Key Biodiversity Areas

Ruja flood-plain (354)
Latvia, Europe

Site overview


KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Rujas paliene
Central coordinates: Latitude: 57.8667, Longitude: 25.2500
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 40 to 60
Area of KBA (km2): 4.44275
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes

Site details


Site description: A section of Ruja river flood-plain least affected by canalisation, drainage and abandonment. It consists of remnants of natural meanders with some ox-bows and open flood-plain meadows. Listed as an IBA since 2000 [2, 1]. Fully protected: there is a 100% overlap with the newly designated Ruja floodplain restricted nature reserve, a candidate SPA.
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.

Habitats


Land use: agriculture (7%) | hunting (15%) | nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation
IUCN HabitatCoverage %Habitat detail
Artificial - Terrestrial12
Grassland47
Shrubland13
Wetlands(Inland)9
Forest19