Rhine flats Kehl-Helmlingen (3557)
Germany, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2002
National site name: Rheinniederung Kehl-Helmlingen
Central coordinates: Latitude: 48.6667, Longitude: 7.8833
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 125 to 140
Area of KBA (km2): 21.58629
Protected area coverage (%): 98.02
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The site comprises part of the former flood-plain of the now embanked River Rhine. Habitats include Quercus-Ulmus, Quercus-Carpinus and Populus forest, relict Alnus swamp-forest, springs, fish-ponds, arable land, meadows, and large abandoned gravel-pits.
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: This is an important stop-over site for passage wildfowl. Nationally important numbers of breeding Larus melanocephalus are present.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | forestry | tourism/recreation
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 25 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 25 | |
| Grassland | 25 | |
| Forest | 25 |