued military trainingemphasize criticality of continued military training

Despite the obvious damage caused Despite the obvious damage caused by military training activities, by military training activities, military training areas around the military training areas around the world are recognized for their world are recognized for their biodiversity and for providing refuge biodiversity and for providing refuge for threatened and endangered for threatened and endangered species. species.

Plant survey of Hohenfels Training AreaPlant survey of Hohenfels Training Area 675 total species675 total species 89 species on the German Red List89 species on the German Red List 57 species on the Bavarian Red List57 species on the Bavarian Red List

Plant survey of GrafenwPlant survey of Grafenwöhr Training öhr Training AreaArea 688 total species688 total species 72 species on the German Red List72 species on the German Red List 79 species on the Bavarian Red List79 species on the Bavarian Red List

MTAs in Europe sustain significant MTAs in Europe sustain significant biodiversitybiodiversity

Although the Hohenfels (~16,000 ha) and Although the Hohenfels (~16,000 ha) and GrafenwGrafenwöhr Training Areas (~23,000 ha) öhr Training Areas (~23,000 ha) comprise only 0.24% and 0.34% of the land area comprise only 0.24% and 0.34% of the land area of Bavaria (~6,800,000 ha), respectively, over of Bavaria (~6,800,000 ha), respectively, over 27% of all Bavarian plant species occur on each!27% of all Bavarian plant species occur on each!

69% of all U.S. Army training lands in Europe 69% of all U.S. Army training lands in Europe have been designated as “special areas of have been designated as “special areas of conservation” under the EU Natura 2000 conservation” under the EU Natura 2000 directivesdirectives

The Major Training Areas (MTAs) The Major Training Areas (MTAs) in Europe support unusually high in Europe support unusually high numbers of T&E speciesnumbers of T&E species

Threatened & Endangered (T&E) animal species on the 7 largest 'special areas of

conservation' in Bavaria

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Thousands of hectares nominated T&E speciesSource: Natura 2000

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T&E species per thousand hectares

Why do military training lands Why do military training lands exhibit such high biodiversity exhibit such high biodiversity and such high numbers of T&E and such high numbers of T&E species?species? Disturbance to ecosystems is natural Disturbance to ecosystems is natural

and has always existedand has always existed

Grazing animalsGrazing animals

Insect outbreaksInsect outbreaks

Burrowing animalsBurrowing animals and insectsand insects

Forest firesForest fires

Grass firesGrass fires

EarthquakesEarthquakes

VolcanoesVolcanoes

LandslidesLandslides

Why do military training lands Why do military training lands exhibit such high biodiversity exhibit such high biodiversity and such high numbers of T&E and such high numbers of T&E species?species? Disturbance to ecosystems is natural and has Disturbance to ecosystems is natural and has

always existedalways existed

Natural disturbances tend to be non-Natural disturbances tend to be non-uniform in both space and timeuniform in both space and time

Why do military training lands Why do military training lands exhibit such high biodiversity exhibit such high biodiversity and such high numbers of T&E and such high numbers of T&E species?species? Disturbance to ecosystems is natural and has Disturbance to ecosystems is natural and has

always existedalways existed Natural disturbances tend to be non-uniform in Natural disturbances tend to be non-uniform in

both space and timeboth space and time

Humans habitually suppress natural Humans habitually suppress natural disturbancesdisturbances

““Smokey the Bear” syndromeSmokey the Bear” syndrome disease and pest controldisease and pest control

Why do military training lands Why do military training lands exhibit such high biodiversity exhibit such high biodiversity and such high numbers of T&E and such high numbers of T&E species?species? Disturbance to ecosystems is natural and has Disturbance to ecosystems is natural and has

always existedalways existed Natural disturbances tend to be non-uniform in Natural disturbances tend to be non-uniform in

both space and timeboth space and time Humans habitually suppress natural disturbancesHumans habitually suppress natural disturbances

Most modern human disturbances tend Most modern human disturbances tend to be uniform in space and timeto be uniform in space and time

Why do military training lands Why do military training lands exhibit such high biodiversity and exhibit such high biodiversity and such high numbers of T&E species?such high numbers of T&E species? Disturbance to ecosystems is natural and has always Disturbance to ecosystems is natural and has always

existedexisted Natural disturbances tend to be non-uniform in both Natural disturbances tend to be non-uniform in both

space and timespace and time Humans suppress natural disturbancesHumans suppress natural disturbances Most modern human disturbances tend to be uniform in Most modern human disturbances tend to be uniform in

space and timespace and time

Disturbance from military training tends to Disturbance from military training tends to be non-uniform in space and time, creating be non-uniform in space and time, creating a habitat mosaic that favors biodiversitya habitat mosaic that favors biodiversity

Hohenfels Training Area

When areas of high biodiversity and high When areas of high biodiversity and high numbers of T&E species are discovered, numbers of T&E species are discovered, it is a natural human tendency to try to it is a natural human tendency to try to protect them by eliminating disturbance.protect them by eliminating disturbance.

