Marais poitevin et baie de l'Aiguillon (2394)
France, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2000
National site name: Marais poitevin et baie de l'Aiguillon
Central coordinates: Latitude: 46.3333, Longitude: -1.0000
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 25
Area of KBA (km2): 779.18364
Protected area coverage (%): 99.11
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A complex of many habitat-types. Human activities include stock and arable farming, oyster and mussel farming, and grazing on reclaimed saltmarshes.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: The site holds 20,000 or more waterbirds, on passage and in winter on a regular basis. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Crex crex (5-6 breeding pairs); Tetrax tetrax (20-50 passage individuals); Acrocephalus paludicola (passage).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | forestry | hunting | tourism/recreation | urban/industrial/transport
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 13 | |
| Forest | 13 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 13 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 13 | |
| Marine Neritic | 13 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 13 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 13 | |
| Shrubland | 13 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The site is seriously threatened by drainage of the wet meadow areas. Intensive agricultural practices, channelization of rivers and streams, removal of hedges, scrub and tree-lined channels, drainage of saltmarshes and salinas, and extension of oyster and mussel farming on the mudflats also pose significant problems. In addition, communal meadows of the Vendeé marshes are affected by the creation of lakes for wind-surfing. Approximately 10,000 ha of the IBA is proposed as a Special Protection Area (13,000 ha).