Värriö-Tuntsa (1373)
Finland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2025
National site name: Värriö-Tuntsa
Central coordinates: Latitude: 67.6667, Longitude: 29.7500
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 500 to 500
Area of KBA (km2): 337.19475
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A wilderness area comprising two adjacent mountainous conservation units in eastern Lapland: Värriö Strict Nature Reserve, and the Wilderness Area of Tuntsa which reaches the Russian border in the east. The landscape is dominated by low fjelds and high hills, with forested slopes, fertile river valleys and old, natural boreal forests between them. Due to the area's remoteness, human activity is minor.</P>
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: An important area for boreal avifauna. Breeding birds include 13 out of the 15 species in Europe that are restricted to the boreal biome (when 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
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 65 | |
| Grassland | 25 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 10 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Part of the area is a candidate SAC.</P>
Additional information
Contributors: Site identified based on Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas by the BirdLife International Partnership