Artjärvi wetlands (1314)
Finland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2000
National site name: Artjärven kirkonkylän kosteikot
Central coordinates: Latitude: 60.7667, Longitude: 26.0833
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 40 to 60
Area of KBA (km2): 15.05297
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A complex of habitats, comprising several eutrophic lakes and other wetlands, shore meadows, and flooded fields, around the settlement of Artjärvi. The lakes are shallow and abundant in vegetation and are surrounded mostly by farmland and settlements. The IBA encompasses a large area of cultivated fields which are ornithologically important when flooded in spring.
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: One of the most important staging areas for Cygnus cygnus in continental Finland. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Crex crex (max. 4 pairs breeding, 11 birds on passage).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | hunting
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 33 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 33 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 33 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Human impact is high throughout almost the entire area, which causes some disturbance to the avifauna. However, several activities, such as cattle-grazing and the cultivation of flooded fields, are beneficial to breeding and staging birds. The overgrowth of wetlands in some parts of the site, as a result of insufficient land management, is a threat.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Wood & pulp plantations | Small-holder plantations | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Other ecosystem modifications | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing |