Styrian Enns valley (3244)
Austria, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Steirisches Ennstal
Central coordinates: Latitude: 47.5000, Longitude: 14.0833
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 620 to 740
Area of KBA (km2): 65.5017
Protected area coverage (%): 88.63
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This area is one of the largest inner-alpine valleys in Austria. Following regulation of the river, only small areas of riverine forest, fen and raised bog remain. Large areas of pasture and intensively-managed grassland exist with small patches of non-intensively managed wet meadows. In places, cliffs enclose the valley. The main human activities are agriculture 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: An important area for species breeding in wet meadows and raised bog.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (80%) | forestry (10%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 5 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 15 | |
| Grassland | 50 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 30 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: A road-building project threatens the most valuable sites in the valley. Other threats include drainage, high fertilizer use, groundwater abstraction, building development, and recreational use.