Key Biodiversity Areas

The Swale (2619)
United Kingdom, Europe

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: The Swale
Central coordinates: Latitude: 51.3607, Longitude: 0.8428
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 27
Area of KBA (km2): 65.08417
Protected area coverage (%): 99.89
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: Mudflats and saltmarshes bordering the Swale, which separates the Isle of Sheppey from the Kent mainland, in addition to extensive brackish and freshwater grazing-marshes on both sides of the channel. The IBA is important for wintering and passage wildfowl and waders, and breeding wildfowl, gulls and other reedbed/wetland species.
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 in 1989 as The Swale and South Sheppey; renamed in 1992; boundary amended to match the SPA in 2007. 2000 area, 6514ha. SPA boundary used from JNCC; digitised at 1:10,000 scale.

Habitats

Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | hunting | tourism/recreation | urban/industrial/transport
IUCN HabitatCoverage %Habitat detail
Grassland30
Artificial - Terrestrial5
Marine Neritic30
Shrubland5
Marine Intertidal30

Threats

Threat level 1Threat level 2Threat level 3Timing
Natural system modificationsDams & water management/useSmall damsOnly in the future
Agriculture & aquacultureLivestock farming & ranchingSmall-holder grazing, ranching or farmingOngoing
Residential & commercial developmentHousing & urban areasOnly in the future
Human intrusions & disturbanceRecreational activitiesOngoing