Key Biodiversity Areas

Le Cesine (2801)
Italy, Europe

Site overview


KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2002
National site name: Le Cesine
Central coordinates: Latitude: 40.3500, Longitude: 18.3333
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 5
Area of KBA (km2): 20.03304
Protected area coverage (%): 72.70
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes

Site details


Site description: An area on the Adriatic coast in southern Italy, about 10 km east of the town of Lecce. It is a mosaic of beaches, sand-dunes, maquis, freshwater and brackish pools, olive-groves and arable land. The main land-uses are nature conservation and agriculture.
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: A notable site for migrating and wintering waterbirds. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Aythya nyroca (max. 3, winter).

Habitats


Land use: agriculture (40%) | nature conservation and research (55%) | tourism/recreation (5%)
IUCN HabitatCoverage %Habitat detail
Artificial - Terrestrial5
Forest5
Marine Oceanic67
Wetlands(Inland)23

Threats


Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Dune erosion is the main threat. The site is a WWF reserve. Some or all of the site is covered by a management plan. Birds are monitored and ringed. There are wetland-restoration projects, financed by regional and EU funds.