Ropka-Ihaste (300)
Estonia, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2003
National site name: Ropka-Ihaste
Central coordinates: Latitude: 58.3333, Longitude: 26.7667
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 9.58488
Protected area coverage (%): 81.53
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A wetland complex on the flood-plain of the Emajõgi river near the town of Tartu in eastern Estonia, with meadows, lakes, rivers, reedbeds, scrub and reseeded grasslands (polders). The main land-uses are haymaking, sand-mining and recreation.
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: The area is an important breeding site for several waterbird species of flood-plain wetlands. Breeding species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Crex crex (3-5 pairs), Gallinago media (5-10 pairs). Significant proportion (³1%) of national population breeding at site: Larus minutus (min. 50 pairs).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (35%) | forestry (3%) | nature conservation and research (72%) | tourism/recreation
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 31 | |
| Grassland | 36 | |
| Shrubland | 30 | |
| Forest | 3 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Major threats are posed by nutrient pollution (due to effluents from Tartu town and fertilizer run-off), overgrowth of meadows with scrub due to reduced haymaking, disturbance of birds by angling, recreation/tourism, fuel-oil pollution from boats, unsustainable hunting, drainage and canalization. The area is a proposed Protected Landscape. An inventory of breeding and migrating birds was completed in 1992.