Breckland (2431)
United Kingdom, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Breckland
Central coordinates: Latitude: 52.4218, Longitude: 0.6795
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 10 to 55
Area of KBA (km2): 394.30982
Protected area coverage (%): 99.80
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A large, fragmented area of heathland, forest and arable farmland, containing a wide variety of habitats. The IBA supports a flora, characterized by continental species, that is unique in Britain,and is important for a range of breeding heathland speciesand wintering Anas strepera.
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.
Delineation rationale: First identified as Breckland Heaths in 1989; Thetford Forest added in 2000 and renamed to Breckland Heaths and Thetford Forest; SPA boundary adopted in 2007, and renamed to Breckland. 2000 area, 26419ha. SPA boundary used from JNCC; digitised at 1:10,000 scale.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | forestry | military | nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 20 | |
| Forest | 20 | |
| Grassland | 20 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 20 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 20 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Only in the future | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Only in the future | |
| Energy production & mining | Renewable energy | Only in the future | |
| Natural system modifications | Other ecosystem modifications | Ongoing |