However, the elimination of disturbance However, the elimination of disturbance upsets the natural balance and will result in upsets the natural balance and will result in the loss of species that depend on conditions the loss of species that depend on conditions created by disturbance, i.e. created by disturbance, i.e. disturbance-disturbance-dependent speciesdependent species..

Example from Tennenlohe, GermanyExample from Tennenlohe, Germany

The Tennenlohe Local Training Area was The Tennenlohe Local Training Area was abandoned by the U.S. Army in 1993 abandoned by the U.S. Army in 1993 and declared a nature protection area.and declared a nature protection area.

Corynephorus canescensSilbergras - Silvergrass

Since 1993, the populations of a Since 1993, the populations of a number of disturbance-dependent number of disturbance-dependent T&E species have declined T&E species have declined markedly.markedly.

Portions of the Nature Protection Area - Portions of the Nature Protection Area - Tennenlohe Forst are now ripped to produce Tennenlohe Forst are now ripped to produce the soil disturbance once provided by tank the soil disturbance once provided by tank traffic.traffic.

In October 2001, at the request of German In October 2001, at the request of German conservation managers, German tanks were conservation managers, German tanks were used to create non-uniform disturbance at the used to create non-uniform disturbance at the Nature Protection Area Hainberg (former Nature Protection Area Hainberg (former military training area near Nmilitary training area near Nürnberg, Germanyürnberg, Germany) ) in an effort to restore disturbance-dependent in an effort to restore disturbance-dependent species.species.

Non-Uniform Disturbance HypothesisNon-Uniform Disturbance Hypothesis

““Biodiversity is maximized where Biodiversity is maximized where disturbances are non-uniform in size, disturbances are non-uniform in size, spatial and temporal distribution, spatial and temporal distribution, frequency, intensity, duration and frequency, intensity, duration and kind.”kind.”

Identify 4-8 high profile/high priority T&E Identify 4-8 high profile/high priority T&E species that occur on USAREUR training lands species that occur on USAREUR training lands and that appear to be disturbance-dependent. and that appear to be disturbance-dependent.

Bufo calamitaBufo calamita – Natterjack toad – Natterjack toad

Bombina variegataBombina variegata - Yellow-bellied toad - Yellow-bellied toad

Oedipoda caerulescensOedipoda caerulescens – Blue-winged grasshopper – Blue-winged grasshopper

Cicindela hybridaCicindela hybrida – Brown sand-beetle – Brown sand-beetle

Aira caryophylleaAira caryophyllea – Silver hairgrass – Silver hairgrassTeesdalia nudicaulis Teesdalia nudicaulis – Shepherd’s Cress– Shepherd’s Cress

Limosella aquaticaLimosella aquatica – Mudwort – Mudwort Gentiana ciliata Gentiana ciliata – Fringed gentian– Fringed gentian

A special recognition to the many people who have A special recognition to the many people who have helped conceptualize and execute the project:helped conceptualize and execute the project:

Martin Elyn, Wolfgang Grimm & Scott Holbrook – Martin Elyn, Wolfgang Grimm & Scott Holbrook – IMA-EUROIMA-EURO

Inga Nestler – Grafenwöhr Training AreaInga Nestler – Grafenwöhr Training AreaAlbert Böhm & Cristof Lichtenegger – Hohenfels Albert Böhm & Cristof Lichtenegger – Hohenfels

Training AreaTraining AreaAnke Jentsch – Centre for Environmental Research, Anke Jentsch – Centre for Environmental Research,

Leipzig-HalleLeipzig-HalleHeimar Gutsche and Norbert Meyer - Institut für Heimar Gutsche and Norbert Meyer - Institut für

Vegetationskunde und LandschaftsökologieVegetationskunde und LandschaftsökologieBob Brozka & Bob Shaw – Center for Environmental Bob Brozka & Bob Shaw – Center for Environmental

Management of Military LandsManagement of Military Lands