Vallei van de Zwarte Beek (712)
Belgium, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2000
National site name: Vallei van de Zwarte Beek
Central coordinates: Latitude: 51.1167, Longitude: 5.3333
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 32 to 70
Area of KBA (km2): 88.8891
Protected area coverage (%): 98.20
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: An extensive heathland on the Kempen plateau, with oligotrophic fens and sand-dunes, and the Zwarte Beek wil valley, a well-preserved, semi-natural landscape with bogs, moorland, marsh, woodland and extensive arable land.
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 a breeding area for meadow birds and woodland passerines.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (20%) | military (70%) | nature conservation and research (10%) | tourism/recreation (5%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 40 | |
| Shrubland | 30 | |
| Grassland | 10 | |
| Forest | 20 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The area suffers from planting with exotic tree species. Additionally, one of the most significant threats to the extensive heathland and inland dunes is the future use of the military area (`Other' threat), as an increasing number of military areas are being sold and developed. The area is included in the `Ecologisch Impulsgebied', an integrated conservation and development project. Intensive research on the influence of hydrology on land management is currently being carried out. Almost 1,000 ha is managed as a nature reserve by BNVR/RNOB. 8,100 ha of IBA covered by proposed Site of Community Importance (Vallei-en brongebied van Zwarte Beek, Boliserbeek, 8,689 ha).