Hundsfeld (3255)
Austria, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Hundsfeld
Central coordinates: Latitude: 47.2333, Longitude: 13.5667
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 1700 to 1800
Area of KBA (km2): 42.1937
Protected area coverage (%): 94.62
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The main habitats of the area are subalpine conifer forests, alpine pastures and rocky areas above the treeline. In addition, there is an area of raised bog near the town of Obertauern. Utilization of forest and pastures is non-intensive.
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 alpine grassland and subalpine forest species.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (30%) | forestry (15%) | not utilised (35%) | tourism/recreation (15%) | urban/industrial/transport (5%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 60 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 20 | |
| Forest | 15 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Obertauern is a centre of winter tourism and there is a large amount of associated infrastructure and disturbance. Snow machines require large quantities of water and this threatens the raised bog area. Plans to use springs to supply water for tourism would seriously affect the water regime of the area.