Siikalahti bay and Sammallampi lake (1310)
Finland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2000
National site name: Siikalahti-Sammallampi
Central coordinates: Latitude: 61.5333, Longitude: 29.5333
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 70 to 70
Area of KBA (km2): 5.1911
Protected area coverage (%): 99.44
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Siikalahti Bay, one of the most famous wetlands in Finland, is a sheltered, shallow bay of Simpele lake. It is heavily vegetated with Phragmites, Typha and floating plants like Nymphaea, with open water constituting no more than 25% of the lake area. Eutrophication is mostly due to the input of large amounts of nutrient run-off from adjacent farmlands and sewage disposal from nearby settlements. Sammallampi lake, connected to Siikalahti Bay via the Simpele lake water system, is a small eutrophic lake surrounded by farmlands and forests. The vegetation is similar to Siikalahti, but overgrowth does not pose a significant threat in the near future.
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: Very important for wetland breeding birds. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Anser erythropus (max. 1, passage), Crex crex (1 pair, breeding).
Habitats
Land use: hunting (15%) | not utilised (50%) | tourism/recreation (15%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 15 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 75 | |
| Unknown | 5 | |
| Grassland | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Although Siikalahti was purchased by the state, its future does not seem promising since overgrowth of vegetation has continued despite some restoration trials. Hunting is forbidden at Siikalahti, but heavy at Sammallampi. The impact on the birds of large-scale nature tourism at Siikalahti is probably minor, as it is concentrated in the vicinity of the tourist centre and a birdwatching tower.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Dams (size unknown) | Ongoing |