Expected results (outputs and quantified achievements)
The main expected results of the project:
- Detailed analyses and maps showing, in subsequent years, following information about Białowieża Forest: forest stands characteristics (growing stock and biomass, tree height, DBH, canopy cover and its diversity, forest diversity, tree species composition, vertical structure, biomass etc.), number of dead standing trees, location and size of gaps, location and size of dying spruce stands, locations of ash dieback, natural forest regeneration dynamics, quantity of lying dead wood, large scale spatial distribution of forest stands in different age classes and of different structure. The planned accuracy of automatic elaborations is 80-100%;
- Map of plant communities with identification of different tree species. The planned accuracy of automatic elaborations is 80-100%;
- Creation of monitoring methods of Białowieża Forest dynamics with use of a small number of field sample plots and ancillary remote sensing data covering the whole study area;
- Master tree ring chronology of the selected tree species in Białowieża Forest;
- Creation of monitoring methods of Białowieża Forest dynamics with use of a small number of field sample plots and ancillary remote sensing data covering the whole study area;
- Master tree ring chronology of the selected tree species in Białowieża Forest;
- An unique geo-portal with all gathered and produced spatial data on Białowieża Forest;
- Increasing the density of the existing (rather poor) network of meteorological stations for the analysis of Białowieża Forest microclimate. An online weather service creation will help in the promotion of the project, and, in addition, will be used by tourists visiting Białowieża Forest. It is assumed that the system will have more than 10 000 visitors per year.