Kirkkojärvi lake and Lupinlahti bay (1309)
Finland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2025
National site name: Kirkkojärvi-Lupinlahti
Central coordinates: Latitude: 60.5667, Longitude: 27.2333
System: terrestrial, marine
Elevation (m): 0 to 0
Area of KBA (km2): 6.42632
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Kirkkojärvi lake and Lupinlahti Bay are two wetlands adjacent to the town of Hamina. Kirkkojärvi lake, is almost totally covered by vegetation (reed<I> Phragmites</I>, etc.). It was previously heavily polluted by nutrients, and is still prone to silting but is managed by periodically raising the water-level. Lupinlahti Bay is a shallow, 5 km long, narrow bay of the Gulf of Finland, with reedbeds up to 200 m wide. Some parts of the shoreline are rocky, others have meadows and forests, with several houses and summer cottages.</P>
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: The area is also a nationally important staging area during spring for <I>Cygnus columbianus</I> (100-150 birds). Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: <I>Haliaeetus albicilla</I> (1-5 individuals, passage), <I>Crex crex</I> (1 pair, breeding).</P>
Manageability of the site: Site identified based on BirdLife International's Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, under which manageability is strongly recommended but not explicitly documented
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Intensive hunting in autumn and professional net fishing almost all-year-round cause disturbance to birds. There is a birdwatching tower at Kirkkojärvi lake. Part of the area is a candidate SAC.</P>
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Ongoing |
Additional information
Contributors: Site identified based on Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas by the BirdLife International Partnership