Vercelli rice-fields (2866)
Italy, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2002
National site name: Risaie del Vercellese
Central coordinates: Latitude: 45.2000, Longitude: 8.2667
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 136 to 182
Area of KBA (km2): 246.66949
Protected area coverage (%): 17.43
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A lowland agricultural area on the western Padana plain, south-west of the town of Vercelli, covered mainly by rice-fields. The area includes a broadleaved woodland called Bosco della Partecipanza and a wetland called Palude di San Genuario. Part of the site was listed in the previous pan-European IBA inventory (Grimmett and Jones 1989) as subsite 6 of the IBA `Heronries in the catchment of the upper Po and Sesia Rivers' (former site IT005).
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 large mixed heronry (Garzaia di Montarolo) is located in Bosco della Partecipanza. The rice-fields are important for breeding and migrating waders.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (75%) | fisheries/aquaculture (5%) | forestry (5%) | hunting (25%) | nature conservation and research (10%) | urban/industrial/transport (5%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 97 | |
| Forest | 2 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 1 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The change from `wet' to `dry' cultivation of rice is a very significant threat.