Ipoly Valley (1409)
Hungary, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2002
National site name: Ipoly-völgy
Central coordinates: Latitude: 48.0833, Longitude: 19.0833
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 112 to 183
Area of KBA (km2): 63.04696
Protected area coverage (%): 92.14
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A meandering river on the Slovakian border, situated between the villages of Hont and Ipolyszög. Wet grasslands and marshes dominate the IBA, with smaller areas of Alnus woodland and sandy grassland. The area is relatively unaffected by human activity.
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: The area is important for breeding and migratory waterbirds, but only Crex crex meets IBA criteria.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (70%) | forestry (20%) | urban/industrial/transport (5%) | water management (5%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 10 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 20 | |
| Grassland | 60 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 10 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main threat to the site is river regulation and engineering. A management plan exists for the area, which is also especially important as a breeding ground for amphibians.