Site Summary

FRANCE, S-0068: Réserve biologique dirigée Hochfeld

Site Summary

Small but exceptional Biological Reserve, the Directed Biological Reserve (Réserve Biologique Dirigée –RBD) Hochfeld is located in the forest Hohwald-Zundelkopf near Schirmeck. It belongs to the same forest and landscape group as the RBD Champ du Feu (BR 59) from which it is only separated by a few hundred meters of forest.

Major Site Values & Outcomes

The RBD Hochfeld has a unique history and situation within the Biological Reserves Network. For its main part, it corresponds to the grip of a downhill ski run open through the forest in the 1960s. This deforested and even eroded environment is home to a pioneer moor of extraordinary species richness. Lycopods, primitive and discrete plants close to ferns, but biological heritage of national and European interest. The RBD Hochfeld is included in the Natura 2000 site (Habitats Directive) “Champ du Feu”. Of the ten French lycopods, there are no fewer than seven taxa in the Hochfeld RBD, most of them in the “skinned” moors of the ski slope. The Club Lycopodium, the one-year-old Branchleaf and the Regionally Protected Lycopodium are three relatively common species in the Vosges. On the other hand, rare are the Alpine Lycopod (PN), the Little Cypress Lycopod (PN) and finally two species of hybrid origin, the Zeiller’s Lycopod and the Oellgaard’s Lycopod. Uniquely, it is at Hochfeld that this species has been discovered and described, and it is known elsewhere only in a few sites of the Massif Central.

The pioneer moor is a habitat of high heritage value but which remains relatively ephemeral. Even if the stripped soil is particularly ungrateful and unfavorable for the development of the forest, the moorland and the small species that are the Lycopods must face the invasion by woody pioneers (Rowan’s mountain ash, Spruce …). This is why regular operations of grubbing and grinding woody have proved indispensable in the reserve management.

Conservation Summary

• Site visit report (14-15/11/2016)
• No COIs declared
• EAGL consensus and vote: All in favour

EAGL statement:

The EAGL stresses exemplary governance that fits perfectly with the spirit of the green list. The stakeholders interviewed were unanimous on the quality of the functioning of the Management Advisory Committee (Comité consultatif de gestion – CCG) and all fully supported RBD’s application for the green list. The close association of all stakeholders in decision-making on site management is clearly a strong point.

Management plan does not include criterion 2.3 on understanding the threats and the challenges that affect the main values as regards the possible consideration of the potential impacts of climate change. According to the manager, there is nothing specific to say in the current state of knowledge, the dry moor habitat does not present a priori any particular sensitivity. A paragraph will have to be added in the management plan on the subject of climate change.

In addition, with respect to criterion 3.6 on management, access, use of resources and visits, the provisions listed below concerning the regulation will have to be incorporated in the interministerial decree for the approval of the new management plan : hunting of small game is forbidden; the feeding of game, and any device of attraction of the game are forbidden; motor vehicle traffic is allowed only for activities provided for in the management of the reserve (works, pastoral activities, studies) and access to concessions with the limitations provided for in the clauses; Bikes and horse traffic is prohibited on the RBD outside marked trails; any form of camping or bivouac is forbidden; the creation of new marked routes in the RBD is forbidden. The EAGL considers that the RBD Hochfeld will be able to reach all the standards of Pillar 3 of the Green List by the end of 2017 subject to taking into account the remarks formulated above.

The involvement of experts from the Office National des Forêts (ONF) and environmental and academic actors allows a fine knowledge of the values of the site and the threats that are linked to them. Stakeholders interviewed on the subject confirmed that the delineation of the site corresponds to the values and issues identified and allows their long-term conservation.

Following the review of the RBD Hochfeld nomination, the EAGL welcomed the outstanding efforts of the management team for the conservation of the values of the site and underlined the quality and the completeness of the file. On the basis of these elements, the EAGL unanimously voted in favor of the Hochfeld Biological Reserve being included in the Protected Areas Green List.

Reviewer Statement

Verification of the conformity of the necessary documents (conformance of format and form) and availability in COMPASS.

Conformity of process: Self assessment; Site visit program; Report of audit; Used of panorama and protected planet; Stakeholder feed-back; Action plans; EAGL decision, discussion, vote;

Verification of consistency of document dates

Verification of the independence of the EAGL evaluator / the candidate

Verification of good use of COMPASS Portal by EAGL

Verification of used of panorama and protected portal

First analysis done 05/07/2017 and final validation 20/10/2018

External Links

Protected Planet