Veerse Meer (1209)
Netherlands, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2016
National site name: Veerse Meer
Central coordinates: Latitude: 51.5333, Longitude: 3.7333
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): -23 to -2
Area of KBA (km2): 25.38767
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A 20-km long brackish lake (formerly part of the Oosterschelde estuary, closed off in 1961) with sandbanks and small islands, and surrounded by wet meadows, improved grassland, arable land and some forestry plantations.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: An important roost for tens of thousands of geese Anser (although there are few counts), and for thousands of waders from Oosterschelde (028) at high water.
Delineation rationale: 9 March 2017: area edited. Now equal to the designated Special Protection Area (Birds Directive).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (8%) | fisheries/aquaculture (74%) | hunting (10%) | nature conservation and research (13%) | tourism/recreation (84%) | water management (100%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 74 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 26 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main problems are nutrient pollution (`Other' threat, above), insufficient exchange with Oosterschelde water, and recreational pressure.