Ardahan forest (825)
Turkey, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Ardahan Ormanı
Central coordinates: Latitude: 41.1500, Longitude: 42.7833
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 1930 to 2291
Area of KBA (km2): 241.20955
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: An upland area north-east of Ardahan that occupies the broad valley of the Kura stream. The area comprises extensive areas of high altitude Pinus forest and grazed montane steppe, together with hay-meadows (often cut by hand) and arable land. Putka lake is covered by extensive stands of emergent sedge Carex, with very little open water. Its margins are heavily grazed.
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: The site also supports small numbers of breeding waterbirds, and several species of raptor probably breed in the forests surrounding the marsh. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Aythya nyroca (breeding) and Aegypius monachus (thought to breed just outside the area).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (10%) | not utilised (90%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 1 | |
| Forest | 40 | |
| Grassland | 40 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 20 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: No serious threats are known at the site.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Ongoing |