Päätyeenlahti bay (1323)
Finland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2000
National site name: Päätyeenlahti
Central coordinates: Latitude: 62.1167, Longitude: 30.1333
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 70 to 70
Area of KBA (km2): 4.22337
Protected area coverage (%): 86.62
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Päätyeenlahti is a long and shallow bay on Kiteenjärvi lake, with Equisetum and Phragmites beds and abundant floating vegetation, which covers the bay in August. The shores of the bay are mainly bordered by open, semi-natural and agricultural habitats with settlements and two roads. There are also smaller areas of Salix bushes and stands of mixed forest.
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 breeding area for wetland birds, including one of the largest colonies of Larus minutus in Finland.
Habitats
Land use: not utilised (85%) | tourism/recreation (5%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 75 | |
| Forest | 25 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The area has suffered to some extent from fishing and recreational boating, and hunting pressure (`Disturbance to birds' threat) is heavy in autumn. Other threats are the overgrowth of the wetland with vegetation and the impact of sewage effluents discharged into the area. There are two birdwatching towers in the area.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing |