Outokumpu wetlands (1328)
Finland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2000
National site name: Outokummun lintuvedet
Central coordinates: Latitude: 62.6833, Longitude: 29.1667
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 90 to 90
Area of KBA (km2): 11.31384
Protected area coverage (%): 85.79
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A complex of shallow, nutrient-rich wetlands south of the town of Outokumpu, surrounded mainly by farmland, but also by young deciduous forests which regularly flood. Areas of formerly quite extensive open, muddy marshes are now overgrown by sedge, grasses and Salix bushes. In shallow water, large beds of reed Phragmites are abundant.
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: Nationally important for breeding Botaurus stellaris (7-9 males), Circus aeruginosus (5-6 pairs). In 1984, the first evidence of breeding Tringa stagnatilis in western Europe was found in the area; it has since bred twice.
Habitats
Land use: hunting (100%) | nature conservation and research (5%) | tourism/recreation (10%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 5 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 80 | |
| Forest | 15 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Overgrowth of the wetland is a threat. The area suffers from intense hunting pressure in autumn, and fishing also causes disturbance in some parts, especially to Cygnus cygnus and Anser fabalis. Excessive nutrient pollution is a serious threat to the whole site; sewage is no longer discharged there, but the inflow of nutrients from surrounding farmland, especially during spring floods, is heavy. Oxygen-generating equipment was installed in Sysmäjärvi lake some years ago to help address this problem. There are several 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 | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Dams (size unknown) | Ongoing |
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Only in the past and unlikely to return |