Key Biodiversity Areas

Galloway Forest Park (2661)
United Kingdom, Europe

Site overview


KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Galloway Forest Park
Central coordinates: Latitude: 55.1095, Longitude: -4.3987
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 13 to 843
Area of KBA (km2): 585.45303
Protected area coverage (%): 14.18
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes

Site details


Site description: A very large area of forest, including lochs, rivers and moorland, that stretches from Newton Stewart in Dumfries and Galloway into the Strathclyde region. The IBA supports a range of breeding waders and waterbirds, in addition to species of forest and moorland.
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 2000; no significant boundary changes since. 2000 area of 76000ha was an overestimate. Digitised onto 1:50,000 scale OS maps.

Habitats


Land use: agriculture | forestry | nature conservation and research | water management
IUCN HabitatCoverage %Habitat detail
Wetlands(Inland)24
Forest5
Artificial - Terrestrial48
Grassland24

Threats


Threat level 1Threat level 2Threat level 3Timing
Agriculture & aquacultureWood & pulp plantationsAgro-industry plantationsOngoing
Energy production & miningRenewable energyOnly in the future
Human intrusions & disturbanceRecreational activitiesOngoing